Leinster Schools Senior Cup/Belvedere College 14 Terenure College 10:Daylight robbery? Not really. Belvedere were the better team but the fact they took until the seventh minute of injury time to go in front proved the cruellest of realities for Terenure.

It requires serious collective courage to adopt a high-risk, continuity game when staring down the barrel of defeat. Given they were trailing 10-7 and the error count was well into double digits, what Tom Sexton's team achieved in a helter-skelter endgame at new Donnybrook (minus press facilities, mind) yesterday was a sight to behold.

The Belvedere students and old boys in the 4,780 crowd were clinging to a straw of hope when scrumhalf David Traynor attacked the narrowest of blindside channels near halfway.

Michael Keating, already trumpeted as the next schoolboy magician, had a largely anonymous match, but he now made two interventions that ultimately decided the contest.

Traynor fed a jinking Keating, who was immediately engulfed by two tacklers but somehow kept play alive with a reverse pass. The excellent Peter Synnott, like the good openside he is, was on hand to carry before offloading to Sexton, who did likewise to put the prop CJ Barry in space.

The ever-vigilant Terenure cover eventually hauled Barry to earth, but Belvedere, now working solely from memory, attacked right. It was the last play of the game. When the ball was recycled and switched left, replacement outhalf Rowan Considine took a chance and flung a skip pass out to Keating.

For the first time all afternoon a crack appeared in the Terenure wall. Also for the first time, Belvedere's last pass went to hand. Keating galloped unhindered to the line. Synnott's conversion made it 14-10. Alan Rogan's final whistle immediately followed.

Such entertainment should be bottled and sold.

It started at a more pedestrian pace with Belvedere, in complete territorial control, seemingly primed to run riot.

There were a few signs of what was to come, the workaholic Terenure lock Robert Duke pinching Sexton's first throw-in.

Belvedere's lineout, once settled, became their main attacking platform, the Sexton-Synnott partnership proving highly proficient.

It took Terenure 18 minutes to get out of their own half, fullback Terry Jones hitting the line at pace only to offload forward. His next contribution was clinical.

The smaller Terenure pack turned over possession at the breakdown and suddenly an overlap appeared. Jones switched on the afterburners to glide past Niall Myron for a try from 60 metres out. James Thornton added the extras as Terenure ended the half on the attack with a Jones penalty and Thornton drop-goal attempt both wide.

The opening exchanges had been marked by two controversial tackles, one by each team, when the player was flipped in the air and driven downward.

Both tackled players, the Belvedere centre Myron and the Terenure flanker Ciarán Fitzgerald, were eventually forced off injured. Belvedere's Ireland under-19 prop, and the game's most physical specimen, Nermin Lovic, was penalised and warned for his sins.

Lovic played a substantial role in Belvedere's revival as they attempted to batter through the resolute Terenure defence, but he himself was forced off on 58 minutes after seemingly dislocating his left shoulder, and his campaign appears to be over.

It initially seemed Synnott's tap-and-go charge for the line off a kickable penalty would be regretted as he knocked on.

Coach Gabriel Fulcher then changed his outhalf, introducing Considine, while Alan Kenny had already made an impact when replacing Myron.

The breakthrough came after Jones stopped the right winger John Conroy just inches from the line. A quick recycle and three offloads later, secondrow Eoghan Browne made it over. Synnott converted for 7-7.

As Lovic moved gingerly down the touchline, the restart was knocked on, allowing Terenure regain the lead with a Thornton penalty after Belvedere hands slowed matters down off the scrum.

There followed a catalogue of errors as Belvedere camped in the opposing 22 for the last 15 minutes.

It seemed to be developing into the pursuit of lost causes but St Jude must have been smiling upon them, as Keating eventually delivered in the most dramatic fashion.

Terenure were immensely brave but their legs understandably buckled. They are gone but not before enriching the competition. And they may in defeat have influenced the destination of the cup as medical reports on Lovic and Myron are eagerly awaited.

Somehow the favourites survive. Clongowes, Blackrock and St Mary's begin their campaigns today.

Scoring sequence: 24 mins: T Jones try, J Thornton con, 0-7 (half-time ); 58: E Browne try, P Synnott con, 7-7; 62: Thornton pen, 7-10; 76: M Keating try, Synnott con, 14-10.

BELVEDERE COLLEGE: M Keating; J Conroy, N Myron, P Crosby, B Woods; M Darcy, D Traynor; CJ Barry, T Sexton (capt), N Lovic; E Browne, L Mangan; C O'Brien, P Synnott, D Memery. Replacements: C Doyle for Browne (16-19 mins), A Kenny for Myron (30 mins), R Considine for Darcy (47 mins), C Doyle for Lovic (58 mins).

TERENURE COLLEGE: T Jones; M Russell, R Williamson, P McNiff, H Moore; J Thornton, G Flanagan; K Moloney (capt), R Byrne, J Clarke; R Duke, C Deans; C Fitzgerald, C Farrell, R McDonagh. Replacements: C Shanahan for Fitzgerald (42 mins).

Referee: A Rogan (ARLB).