UCC 31 Old Crescent 13: UCC HAVE already secured their place in next season's remodelled Division One B, but the students have every intention of retaining their AIB All-Ireland League Division Two title.
On Saturday at the Mardyke, they put Old Crescent to the sword in this semi-final play-off, and will now play the winners of the Ballynahinch/Lansdowne clash on May 9th in Dooradoyle.
Attaining promotion to the top tier of Irish club rugby was a first for the Cork university side that has, down through the years, provided Munster with a conveyor belt of rich talent.
Three first-half penalties from Gavin Dunne to two from Crescent’s Brian O’Shea gave UCC a 9-6 half-time lead.
However, on the changeover, the students hit top form and tries from Peter Shallon, Sean Cronin and Willie O’Donovan, with Dunne adding two conversions and a penalty, saw UCC register a comfortable win.
UCC: S Deasy; B Derham, D Barnes, I Dineen, C Crowley; G Dunne, S Cronin (capt); R O'Neill, J Moynihan, S Archer; N Keogh, I Nagle; J Ryan, D Daly, R Barry. Replacements: P Shallon for Derham (inj 30 mins), D O'Callaghan for Ryan, W Falvey for Moynihan (both half-time), W O'Donovan for Archer (66 mins), E Nugent for Keogh and A Kelleher for Dineen (both 73 mins).
OLD CRESCENT: R Mabney; A Carroll, B Leahy, D Grace, K Ellis; B O'Shea, A Purcell; E McGovern, T Bowles, J Culinane; C McNamara, P Breen; S Malone, J O'Neill, P Glamuzina. Replacements: M Woods for Mabney (inj 30 mins), W Hanley for Grace (60 mins),K Lyons for Ellis, J Corrigan for Bowles, W Cuddy for Malone (all 73 mins).
Referee: A Rogan(IRFU).
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