CBC Monkstown needed a late penalty try to ensure they would book a safe passage to the last eight of the competition, with a 22-12 win over Castleknock this afternoon.

The underdogs prevailed, in a game where they went behind early it could have been said then we were in for a whitewash or a game that CBC had no chance in winning, but they came good and the late penalty try ensured they would not suffer a late comeback win from Castleknock.

Castleknock asked questions of the CBC defence early on, they had a lineout deep in the opposite territory in the opening minute but the referee awarded CBC a scrum for infringement in the lineout, they tried to clear their lines but in the end Castleknock turned over possession and a penalty a short while later saw them kick for touch.

Centre Sam Wisnieski brought them just over five metres from the Monkstown line, Max Lavelle threw short as they controlled the lineout to see their maul creep forward, at the back anchoring the support was No 8 and co captain Danny Ruane, he shepherd the ball over the whitewash as their driving maul went over for the opening try, Ruane took up place kicking duties but his effort just curled right and wide, a stiff breeze not favouring him on that occasion.

CBC had the chance a short while later to get some possession in the Vincent’s half, a scrum inside the 10m line gave them space to roam after they controlled the set piece, they worked the ball wide to winger Sam Greany who opted to kick in behind before being bundled into touch, the kick caused serious trouble for Castleknock to clear but they were awarded a penalty to see them spare their blushes.

The penalty came to nothing as back game Monkstown, they too managed to get a penalty and opted for touch to test out the Castleknock defensive line for the first time and ask serious questions, the lineout just eluded the intended target but at the back waiting was Charlie Meagher, he gathered well and bulldozed for the line to cross for the levelling score, Ronan Mahon stepped up for a difficult conversion attempt which also drifted wide.

Momentum looked to have shifted toward the way of CBC Monkstown after that score, they again attacked with intent but saw flanker Liam Guckian go the bin in the 14th minute for an illegal tackle as they had pinned Castleknock back, CBC picked up possession once more and tempers flared a short while later after the referee had signalled for a CBC penalty the teams had a little heated chat on the sideline, the referee asking both captains to tell their sides to cool down.

Despite having 14 men on the field, the potency and power of the CBC lineout was still as effective as ever, they made Castleknock guess after the penalty was kicked into touch, gathered and a quick drive of the resulting maul as hooker Luan Moloney held possession at the back of the maul, as they split the defence he was well covered by his teammates before powering over for a 10-5 lead, as Mahon once again saw his conversion drift wide and right of the posts. 

Having gone behind 5-0 early on CBC really grew as the contest developed, Rory Balmaine was pivotal in their third try, he played a superb offload to see Monkstown race toward the Castleknock line, driving from close range they looked for a breakthrough, phase after phase transpired before Balmaine found ball in hand once again shy of the line and he used his power to cross for their third try, Mahon not having an ideal start to the day as again the elements saw his kick drift right of the uprights.

Castleknock huffed and puffed in the final minutes of the half to get one last score to shrink the deficit going into the interval, a degree pof fortune saw them win back possession off their own lineout and a lovely kick into the CBC half brought play close to the try line, they had possession in those final minutes, a penalty transpired and instead of kicking for touch they opted for a tap and go, the CBC defensive line looked like immovable statues determined not to allow St Vincent’s any chance of a score, the move came to nothing in the ending following a knock on, as the referee signalled for half time with Monkstown ten points to the good at the break.

Errors crept in along with tempers beginning to flare once again in the opening 10 minutes of the second half, both teams did show a level of danger once they got going but CBC still had the scoreboard in their favour along with spending the majority of their time in the Castleknock half. 

With 20 minutes left in the second half it was game back on as far as Castleknock were concerned as they got their second try of the contest, it had been coming the danger loomed as their forwards drove closer and closer they carried well and kept possession in the tackles, passing out wide they spotted a gap and their other captain on the day Peter McEntaggart took possession and crossed for their second try, Wisnieski converted to make it a three point game.

CBC looked to not let that try upset their mentality, after getting back inside the Castleknock half they won a penalty which Mahon opted for the posts, a long range strike did not look like the best option when their lineout had proved to be so effective all afternoon, Mahon’s strike felt the force of the stiff breeze and failed to make the distance toward the Vincent’s uprights.

Drama would once again occur in the final minutes of this tie, CBC did well to not allow any further scores up until we ticked beyond the hour mark, they got ground in the Castleknock half and once their lineout could work again it really was a dangerous weapon, another close range lineout got the pivotal score, their driving maul a key element of their well worked master plan, pushed their opponents back further but in the end CBC crossed over the line it looked to have held up but the referee blew the whistle and pointed to the posts to award a penalty try, a huge twist but one that put CBC 22-12 ahead with time on their side.