SCHOOL'S RUGBY/Leinster Junior Cup semi-final - Gonzaga College ... 12 Castleknock College ... 10: There isn't a good time to lose a match but to be pipped in injury time is particularly galling. It is difficult not to feel sympathy for Castleknock College. In last season's Leinster Schools' Junior Cup final they were undone by a last-minute try against St Michael's. Yesterday at Donnybrook, at the penultimate stage of the tournament, they were pickpocketed by Gonzaga.
They were marginally the more cohesive and potent side for most of the match and in outhalf and captain Brian Collins boasted the game's outstanding player. What will grate further is that both Gonzaga tries came in injury time, the first pre-empting the interval whistle and the decisive try with seconds remaining.
Gonzaga will rightfully point to the character and spirit of a team that entered the game as underdogs and never lost their bite. Their victory is a tribute to that esprit de corps. The first 30 minutes was a hotch-potch of endeavour without anything concrete to show, both sides enjoying periods of ascendancy.
Scoring chances were limited to a penalty opportunity each, Gonzaga centre Simon Murphy missing from 23 metres, Collins from 45. That was until the first minute of injury time at the end of the half when Gonzaga scrumhalf Will McGreal charged down Collins's clearance from a scrum and number eight Sam Hodgins won the race for the loose ball over the Castleknock line. Simon Murphy converted and Gonzaga had pinched a 7-0 interval lead.
Collins, who made several super breaks for big yardage, initiated the Castleknock response eight minutes into the second half with a 23-metres penalty.
Another attempt from the Castleknock outhalf fell short but was knocked on in the shadow of the Gonzaga posts. From the second scrum that ensued, Eric Murphy fed Ronan Greally, Collins looped outside the centre and right wing Aidan Redmond finished superbly in the corner. Collins added a touchline conversion to nudge his side 10-7 ahead.
Simon Murphy had an opportunity to equalise with a 23-metres penalty but tugged it wide and it appeared Castleknock would hang on but in the dying moments, Gonzaga ran a tap penalty deep inside their opponents' 22, setting up a driving wedge. It trundled towards the line before being grounded just short but second row James Gethings managed to force his way over from less than yard.
Castleknock, who had started the game without three injured first-choice players - two came on during the match - could not believe their misfortune. Gonzaga tidied up from the kick-off and there was time for just another 45 seconds before referee Terence Deacon brought proceedings to a halt.
The pleas of the Leinster Branch officials for supporters to stay off the pitch fell on deaf ears; given the manner of the victory they deserved their celebration.
Gonzaga will face the winners of today's semi-final between Belvedere College and Blackrock College in the final.
Donnybrook will be the venue for the Leinster Schools' Senior Cup replay between St Mary's College and Blackrock College on Sunday (3.0).
GONZAGA: M Kelly; P Lynn, M Appleby, S Murphy (capt), S Ryan; S Gahan, W McGreal; J Conlon, D O'Shea, J Moriarty; J Gethings, D O'Sullivan; S Corcoran, S Hodgins, G Fitzgerald. Replacements: C McKinney for Conlon 42 mins; D Keating for McGreal 63 mins.
CASTLEKNOCK: T McAuley; A Redmond, D O'Connor, R Greally, B McKeon; B Collins (capt), E Murphy; R Murphy, C Barry, S Tighe; D O'Riordan, J Murray; J Lee, T Walsh, K Cooke. Replacements: M Sheerin for Cooke h-time; O Oduntan for Barry 37 mins; A Toolan for McAuley 41 mins.
Referee: T Deacon (Leinster).
SCORING SEQUENCE: 30 (+1) mins: Hodgins try, S Murphy conversion, 7-0. Half-time: 7-0. 38 mins: Collins penalty, 7-3; 46 mins: Redmond try, Collins conversion, 7-10; 60 (+2) mins: Gethings try, 12-10.
