Terenure 15 Cork Con 22
Defending champions Cork Constitution dug deep to book their place in next Sunday’s AIL Division 1A decider. With out-half Tomas Quinlan kicking 17 points, Brian Hickey’s charges overcame the stubborn challenge of an ambitious Terenure side.
Tries in each half by Robbie Carroll and Jake Swaine kept ‘Nure in the reckoning, but key scores from Quinlan and replacement back row Evan Mintern either side of the interval proved crucial for Con.
Quinlan put the visitors ahead with a penalty before ‘Nure hit back with a superb try from Carroll. Mark O’Neill missed the touchline conversion, and two more penalties from the reliable Quinlan gave Con a 9-5 advantage at the break.
After O’Neill cancelled out another Quinlan three-pointer after the restart, Munster prospect Mintern entered the fray to put the Leesiders firmly in the driving seat.
When scrum possession on the left was switched towards the far wing, the powerful back rower was in the right place to drive over the line.
The outstanding Quinlan landed his fifth penalty of the game in the 71st minute, giving Con a 22-8 buffer.
Tenacious Terenure were not prepared to go down without a fight, however, and winger Swaine was picked out for a simple finish in the right corner.
O’Neill added the extras to bring the deficit down to seven points, but despite losing prop Ger Sweeney to the sin-bin, Constitution doggedly held firm to set up an Aviva Stadium rematch with Lansdowne, who beat them 32-12 in the previous Saturday’s Bateman Cup final at Temple Hill.
Scorers – Terenure College: R Carroll, J Swaine try each; M O’Neill pen, con. Cork Constitution: E Mintern try; T Quinlan 5 cons, pen.
Terenure College: M Byrne; J Swaine, M Hiney, R Carroll, S Coghlan Murray; M O’Neill, T Schmidt; C Madden, R Smyth, O Heffernan, M Melia, A Thompson, C Deans, R Duke, E Joyce. Replacements: A Clarkin, S Jooste, N Lalor, P Thornton, K O’Neill, K Konrad, J O’Donoghue.
Cork Constitution: L O’Connell; JJ O’Neill, A McHenry, N Kenneally (capt), R Jermyn; T Quinlan, G Hurley; B Quinlan, V O’Brien, G Sweeney, C Kindregan, B Hayes, J McSwiney, R O’Neill, L Cahill. Replacements: J McHenry, D Murphy, G Duffy, G Higgins, J Higgins, S Duffy, E Mintern.
Ref: Sean Gallagher (IRFU)