Leinster Schools' Senior Cup St Michael's College 26 Presentation Bray 10They may lack the physicality of last year's history making group but St Michael's College remain genuine contenders nonetheless on the back of this industrious dismissal of a decent Presentation Colleges Bray side.
Leaving any nerves at the dressingroom door, the defending champions were clinical from the outset, pretty much securing the result by the interval thanks to tries from fullback Stephen Malone and left wing Alex O'Neill.
While the forwards laid the platform it was the subtlety and quick mind of outhalf Noel Reid who created gaps in the Pres rearguard. Reid is a three-year veteran of the Leinster Schools Cup having played a substantial role in the previous two finals.
In the 2006 final, he shouldered what would have been an immense responsibility for anyone, never mind a transition year student, by taking the last-gasp penalty from wide right and near halfway against Blackrock College. The cruel Lansdowne wind conspired against his run up and the effort fell short. Twelve months later, however, his two penalty strikes against Clongowes delivered the Ailesbury Road school's equivalent of the Holy Grail.
A winger in previous seasons, Reid now has the scope to dictate matters from open play as well. When a well structured Pres defence began to adjust to the Michael's backline movements, he merely prodded ball in behind for a 40-yard territorial gain.
A forwards' dream, his pack must be willing to die for him.
There are three more survivors from the 2007 final in former outhalf Stephen Malone, now at fullback, lock Keelan McKenna and captain Conor O'Sullivan, while hooker Andrew Pollard would have featured if not for injury.
St Michael's have an air of confidence, perhaps born out of last year's success, most evident from O'Sullivan's fellow backrowers Carl Waters and Colin Mallon, who hunted Bray ball carriers throughout the 70 minutes. Scrumhalf Jack O'Beirne is another find.
Next Tuesday they face one of the pre-competition favourites, CBC Monkstown, who possess a monstrous set of forwards and enhanced their reputation yesterday in dismantling St Columbas. The breakdown collisions will be worth the admission alone.
Anyway, Michael's went for the jugular early in the second-half, with Reid continually testing the defensive line but it was an error that led to the killer try for O'Sullivan. Pres captain and outhalf Roddy Carroll's clearance kick ricocheted into no man's land, allowing the flanker to eventually slip over near the right corner.
At 19-0, Pres would be forgiven for capitulating but they were determined to leave their mark on the tournament. An intricate backline move, where scrumhalf Eoin Cleary and blindside winger David Nutty looped around the initial assault, put fullback Fergal Devlin away but an impressive cover tackle from Waters abruptly ended the attack.
Pres eventually settled for a David Haughton penalty to open their account on 54 minutes. sixty seconds later the endeavour of grafters like Robin O'Sullivan and Paddy Kennedy was rewarded when John Breslin intercepted to race clear from half way.
Haughton added the touchline conversion.
There was still time for a tense finish but the Michael's forwards merely doubled their efforts to bring play into the Pres 22. Reid miscued a long distance penalty entering injury-time but his option for an even later attacking lineout paid off when under-16 centre Alex Kelly scrambled over for the third try.
St Michael's will not hand over the crown they struggled so long to attain without vigorous resistance. They have personnel in all the right departments to deny CBC a semi-final berth, with Reid capable of making the difference in a one-score encounter.
One thing we do know is he's been down that road before.
Scoring sequence: - 9 mins: S Malone try, 5-0; N Reid con, 7-0; 27 mins: A O'Neill try, 12-0; N Reid con, 14-0. Half-time. 45 mins: C O'Sullivan try, 19-0; 54 mins: D Haughton pen, 19-3; 56 mins: J Breslin try, 19-8; D Haughton con, 19-10; 70 mins: A Kelly try, 24-10; N Reid con, 26-10.
ST MICHAEL'S COLLEGE: S Malone; M Bollard, A Kelly, R Cruess-Callaghan, A O'Neill; N Reid, J O'Beirne; C Lorrigan, A Pollard, G Featherstone; E McMahon, K McKenna; C O'Sullivan (capt), C Walters, C Mallon. Replacements: C O'Connor for Featherstone (37 mins); R Croke for O'Sullivan (54 mins); S O'Dowda for Mallon (66 mins).
PRESENTATION COLLEGE, BRAY: F Devlin; D Nutty, J Dempsey, S Byrne, J Breslin; R Carroll (capt), E Cleary; A Wogan, J Molloy, A Jeffers; P Kennedy, N Cooper; A Dempsey, D Haughton, R O'Sullivan. Replacements: A Feighery for Jeffers (33 mins); S Prendergast for Devlin (50 mins); S Duggan for J Dempsey (59 mins).
Referee: J Carvill (ARLB).
