Cork Con Through To Cup Final

Cork Constitution remain on target for a prized AIB League and Cup after sweeping past Young Munster in Saturday afternoon’s AIB Cup semi-final at Tom Clifford Park.

2008/09 AIB CUP SEMI-FINAL: Saturday, March 21

YOUNG MUNSTER 13 CORK CONSTITUTION 27, Tom Clifford Park

Scorers: Young Munster: Try: David Sheehan; Con: Darren O’Brien; Pens: Darren O’Brien 2
Cork Constitution: Tries: Daragh Lyons, Evan Ryan, David Kelly; Cons: Jeremy Manning 3; Drops: Jeremy Manning 2

But it was not as easy for Cork Constitution as the scoreline suggests. Relegation-threatened Young Munster were on terms at 6-6 after 51 minutes but then the world came crashing down on the home side.

Two tries, both converted, in the space of two minutes paved the way for what proved to be a big Cork Con win in the end.

Brian Walsh’s men were close to full strength and were given a rare old battle by lowly Young Munster until those two tries knocked the stuffing out of the home side’s challenge.

The tries by Daragh Lyons (56 minutes) and Evan Ryan (58), both of which were converted by Munster’s Jeremy Manning, ended the game as a contest.

The reigning Division One champions led 6-3 at the interval with Manning twice dropping goals after Darren O’Brien had kicked a 14th-minute penalty for Young Munster.

Another O’Brien penalty tied the contest just ten minutes after the break.

However, Con’s two-try burst was followed by another try for the visitors from David Kelly. Young Munster gained some consolation with a seven-pointer from David Sheehan, six minutes from the end.