Leinster Schools Rugby: Blackrock College 34 St Mary’s College 13
Scorelines can be so deceiving as Blackrock College were given a severe test by St Mary’s in the Leinster Schools Senior Cup first round at Energia Park on Tuesday.
The holders were rocked back on their heels from the start as St Mary’s flowed forward to establish a lineout. Joseph Christle burst through the first tackle to go close and Eoghan Brady was on hand to complete the mission. Paul Neary converted in the fourth minute to make it 7-0 to the Rathmines school.
Blackrock spurned all chances to kick at goal, preferring to use the maul to cause chaos, not before Brady bundled James Browne into touch at the corner flag.
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It came as no surprise to see hooker Harry O’Neill rise to claim a try from a powerful drive in the 15th minute.
A simple, clever throw to the front of another Blackrock lineout put Conal Power through one-on-one, but O’Neill couldn’t take the pass.
It was a thing of beauty to see frontrowers Patrick Tuite and Christle handling like backs in the lead-up to a penalty for offside. Neary knocked it over to put St Mary’s 10-5 ahead in the 25th minute.
Another penalty led to a lineout and after Power plucked the throw from the air, O’Neill was in the van to deliver the try for to level the scores at 10-10 in the 28th minute.
But Blackrock would take a 15-10 advantage into half-time after Bernard White bolted into the clear to score.
There was an extended stalemate brokered before a case of obstruction allowed Mary’s outhalf Neary to split the posts from distance to make it 15-13 in the 50th minute.
It would be their last score as soon after Paddy Clancy grubbered and gathered to find Johnny O’Sullivan on his inside shoulder for a stunning try, converted by Clancy to put Rock 22-13 up in the 59th minute.
It was appropriate Michael O’Sullivan should have the decisive say with the fifth try, converted by Clancy, before Browne cut loose from inside his half to give the scoreboard a very flattering complexion.
SCORERS − Blackrock College: H O’Neill 2 tries; B White, J O’Sullivan, M O’Sullivan, J Browne try each; P Clancy 2 cons. St Mary’s College: E Brady try; P Neary 2 pens, con.
BLACKROCK COLLEGE: J Reddan; J Browne, J O’Sullivan, B White, R Keogh; P Clancy, L Coffey; B Guerin, H O’Neill, S Bishti (capt); C Power, A Smykovskiy; G Wall, M O’Sullivan, B Walsh.
Replacements: L Golden for Power (50 mins); C Power for Walsh (55); R Savage for Guerin (67); G Eggers for O’Neill, M Cullen for Bishti, T Keaveney for M O’Sullivan, B Crowley for Coffey, D Cadden for Clancy, A Doorly for Reddan (all 69).
ST MARY’S COLLEGE: J Kelly; C Maguire, C Cantwell, D Tourish, M Morrissey; P Neary, A Crawley; G Ewing, J Christle, P Tuite (capt); M Egan, D Kenny; E Farrell, A McGauran, E Brady.
Replacements: T Quigley for Tuite (42 mins); A Stronge for Crawley, S Thornton for Brady (both 48); D O’Shea for McGauran (54); A Crawley for Tourish (60); B Harmon for Christle (67); J Whitty for Kenny (68); L Keogan for Ewing, N Sheehan for Maguire (both 68).
Referee: P Haycock (Leinster).
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