Leinster Schools' Junior Cup final/ Blackrock College 13 St Michael's College 10:This is how rugby should be played. In what must be remembered as a epic match between deep-rooted rivals, Blackrock yesterday denied St Michael's their first junior and senior cup double while in the process they annexed a 45th title.
Jack Kelly and his team-mates will not fully comprehend the magnitude of this day until adulthood is upon them. What we do in this life really does echo in eternity. A little over dramatic maybe but this competition lends itself to high drama. Yesterday's immensely engaging affair is merely a case in point. The begrudgers are silenced for another year.
When St Michael's winger Sam Green kicked his team into a 10-8 lead with five minutes of normal time remaining the blue and navy ribbons looked set to don the Powerade Leinster Junior Cup.
That was until the competitions outstanding player intervened. Brian O'Driscoll and Gordon D'Arcy have a lot to answer for as since their breakthrough's on the world stage a clone of their attacking styles rolls out of the schools system every other year. Plenty of time for development remains but Andrew Conway looks like the real deal.
The Blackrock fullback already showcased searing pace to open the scoring with an excellent try. With three minutes remaining he topped the earlier feat with a contribution that was simply a pleasure to witness. Conway slipped and weaved past three tacklers, twice changing direction without losing momentum, to put Blackrock 13-10 in front. Sean Barron, another free spirited runner, was wide with the touchline conversion.
Three points. Three minutes. Still hope for St Michael's. Unlike Ireland's season defining end game against France at Croke Park, Rock produced the textbook method of coping with a restart. The towering Kelly gathered Green's drop off before inviting contact. Scrumhalf Marcus Walsh fed Conway whose clearing punt found touch at the 10 metre line. Kelly stole the opposition's throw before corralling his pack - where David Walsh in particular excelled - to run down the clock.
Initially, St Michael's centre Alex Kelly looked a genuine contender for the morning headlines. He lined up Conway with a shuddering tackle midway through the first-half, although the fullback somehow manage to offload. Kelly, amongst others, tracked the dangerous lines of Conway, Barron and outhalf Ben Geraghty throughout but on 18 minutes Geraghty reversed the attack to the blindside where Conway came at pace, skipped outside and then inside a clutter of defenders to cross untouched for the opening try. Barron's conversion glanced the upright.
St Michael's response came just before the interval when Kelly powered onto a clever delivery from outhalf Cathal March before side stepping his nemesis and trotting under the uprights. Green gave St Michael's the lead. Barron put Blackrock back in front with a penalty. There followed a late revival from St Michael's when Green's strike in front of the posts was true but Conway's late cameo trumped anything seen in Leinster schools rugby in 2007. The best, literally, saved until last.
Scoring sequence - 18 mins: A Conway try, 5-0; 30 mins: A Kelly try, 5-5; S Green conv, 5-7. Half-time. 43 mins: S Barron pen, 8-7; 55 mins: S Green pen, 8-10; 57 mins: A Conway try, 13-10.
BLACKROCK COLLEGE: A Conway; D Westman, S Barron, G Stevens, C Fitzpatrick; B Geraghty, M Walsh; S Wijntjes, P Carroll, C Maguire; J Kelly (capt), P Dargan; B McAleer, C Sheehan, D Walsh. Replacements: G Brennan for S Wijntjes (39 mins), S Cooke for C Sheehan (61 mins).
ST MICHAEL'S COLLEGE: N Van Der Laan; R Owens, A Kelly, M Craig, S Green; C March, L McGrath; M Ludwig, F Barry, C Cusack; E MacMahon (capt), P Dix; S McGarry, C Kenna, C Mallon. Replacements: D Reynolds for C Cusack, S Farrell for S McGarry (both 51 mins).
Referee: J Carvill(ARLB).
