SCHOOLS RUGBY MUNSTER JUNIOR CUP FINAL Crescent 22 Ardscoil Rís 3:CRESCENT REPEATED their win of last year in the final of the Munster Schools' Junior Cup at Clifford Park yesterday.

But they had to battle much harder at Clifford Park than the final scoreline suggests against an Ardscoil side whose forwards battled gamely throughout.

After a scoreless first half, Stephen Fitzgerald opened the scoring with a penalty four minutes into the second half to put Ardscoil in front and the holders looked to be in trouble.

Midway through the half came the vital breakthrough for Crescent when winger Alan Crean rounded off a move and beat the cover for a try, which Lyons converted.

It sparked new life into Crescent and it removed all the nervousness from their earlier play. Their other winger, Jack Hogan, had try number two and again Lyons landed the conversion.

To assure Lyons of the man-of-the match performance he calmly dropped a goal to make it 17-3.

Ardscoil were reeling at this stage and near the end Cormac Blake had Crescent’s third try to give his school the title for the fifth time.

Four of the winning side were also successful in last year’s final and the quartet – Greg O’Shea, James Green, Cormac Blake and Lyons – all played major roles in this success.

Ardscoil were disappointed with the scoreline but it was not the fault of Paul Obande, Daniel Wixted and Frank Bradshaw-Ryan in their pack and halfbacks Robbie Deegan and Stephen Fitzgerald that they failed to deny Crescent the double.

CRESCENT COMPREHENSIVE: J O'Sullivan; A Crean, G O'Shea, JJ O'Neill, J Hogan; G Lyons, E Barry; J Tuohy, C Rea, L McMahon; M O'Donnell, J Kavanagh; R Noone, J Green, C Blake.

ARDSCOIL RÍS: B Moriarty; J Walshe, W Leonard, S Fenton, O Lyons; S Fitzgerald, R Deegan; K Browne, K Bracken, J OHanlon; F Bradshaw-Ryan, D Wixted; J Cannon, J O'Halloran, P Obande.

Referee: O Hodges(MAR).