17/12/2025
Desmond U18.5 Boys – Pan Munster Cup (Round 2)
The boys had an early start on Saturday morning as they travelled to a wild and windy Crosshaven to face a Cork Con/Crosshaven amalgamation in Round 2 of the Pan Munster Cup.
The hosts made a flying start, racing into a 14–0 lead inside the opening 10 minutes. Our lads settled well after the early pressure and began to grow into the contest. That effort was rewarded when Cian Mulcahy touched down after excellent link-up play between Danny Doherty and Cillian O’Sullivan. Darragh O’Keeffe added the conversion to bring us right back into the game.
Both sides enjoyed strong spells of possession and just before half-time a sharp snipe from O’Keeffe at the back of an attacking ruck saw the ball moved to Cathal Byrne, who finished confidently in the corner. O’Keeffe produced a superb sideline conversion to leave the sides all square at the break, 14–14.
The second half remained finely balanced, with the home side striking first as their winger evaded the defence to edge ahead 19–14. Our response was immediate, with Byrne crossing for his second try of the morning after another well-worked team move to level matters once more at 19–19.
Playing into a strong wind, Desmond pressed hard in search of a winning score. However, with time nearly up, a penalty awarded just inside our half was successfully converted by the Cork kicker from 48 metres to put the hosts ahead 22–19.
Our lads threw everything at it in the closing minutes, but the opposition eventually won a penalty at the breakdown and kicked the ball dead to end the contest.
Despite the narrow defeat, this was a huge performance against an impressive Cork outfit and our boys can hold their heads high. A well-earned Christmas break now awaits before we resume in the New Year.
Team: Sam Donovan, Daniel Bobea, Jack Behan, Cian Mulcahy, James Moran, Conor O’Regan, Evan Lynch, Dara O’Brien, Naoise Aherne, Darragh O’Keeffe, Tyler McCoy, Cillian O’Sullivan, Aaron Mullenger, Danny O’Doherty, Seanie O’Sullivan, Luke Rowsome, Billy Hough, Peter Donovan, Bradley Greaney, James Fitzgerald, Cathal Byrne, Fionn Byrne and Darragh Liston, Cathal McNamara, Jon Reeves and Aaron O Connell
