CBC Monkstown 22 St Vincent’s Castleknock College 12
CBC Monkstown will face Newbridge College in the Leinster Schools Senior Cup quarter-finals after recording a deserved opening round victory against St Vincent’s Castleknock College at Energia Park in Donnybrook on Friday afternoon.
Despite failing to take advantage of an earlier set-piece move, it was Castleknock who took the lead in the fourth minute after inside centre Sam Wisniewski opted for touch off a penalty. Joint-captain Danny Ruane latched on to the back of an ensuing lineout maul to touch down in clinical style.
Ruane couldn’t add the bonuses to his own score, however, and Castleknock subsequently had their lead wiped out on 11 minutes. Matching the efforts of his opposite number, Monkstown number eight Charlie Meagher superbly powered over the whitewash for an unconverted try.
While Monkstown seemingly suffered a setback when blindside flanker Liam Guckian was sent to the sin-bin, they found themselves in the ascendancy upon his return thanks to hooker Luan Moloney’s maul finish on 22 minutes.
CBC were attacking their fellow Dublin school with real confidence and a third try courtesy of lock Rory Balmaine just shy of the half-hour propelled them towards a commanding 15-5 interval cushion.
This left their opponents facing an uphill task on the resumption, but Castleknock received a lifeline on the third-quarter mark. Following a sustained spell of attacking pressure, Peter McEntegart burst over for a five-pointer that was supplemented by a conversion from his midfield partner Wisniewski.
The momentum appeared to be with ‘Knock at this point, but a resolute Monkstown dug deep to deny them attacking territory. Another kick to touch in the closing minutes then edged CBC back into the 22 and when ‘Knock were adjudged to have collapsed a scrum, they were awarded a penalty try that ultimately confirmed their spot in the last eight.
SCORERS – CBC Monkstown: C Meagher, L Moloney, R Balmaine try each, penalty try. St Vincent’s Castleknock College: D Ruane, P McEntegart try each, S Wisniewski con.
CBC MONKSTOWN: D Killeen; S Greany, M Quinn, A Fitzsimmons Nolan, C Traynor Russell; R Mahon, E O’Hanlon; D McGovern, L Moloney, A Bolton; R Balmaine, T Chadwick; L Guckian, L Cahill, C Meagher.
Replacements: N O Campo for Meagher (48 mins); C O’Donnell for Cahill (60); C O’Toole for McGovern (68).
ST VINCENT’S CASTLEKNOCK COLLEGE: B Elliott; D Enright, P McEntegart, S Wisniewski, A Tilly; R O’Connor, L Donohue; R Niland, M Lavelle, B Dowling; C Boyle, W Khwaja; B Foley, C Lennon, D Ruane.
Replacements: O Malone for Foley (32 mins); M Kennedy for Ruane (57); E Brady for O’Connor (65); E Shanahan for Lavelle, C Barrett for Niland (both 68).
Referee: G Sheridan (Leinster Rugby).
Cistercian College Roscrea 29 CUS 17
Two tries in three minutes by Adrian Dunne enabled Roscrea to come from behind in their first-round clash at Lakelands Park in Terenure.
A spectacular take from the kick-off by wing Dunne and smart work by hooker Lee Fitzpatrick from a short lineout enabled Roscrea to threaten in the early going.
CUS, battle-tested from the Vinnie Murry Cup, stood up well to a barrage of big runners before Niall Cox cleared his lines.
A muscular burst from captain Richie Whelan, supported by Billy Hayes, took Roscrea to within striking distance.
Lee Fitzpatrick was the next line-breaker to exploit a hole, the ball moved right where Dan Punch provided the overlap for the first try in the 10th minute.
Two minutes later, just as CUS settled in for their first foray forward, Punch shot out of the line to take his interception three-quarters the length of the field for a double.
There were positive signs of life as CUS forced mistakes, a lineout and tryline pressure, Rian Treacy driven back five metres by a gang tackle.
Still, they stayed committed to the plan, working the ball well enough for Seán Byrne to duck inside a tackle to make it 10-5 on the half-hour.
In addition, hooker Fitzpatrick was binned for an off-the-ball action to give CUS further reason to believe.
A high tackle was the trigger for Cox to fire the ball to the corner, Dualta Larkin rising at the lineout and scrumhalf Charlie O’Byrne sniping for the try which Cox converted for a 12-10 lead at the break.
From the restart, Rory Glynn burst clear but Roscrea were denied by a Dunne foot-in-touch. But, in the ensuing surge, Charlie Naughton put Dunne over at the posts and Naughton converted for 17-12 in the 38th minute.
In a flash, the Offaly school was back in business, Punch sending Dunne in on the left for his second.
A pre-planned attack off a scrum was beautifully executed for Naughton to score from his one-two with Punch and convert for 29-12 in the 52nd minute.
CUS revived their challenge from a lineout when loosehead prop Aidan Walsh blasted over in the 62nd minute.
It was as good as it got for them.
SCORERS – Roscrea: D Punch, A Dunne 2 tries each; C Naughton try, 2 cons. CUS: S Byrne, C O’Byrne, A Walsh try each; N Cox con.
ROSCREA: A Walsh; D Punch, J Conroy, B Kelly, A Dunne; C Naughton, S Finlay; R Óg Doody, L Fitzpatrick, C Kennedy; C Schofield, R Glynn; D Byrne, B Hayes, R Whelan (capt).
Replacements: J Deegan for Conroy (20 mins); J Powell for Finlay (56); M Metcalfe for Óg Doody, J Finn for Schofield (both 65).
CUS: J Grant; S Turner, R Treacy, S Byrne, S Campbell; N Cox, C O’Byrne; A Walsh, L Maguire (capt), C Lohan-Kilraine; D Larkin, O Manks; H Quigley, R Maguire, D McNeice.
Replacements: E Judge for Manks (37 mins); J Ginnelly for Lohan-Kilraine (63); J Gordon for O’Byrne (64); E McNicholas for Campbell, L Beary for Larkin (both 65); E O’Reilly for R Maguire (57).
Referee: S Holt (Leinster Rugby).
Gonzaga College 64 St Andrew’s College 15
A hat-trick of tries from fullback Hugo McLaughlin and a near flawless kicking display from outhalf Stephen McMahon helped Gonzaga College ecord a high-scoring win over St Andrew’s College at Castle Avenue in Clontarf and set up a quarter-final meeting with St Mary’s College.
McMahon kicked the first seven of his team’s conversions, the last one a drop conversion in front of the posts as Gonzaga’s class showed on the day.
St Andrew’s, who will compete in the Vinny Murray Cup decider this season, did not let their large band of supporters down in this very entertaining affair.
Indeed, the biggest cheer of the afternoon came in injury-time in the first half when left wing Jake Dolly went over in the corner after St Andrew’s flanker Rocco Hill had been stopped just short of the posts.
By then, though, Gonzaga were well in command having run in five first-half tries from Luke McLaughlin, and two each from Gonzaga captain and number eight Paul Wilson and Hugo McLaughlin.
It had taken Gonzaga just seven minutes to breach the St Andrew’s line through Luke McLaughlin and with Jamie Kennedy providing Gonzaga with a good attacking platform in the lineouts, they kept their opponents pinned in their own half for the first 35 minutes.
Gonzaga were equally good in the tackle as St Andrew’s struggled to get past the gainline. St Andrew’s did manage to get over for that score just before the break to leave it 35-5 at the break but further tries from McMahon and Hugo McLaughlin saw Gonzaga pull further ahead.
St Andrew’s did manage two tries after the break through Adam Tobin and Harry Machesney but Gonzaga were always in control with three further tries coming from Mikey Wall, Aidan O’Flanagan and Morgan Tyrrell.
SCORERS – Gonzaga College: S McMahon try, 7 cons, H McLoughlin 3 tries, P Wilson 2 tries, L O’Loughlin, M Wall, A O’Flanagan, M Tyrell try each. St Andrew’s College: J Dolly, A Tobin, H Machesney try each.
GONZAGA COLLEGE: H McLaughlin; JP Breslin, Aidan O Flanagan, J Browne, M Wall; S McMahon, J O’Dwyer; F O’Neill, L McLaughlin, A McVerry; J Kennedy, T Wylie; G O’Grady, G O’Donnell, P Wilson.
Replacements: J Kelly for O’Grady (47 mins); J Shiel for McVerry (55); P O’Brien for O’Neill (57); M Tyrrell for Wylie, C Kennedy for O’Donnell (both 60).
ST ANDREW’S COLLEGE: K Byrne; H Machesney, C Doherty, J Ballance, J Dolly; F Manzoccchi, C Byrne; J McRea, P McIlduff, J Bourke; T Ryan, J O’Donoghue; J Ferren, R Hill, A Tobin.
Replacements: H Brownlee for Dolly, S O’Kelly for Byrne (both 46 mins); N Kennedy for McRea (55); K Deegan for Ferren (57).
Referee: M Forrestal (Leinster Rugby)
Quarter-final draw
Newbridge College v CBC Monkstown
St Mary’s College v Gonzaga College
St Michael’s College v Clongowes Wood College
Blackrock College v Cistercian College Roscrea.
Games to be played week starting February 20th
