Crescent squeeze past BGS

Bandon Grammar surrendered their Munster Senior Schoolgirls Cup title in cruel fashion as the new own goal rule undid them yesterday.

In a repeat of last year’s decider, won by the west Cork school on penalty strokes, Bandon more than matched a powerful Crescent side stride for stride but saw a crash ball in the dying seconds of the first half take a double deflection and find a route to goal. Bandon couldn’t find a way back despite putting the Limerick school under long periods of pressure – although Crescent did strike the crossbar off a deflected short corner effort – and it is the latter, for whom Aebhfinn Bourke starred, who march on to the semi-finals. The tie was played unusually early, with the Munster Schoolgirls committee this year requesting that the quarter-finals be completed before Christmas. Scoil Mhuire will take on Laurel Hill Coláiste with Ursuline Convent Thurles meeting Ashton in the other last eight clashes, with Mount Mercy getting a bye to the semi-finals.