What can be described as a top-heavy Leinster Schools senior cup draw for 2008 took place at St Mary's RFC last night.
Perennial favourites Blackrock College were drawn in the same half as Clongowes Wood, Terenure and this year's pretournament hot tip Belvedere College.
The defending champions St Michael's play Pres Bray in their opening game and, should they progress, will face competition dark horses CBC Monkstown, assuming they overcome a qualifier school in round one. The match of the opening round is Terenure against Belvedere, with the winners likely to face either Blackrock or Clongowes in the semi-final.
That is presuming there is no repeat of the shockwaves Kilkenny College sent through the traditional Leinster schools last season by beating 2006 champions Blackrock in a quarter-final replay.
The RDS provides a new venue for this year's final on Sunday, March 16th, replacing Donnybrook, which proved inadequate in meeting the requirements of this fixture. The 19,000 capacity of the Ballsbridge ground should provide an ideal and potentially permanent setting for the final, even when Lansdowne Road is available in 2010.
All other major fixtures, including the senior semi-finals and junior final, will take place at the redeveloped Donnybrook.
VINNIE MURRAY CUP (2.30)
Monday, January 14th -A: C.C. Roscrea v Maynooth P.P. (Portlaoise), B: The High School v Templeogue College (Donnybrook), C: St. Conleth's v CUS (Merrion Road), D: Mount Temple v St Columba's (The King's Hospital), E: Newbridge College v Wesley College (Barnhall)
Monday January 21st - F: St Gerard's v DLS Churchtown (Ballycorus), G: (Naas), H: (Donnybrook), I: TBC v Gonzaga / Kilkenny (Templeville Road/Athy). J: Q1 and Q2 K: Q3 and Q4.
FR GODFREY (JUNIOR) CUP (2.30)
First Round - Wednesday, January 16th: A: St Patrick's Navan v St Andrew's (Coolmine), B: Wesley College v Mount Temple (Distillery Road), C: St Gerard's v The High Schools (Donnybrook), D: Kilkenny College v Skerries C.C. (Cill Dara).
Second Round - Wednesday, January 23rd: E: Marian College v Templeogue College (Bird Avenue), F: A v B (Donnybrook), G: C v D (Maynooth), H: Pres Bray v CUS (Seapoint).
JUNIOR CUP (2.30)
First Round - Wednesday January 30th: A: C.C. Roscrea v Q4 (Athy RFC), C: Castleknock College v Clongowes Wood (North Kildare), D: Q1 v Blackrock College (Kilternan), E: Newbridge v Q3 (Lakelands / Co Carlow), F: Gonzaga College v CBC Monkstown (Railway Union), G: St Michael's College v Q2 (Seapoint), H: Terenure College v The King's Hospital (Barnhall). Thursday - January 31st: B: Belvedere College v St Mary's College (Donnybrook). Quarter-finals (3.0) - Thursday February 7th - I: A v B (Lakelands), J: C v D (Donnybrook), K: E v F (Anglesea Road). Sunday February 10th: L: G v H (Donnybrook). Semi-finals (3.30) - Tuesday February 19th: M: I v J (Donnybrook). Wednesday February 20th: N: K v L (Donnybrook). Final - Friday March 14th (Donnybrook) 3.30.
