Skerries show their mettle

Hard-hitting Glasthule were unable to stop Skerries in this quarter-final at Castle Avenue yesterday.

Glasthule put in some crunching tackles but were always on the back foot, with Skerries unrelenting at times.

Possessing a talented back line, Glasthule were given little opportunity in a close encounter. They were behind after only three minutes when Skerries front row player Ross McCorry scored following a line-out in the Glasthule 22.

Skerries finally put some distance between the teams with out-half Marc Hewitt scoring a penalty in each half.

Glasthule's Brian Keegan kicked back-to-back penalties in the second half but they were unable to get that vital last score.

Scorers: Skerries: R McCorry try, M Hewitt 2 pens, Glasthule: B Keegan 2 pens.

Skerries CC: A Murtagh; J Dunphy, P O' Sullivan, C Whearity, S Carroll; M Hewitt, M Heeney; N Walsh, O Mc Gonagle, R McCorry; B Murray, A Mc Guinness; J Crowell, C Cribbin, J Sherlock. Replacements: M Kirwan for Murtagh, A Jenkins for Mc Guinness, S Burton for Mc Gonagle.

Pres Glasthule: I Doyle; P James, M Bergin, B Plunkett, R Crowe; B Keegan, N Dunne; C Quaid, R Murphy, D Fitzgerald; P Rush, G Clarke; G Doyle, P O' Brien, K Lawlor.

Referee: J Nolan (Leinster).