Leinster Schools Senior Cup: Belvedere College 19 Clongowes Wood College 18
Gordon Barr’s fixing footwork and Andre Ryan’s touchline conversion sent Belvedere into the Bank of Ireland Leinster Senior Cup quarter-final at Energia Park.
The word beforehand was of a match that could go either way, the initial exchanges doing little to dispel this prediction.
The set-piece was the basis for all the good things that happened as Belvedere’s maul defence battled the tried and tested strategy implemented by the Clongowes lineout.
Belvedere’s successful defence of a maul was matched by a rattling tackle from Thomas Strickland and a beautifully angled 50-22 kick by Ross Adams. Again, the Belvedere maul defence was dominant.
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That is, until Clongowes’ forwards churned out a scrum penalty, the platform for a five-metre lineout. It was quickly translated into an unstoppable maul for hooker Hugo O’Leary to ground the ball. Callum McDonald converted.
McDonald then stepped into an interception for Clongowes. Gavin Keane juggled and caught a high ball before Ross Doyle’s direct approach drew a penalty which McDonald snapped through the posts for a 10-point lead in the 20th minute.
A Matthew Ruddy intervention at the breakdown ended Belvedere’s multi-phase attack in which props Eoin McDermott and Ben Merry barreled forward.
An acrobatic fetch by Andre Ryan, the countering of fullback Hugh Fitzgerald and the low, lingering kicks of Finn Byrne brought better outcomes.
Again, the maul was the motor for a gain of ground, driving Clongowes back on their heels for Alexander Clarke to halve the deficit in the 33rd minute.
Scrumhalf John Paul Murphy’s lofted ball in behind for his half-back partner McDonald almost enabled Dermot Collins to get away as the half came to a close.
Key men McDonald and Collins were central to Clongowes springing into action, their forwards swarming to create quick ruck ball which led to Luke Murtagh driving to the line for 15-5 in the 38th minute.
A spill at the restart prompted a blast of Belvedere pressure, met with blistering pace off the line by Clongowes defence.
Unsurprisingly, the maul was the weapon of choice, Belvedere making enough headway for Harry Goslin to draw blood from close range, Ryan converting for 15-12 in the 45th minute.
The vigilance of the Clongowes forwards forced a penalty which Ross Doyle landed from distance.
Fullback Fitzgerald’s acceleration from a standing start was blinding, Finn Byrne’s ambition to test the wide channels with his passing undermined by a Springbok-like blitz defence.
The Belvedere forwards were beginning to eat up the yards and McDonald’s skip ball found Gordon Barr with little space. However, a mesmerising in-to-out move and searing pace was too much for the cover, Ryan making the touchline conversion for 19-18 in the 58th minute..
The stakes had risen as Belvedere held a precious lead for the first time and Clongowes clawed desperately to retrieve it. The Clongowes midfield of Adams and Doyle strode beyond halfway where space was at a premium.
They could not force a penalty in the face of dogged, disciplined defence. Given what had gone before, it was appropriate that it ended that way.
Belvedere College: H Fitzgerald; T Quinn, D Lord, A Ryan, G Barr; F Byrne, M Doyle; E McDermott, M McCarthy, B Merry; C McCann, R McCann (Capt); C McLoughlin, A Clarke, H Goslin.
Replacements: C McKinley for McLoughlin, C Fitzgerald for Clarke (both 54 mins), C Quinn for Merry (55 mins), C Lyons for Doyle, P McGrath for McCarthy (both 65 mins).
Clongowes Wood College: G Keane; N Williams, R Adams, R Doyle, T Strickland; C McDonald, JP Murphy; M Doyle, H O’Leary, L Murtagh; S Byrne, M Ruddy; M Smyth, D Collins, C Lysaght (capt).
Replacements: C Keogh for O’Leary, R Williams for Murphy (both 58 mins), J Boyle for Murtagh, L Fitzgerald for Byrne (both 59 mins).
Referee: A Cole
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