Skerries CC overcame the challenge of St Columba's College, Rathfarnham, in a closely fought game at Coolmine RFC yesterday.
Skerries took the lead after 20 minutes when they were awarded a penalty 10 metres from the posts. Owen Keane opted for a quick tap, moving the ball left, where fellow centre Sean Dempsey collected and ran in unopposed for the only score of the first half.
Fifteen minutes after the restart, Skerries extended their lead when Keane slotted over a penalty from St Columba's 22metre line.
Columba's finally got on the scoresheet with 10 minutes remaining. Following sustained pressure from their pack, the ball was worked out from a scrum inside the Skerries 22. Substitute centre Jacob Leon, who was playing on the left wing, received the pass 10 metres out and sprinted over in the left corner.
Despite almost breaching the Skerries line on three occasions towards the end, St Columba's could not get the vital score, allowing their opponents to advance to the semi-finals.
SKERRIES CC: J Gavin; J Grimes, O Keane (capt), S Dempsey, S Donoghue; T Hanratty, E Smith; D O'Leary, D Lamont, P Murphy, E Mulligan, J O'Regan, G Duffy, M Cullen, D Coffey. Replacements: S Halpin for O'Regan (45 mins), C Musgrave for Murphy (52 mins).
ST COLUMBA'S: D Manning; J Suckling, A Musgrave (capt), W Wilshere, T Eadipe; H Spiller, C Cahill; A Dodd, N Stephens, T Goodbody, F Pereira, A Rauscher, H DavisGoff, O Rowland, D Dobbs. Replacement: J Leon for Wilshere (21 mins).
