U14 West Munster Plate semi-final

Killarney Red 31 Killorglin 7

Red qualified for the Plate final with a win over Killorglin. Opening exchanges were close and both teams had plenty of ball and pressure. But Killarney struck first moving the ball through the hands for John Sexton to score. Try wasn't converted but a second followed when we again put the ball through the hands to put Bryan O'Connor over in the corner. The difficult conversion was missed but we reach half-time 14-0 ahead.

In the second half we pushed further ahead, Jack Gabbett scoring after a long solo run. Cathal Sugrue converted from in front of the posts. A Gabbett-Sugrue combination racked up our 4th try - this time Arthur scoring and Cathal managing a straightforward conversion.

Killorglin struck back from close range to bring the score back to 24-7 but the Red team completed their victory as Mark Brosnan barged over from close in, with Luke Mccan scoring a difficult conversion from wide on the left.

Thanks to Killorglin for a sporting match, and thanks to Steve O'Brien for reffing. For Red - on to the Plate final in the New Year vs Abbeyfeale.

U14 West Munster Plate semi-final

Killarney Black 19 Abbeyfeale 38

Our young Black team of U13s fought hard against Abbeyfeale but eventually succumbed to a team of older players. Abbeyfeale opened the scoring with 2 quick tries to lead 14-0. Black struck back with a try from Liam McCarthy.

Abbeyfeale got the first score of the 2nd half to put daylight between the teams. Abbeyfeale scored further tries, but Black replied with scores by Cian Stack and Sean P Fleming. The scoreboard fails to tell the tale of two excellent lineout moves that just failed to produce scores - firstly when we were just unable to hold the ball crossing the line, and secondly, when the ref adjudged that the throw hadn't gone 5 metres before Liam McCarthy caught it and crashed over in the corner. A score in either case had the potential to put a different complexion on the game.

Thanks to Alan Behan of Abbeyfeale for his words of encouragement to our boys at the end and as ever thanks to Ger Moynihan for reffing.