RUGBY: ULSTER BANK LEAGUE SEMI-FINALS: Cork Constitution 19 Young Munster 9: CORK CONSTITUTION were made to fight hard before eventually seeing off the challenge of Young Munster in the second Ulster Bank League semi-final at Temple Hill yesterday.
While there is no doubt that Cork Constitution were the better team and deserve their place in the final, their coach Brian Walsh was relieved to see the back of Young Munster. Apart from an early try from secondrow Brian Hayes, they proved impossible to break down.
It was the combination of Young Munster’s magnificent defence, and the goal-kicking ability of Alan Kingsley, that kept them right in this semi-final until the closing stages. Eventually, the Cork Con scrumhalf Gerry Hurley nailed a penalty, and a drop-goal with the last kick of the game to see the holders through.
In the circumstances, it was just as well that Cork Con had an outstanding goalkicker of their own in Hurley and that they made such a good start to the game. They also, yet again, showed their uncanny ability to adapt when losing one of their many top flight players.
On this occasion, they chose to use a flanker Peter O’Mahony on the wing. O’Mahony made an outstanding contribution, frequently using his strength to run back at Young Munster.
When Hayes got over for his try after three minutes, and Hurley landed the conversion, there seemed little hope for the Limerick outfit. Even more so when Hurley added a penalty to make it 10-0 after 26 minutes.
But Young Munster simply don’t go away, and they cut the deficit to 10-6 with two Kingsley penalties, the second of which was from a yard inside his own half. Although Hurley replied with a penalty for Con, to give them a 13-6 interval advantage, the home side knew they were in for a real battle.
A further Kingsley penalty made it 13-9 before Con lay siege to the Young Munster line. But there was simply no way through.
So, when Kingsley had another penalty opportunity to reduce the deficit to a point with 20 minutes left, the Cork fans were entitled to feel worried. For once through, Kingsley made a mess of his kick.
A much relieved Con duly regained control to eventually settle the nerves with a further penalty from man of the match Hurley and a drop goal by the same player in the dying minutes.
While Cork Con will unquestionably go into the final as favourites, Walsh will not be underestimating the challenge of Old Belvedere.
“I will not be reading too much into their semi-final win over Clontarf.” he stressed.
“They finished second behind us in the table, which shows they are a good side. They needed to show a bit of character to beat Clontarf, and I anticipate that they will be a far better side in the final.”
CORK CONSTITUTION:S Scanlon; R Lane, I Dineen, C Jouve, P O'Mahony; S Deasy, G Hurley; M Gateley, D Fogarty, D Hurley; B Hayes, I Nagle; B Holland, B Cutriss, F Cogan (capt). Replacements: A Foley for Gateley (80 mins).
YOUNG MUNSTER:I Cross; C O'Hanlon, M Costelloe, R Moloney, A Carroll; W Staunton, A Kingsley; G Flaherty, G Slattery (Capt), A Cotter; N Melbourne, S O'Neill; L Og Murphy, J O'Neill, S Hassett. Replacements: B Guilfoyle for O'Neill (4 mins), H McGrath for Flaherty (53 mins), D Bannon for Staunton (80 mins)
Referee:D Wilkinson (IRFU.
