UCC half-time changes end Junior Cup dreams for proud Tipperary club

Munster Junior Cup Final

KILFEACLE AND DISTRICT 9 UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK 31

On Sunday last all of Kilfeacle and District’s squad woke up early to a bright, balmy spring morning. For all, the previous night had been a restless one and sleep had been hard to find as minds were filled with what might lay before them.

The day had finally arrived. It had been a long and arduous journey. As a squad they had managed what no squad in the club’s history had managed to do before; reach two consecutive Munster Junior Club Finals.

For many the previous year’s defeat still stung and the regret of losing was like a cloud over their heads. For a few it was their first time, for others it was the last major competition they hadn’t won with their beloved club. For all it was the Holy Grail of Munster Junior Rugby.

What would the day hold for them? Would they leave the pitch enveloped in a blanket of ecstasy having tasted victory, or would they trudge wearily, devastated and broken, from the battlefield into a silent dressingroom after once again falling short at the final step. Only time would tell.

On the day, it was no surprise that a huge contingent of the Kilfeacle and District supporters travelled for the Bank of Ireland Munster Junior Cup Final to the home of St Mary’s RFC at Grove Island in Limerick to watch UCC go head to head with ‘The Boys in Blue’.

UCC were looking to win the trophy for the first time since they defeated Richmond 12-6 in 1979, to record their 11th triumph. “The little club on the hill,” who were defeated by Garryowen in last year’s decider, were aiming to go one better this time and win the trophy for the second time to add to their only triumph to date in 2002.

GREAT SUPPORT AS EVER

Kilfeacle’s loyal supporters outnumbered their counterparts by about three to one and were nervous before yet another historic game for the club.

There were some injuries, which unfortunately ruled some players out, yet over 30 players participated in Kilfeacle’s intense warm-up session, which just goes to show that the future is bright for this vibrant club.

The Munster Junior Cup is a competition that was established for the stronger junior clubs and the second teams of the senior clubs in the province. The competition has traditionally been dominated by senior clubs.

To reach this final Kilfeacle had to beat Munster Junior Cup champions Garryowen, Thurles and senior clubs Shannon and Highfield.

Kilfeacle, to many outsiders, were massive underdogs but to all of the Kilfeacle supporters this wasn’t the case. Kilfeacle’s loyal fans had seen and knew what this squad was capable of. On their day Kilfeacle are a match for any team at this level but the unanswered whispered question was, was this going to be their day?

The weather for the game was cold and as the game progressed it became very wet, with squally showers falling intermittently during the 80 minutes.

Luke Heuston gave Kilfeacle an early lead in the second minute with a penalty. David Cogan levelled in the 12th minute with a UCC penalty but Luke Heuston restored Kilfeacle’s advantage with his second penalty in the 19th minute, bringing the score to 6-3.

From a rolling maul in the 22nd minute, Joe O’Leary scored a try in the corner and David Cogan converted to put the students in front by 10-6.

Luke Heuston then kicked his third penalty in the 26th minute to leave UCC with the narrowest of leads, 10-9.
In the 29th minute Luke Heuston had a long-range penalty attempt to regain the lead for Kilfeacle but unfortunately for him and his team it narrowly missed its target.

In the last minute of the first half, UCC’s David Cogan saw his penalty attempt suffer a similar fate. This meant that UCC were 10-9 in front at the interval.

STILL IN THE MELTING POT

With the game in the melting pot UCC made a massive substitution at half-time, bringing on Éanna McCarty. Everything that UCC did well in the second half came through this player and he had a massive impact on the game. He disrupted Kilfeacle’s play and made numerous line breaks, gaining valuable territory time after time.

In the 42nd minute David Cogan kicked another penalty for UCC, bringing the score to 14-10.

In the 56th minute another David Cogan penalty went over via the upright. This meant that UCC now had a seven points advantage, 16-9.

The second half was being dominated by UCC, as Kilfeacle seemed unable to match their intensity and execution levels. Cogan heaped more misery on the ‘Boys in Blue’ in the 64th minute when some quick thinking saw him dart over for an unconverted try to stretch their lead to 21-10.

Kilfeacle brought some reinforcements on from the bench, but even with the fresh legs they were finding it very hard to make any inroads. Another penalty by Daniel Squires in the 71st minute pushed UCC’s lead out to more than two scores, 24-9. Even with Kilfeacle’s best efforts the game was now over as a contest.

The final nail in the coffin came in the 74th minute when Daniel Squires converted a try from David McPolin to give UCC their 11th junior title to go joint second with Shannon in the roll of honour.

On the day UCC were the better team, especially in the second half, and deserved the victory.

Kilfeacle and District RFC congratulate UCC RFC on their win and the manner in which the game was played. Kilfeacle and District’s whole squad to a man once again did the club proud.

We as a club will dust ourselves off, regroup and come again. Well done to one and all.

SCORERS AND TEAMS

Scorers – Kilfeacle and District: Luke Heuston 3 pens.

UCC: Dave Cogan try, 3 pens, con, Joe O’Leary, David McPolin tries, Daniel Squires pen, con.

Kilfeacle and District: Kevin Doyle, Keith Bourke, Darren Lowry, Jacques van Wyngaardt, Christopher Thomas, Luke Heuston, Gavin Heuston, Brian Barron, Brendan Barron, Richard Whitney, Bob Purcell, Cormac Ryan, Rian Doody, Jonah O’Keeffe, Kevin Kinane.

Replacements: Simon Barry, Gavin McCormack, Darragh Kennedy, Brian Barlow, Kyle Morris.
UCC: Joe O’Leary, David McPolin, Peter O’Sullivan, Daniel Squires, David Kiely; David Cogan, Oliver Young, Rory Óg Doody, Billy Kingston, Alex Hamilton, Andrew Treacy, Conor Ryan, Jason Aherne, Peter Hyland, Jack O’Sullivan.
Replacements: Stephen O’Shaughnessy, Dermot Cremin, Éanna McCarthy, Jack Casey, Tom McCarthy.

Referee: Michael Reidy (MAR).