Belvedere 12 Clongowes Wood 7:THIS COULD be what people mean when they talk about destiny. For the second time in this year's competition, Belvedere dug into a seemingly bottomless reservoir of willpower to end the Clongowes campaign. As usual it went down to the last throw of the dice. For the concluding scene, Clongowes were camped on the try line with black and white jerseys doing whatever was necessary to keep them out.
With attacking-phase count continually in double figures, Belvedere captain Tom Sexton was sin-binned after being warned three times about infringing at the breakdown. It proved a necessary sacrifice. Referees are handicapped at schools rugby by a lenient approach (presumably decreed from on high) that prohibits them from brandishing a yellow card till a player has infringed repeatedly.
As we entered the seventh minute of injury time, Clongowes continued to batter away. A quick tap saw their captain, and the game's best forward, Jack O'Connell, thunder onto the ball but he was nailed.
They eventually forced their way over the line but referee Dudley Phillips judged Belvedere had held them up. The full-time whistle followed immediately, prompting Clongowes players and eventually coach Kevin West to surround Phillips and remonstrate.
It was never going to be an easy game for the officials but they performed their duties efficiently and honestly.
This was an arm wrestle. For long periods the contest stagnated around the middle third of the field as the packs slugged it out.
Clongowes started the brighter with some clever kicks from scrumhalf Michael McLoughlin probing them forward. The breakthrough came on 16 minutes as Matthew Collis touched down after six pick-and-drives. In the context of the game it was a soft score. Ciarán Wade converted.
Belvedere tightened up considerably and were back in the contest before half-time when a neat backline move put centre Niall Myron under the posts.
Their excellent openside flanker Peter Synnott looked destined to rue missing the simple conversion. It was calamitous stuff. The ball, placed about seven yards from the posts, fell off its perch as Synnott began his run-up. Several Clongowes players rightly rushed man and ball.
McLoughlin looked to have suffered a nasty wrist injury when tackled hard by Rowan Considine but he played on. He played in pain. It was that kind of game.
Belvedere made some quality steals on the deck but aimless kicking and poor decision making saw them waste prime possession. Inexplicably, they failed to provide fullback Michael Keating with the platform to showcase his attacking talents. Maybe they are saving him for the final but he really should have seen more action here.
The match-winning moment of inspiration came from winger John Conroy, who showed great balance and strength to hold off three would-be tacklers on his sprint down the touchline. However, his showboating when running under the posts could have proved costly. A Belvedere source behind the goal admitted he seemed to graze the dead-ball line.
Keating added the conversion as Belvedere battened down the hatches, knowing an end-game tsunami was inevitable.
They seemed destined to steal it back at the death but Belvedere were too smart defensively. They knew Clongowes's main weapon was the maul so they stood off them, Italian style, at the lineout to deny such a platform.
Next stop is the RDS on March 16th with either CBC or St Mary's joining them after tomorrow's other semi-final.
SCORING SEQUENCE - 16 mins: M Collins try, 0-5; C Wade conv, 0-7; 27: N Myron try, 5-7. Half-time. 69: J Conroy try, 10-7; M Keating conv, 12-7.
BELVEDERE COLLEGE: M Keating; J Conroy, N Myron, C O'Shea, B Woods; R Considine, D Traynor; C O'Brien, T Sexton (capt), CJ Barry; L Mangan, E Browne; C Doyle, P Synnott, D Memery. Replacements: P Crosby for C O'Shea (48 mins), H Nolan for D Traynor (57 mins), M Darcy for R Considine (60 mins).
CLONGOWES WOOD COLLEGE: L Smyth; G Mullen, D Cullen, S Kennedy, N McNamara; C Wade, M McLoughlin; J O'Connell (capt), T O'Mahony, M Collis; W Courtney, N Delahanty; R Timlin, W Larkin, J Lochrin. Replacements: G Hoban for N Delahanty, A Hoban for M Collis (both 62 mins).
Referee: D Phillips (ARLB).
Shannon progressed to the AIB Cup semi-final, where they will play Galwegians on the weekend of April 8th, after beating St Mary's 28-15 at Templeville Road yesterday. Shannon took a 16-5 half-time lead after a try from Munster flanker Jake Paringatai but the home team pulled it back to a single point, Robin Copeland and Juan Gomez getting over.
Mick Galwey's team upped the tempo to run out comfortable winners thanks to late touchdowns from David Quinlan and SeáCronin.
In Saturday's other quarter-final, Galwegians beat Malone 53-0 at Crowley Park. Blackrock host Clontarf in the other semi-final.
- Gavin Cummiskey
