UCC Crowned Millenium U20 Champions

Played in windy showery conditions, inconducive to an open running game – although UCC tried their best in the circumstances – it was the Cork students, with a disciplined and highly organised pack coupled with a back line that put in many tackles, that garnered the honours.
Both sides will be on view at the forthcoming Kinsale Sevensduring the May Bank Holiday, but their minds were firmly set on the fifteen variety and the destination of this title. The forwards battle was one of the highlights of the game as was the performance of half-back pairing of Frank Murphy and
Conor Quaid.

Both Murphy and Quaid, former CBC students on the four-in-a-row side of 2000, were instrumental in their side’s victory displaying a rich tapestry of skills that had the opposition mesmerised. Others to impress were Fergus
Gately, Si O’ Connell, Denis Leamy and Stephen Keogh. A penalty from Peter O’ Brien was cancelled out by John Carroll twenty minutes into the first half, but UCC carved open the Bruff defence a minute later when Ritchie Lane touched down.

College kept up the momentum despite the best efforts of Bruff’s Cathal O’ Regan, Eoin Cahill and Darragh McCarthy and it was Quaid who showed the grace and class to tap over a drop goal in the 29th minute to lead 11-6 at
the break.

The second half was really a non-event as both sides played it tight up front, but UCC had the extra class late in the game when Barry Clifford ran in a try in the 74th minute to seal a much-deserved victory for the Cork
side.

UCC. P. O’ Brien; R. Lane, B. Clifford, K. Lucey, D. Fitzgerald, C. Quaid, F. Murphy; F. Gately, J. Rothwell, S. O’ Connell; D. Harty, H. Clohessy; D.
Leamy, D. O’ Neill, S. Keogh.

BRUFF. D. McCarthy; G. Leonard, J. Ryan, E. Cahill, M. Mulvihill; J.
Carroll, N. McCArthy; T. Casey, R. O’ Connor, P. Walsh; M. McCArthy; J. O’Callaghan, C. O’ Regan, G. Noonan. Replacement: A. Howard for N. McCarthy (70).

Referee: S. Flannery (IRFU).