It had been billed as the confrontation in this season's Leinster Schools' Senior Cup, the defending champions against the tournament's second favourites, a potential classic and certainly a contest to savour. This match did not fulfil the pre-match hype but it would be churlish to downgrade the quality of Terenure College's performance at Donnybrook yesterday.
The team collectively and in several individual contributions produced a stunning display, their rugby the epitome of the modern game, where a premium is placed on ball players and utilising the width of the pitch.
Terenure mixed the power of their pack with strong running from midfield and the back three and when the occasion demanded turned to the prodigious boot of excellent outhalf David McAllister.
They played with pace, offloaded the ball in the tackle and mixed up their gameplan beautifully to stretch their opponents remorselessly. They scored five tries to one and yet wouldn't have been flattered had they added more.
The bravery and determination of Clongowes were insufficient as Terenure dominated up front. Roy McDonnell and flanker Conor McGinn were a constant source of ball out of touch, and in what was a superb performance from the Terenure pack, the back row of Donal Dunlop, McGinn and Jonathan Barretto were outstanding.
Paul Coleman was an excellent link at scrumhalf while McAllister, a few wayward passes notwithstanding, bossed the game intelligently. Killian Coleman's strength in the centre gave his forwards a platform while the back three all enjoyed fine individual moments.
Clongowes demonstrated their customary character, but with the exception of the set scrum and number eight Ronan Farrell's couple of breaks were second best up front. Behind the scrum only right wing Paddy Berkery offered discomfort to the Terenure defence.
Terenure were 10-0 up in as many minutes, McAllister's penalty followed by a beautifully worked try for right wing Oliver Pugh, who came off the blindside wing, raced onto Killian O'Toole's exquisitely-timed pass and crossed under the posts.
McAllister converted as he would do so again on 26 minutes. A great break by left wing James Donnelly took play into the Clongowes 22 and two rucks later prop John Anthony Lee forced his way over.
Killian Coleman grabbed his side's third try, this time unconverted, in first half injury time after good work by Dunlop and full back David Cabazon. The centre grabbed a second eight minutes into the second half, using his strength to force his way over. McAllister converted.
Clongowes had reduced the deficit just after half-time when Farrell's run culminated in James O'Reilly racing 40 metres for the try. Connellan posted a fine conversion.
However, Terenure finished the stronger and centre Killian O'Toole scored his side's fifth try six minutes from the finish. McAllister converted.
SCORING SEQUENCE: 2 mins: McAllister penalty, 3-0; 9 mins: Pugh try, McAllister conversion, 10-0; 26 mins: Lee try, McAllister conversion, 17-0; 37 mins: K Coleman try, 22-0. Half-time: 22-0. 43 mins: O'Reilly try, Connellan conversion, 22-7; 48 mins: K Coleman try, McAllister conversion, 29-7; 64 mins: O'Toole try, McAllister conversion, 36-7.
TERENURE COLLEGE: D Cabazon; O Pugh, K O'Toole, K Coleman, J Donnelly; D McAllister, P Coleman; JA Lee, G Doyle, F Cronin, E Wallace, R McDonnell, J Barretto, D Dunlop (capt), C McGinn. Replacements: S Healy for Donnelly (52 mins); S Jenkinson for P Coleman (59 mins); K Molloy for Cronin (65 mins); L Comer for K Coleman (65 mins); A Dunlop for R McDonnell (66 mins); R Hegarty for Doyle (66 mins).
CLONGOWES WOOD COLLEGE: G Hayes; P Berkery, D Sharkey, R Jenkinson, J O'Reilly; B Culliton, D Connellan; S Dunne, C Klinkenberg, J Moran, B Carlos, A Houlihan, D Brides, R Farrell, R O'Toole (capt). Replacements: S Meagher for Connellan (49 mins); R Sharkey for Brides (50 mins); G Murphy for Farrell (51 mins); D Campbell for Dunne (57 mins).
Referee: D Courtney (Leinster).
