SCHOOLS' RUGBY/Vincent Murray Cup final - CBC Monkstown ... 14 Wesley College ... 8: It was appropriate the inaugural Vincent Murray Cup final produced a quality of contest that honoured the memory of the late Clongowes Wood College teacher and rugby coach. He would have enjoyed the occasion and it was a fitting tribute to a man who contributed enormously to Leinster Schools rugby in a 22-year involvement.
Yesterday's final at Donnybrook was enthralling, mistakes aplenty but also replete with excellent rugby. Wesley College will be heart-broken, the cup pickpocketed in injury time at the end. On the balance of play they were more creatively effective but ultimately succumbed to a classic long-range try.
From a ruck inside the Monkstown 22, the Wesley defence drifted towards Monkstown's full back and primary running threat John Lynn as the ball was worked wide. Denied space for much of the match, Lynn had nevertheless managed one or two powerful breaks and in anticipation two Wesley defenders converged on him.
On this occasion Lynn straightened and offloaded to Neil Walsh. The centre accelerated through a half gap, ran 20 metres before timing his pass perfectly to David Simington. The scrumhalf had been moved to the wing to accommodate the loss through injury of Ken Casey earlier in the half. There was 60 metres to go and about five defenders but Simington outran his pursuers for a stunning try. Lynn's conversion signalled the last kick of the match.
Wesley players' anguish was understandable, the excellent performances of Robert Greene, Alan Large, Roger Rhynhart, Peter Richardson and the game's outstanding player, Philip Rowe, lost in the immediacy of the numbing despair.
Monkstown will point to a disallowed try after some brilliant footwork from outhalf Graham Widger took him over the line. They have the succour though of victory and several excellent displays, not least hooker Mark Cooney, the back row trio of Mark Jenkinson, Conor Byrne and Ron Boucher and centre Peader Nolan. The latter's first-half try was an amalgam of pace and strength to squeak in at the corner: Lynn's embellishment a touchline conversion.
Wesley struck back first through centre Greene and subsequently through Large's well struck 32 metre penalty to edge 8-7 in front until Simington's late tour de force.
SCORING SEQUENCE: 36 mins: Nolan try, Lynn conversion, 7-0. Half-time: 7-0. 40 mins: Greene try, 7-5; 61 mins: Large penalty, 7-8; 74 mins: Simington try, Lynn conversion, 14-8.
CBC MONKSTOWN: J Lynn; K Casey, N Walsh, P Nolan, F Beirne; G Widger, D Simington; R Wolfe, M Cooney, I Phillips; N Staines, R Taaffe (capt); M Jenkinson, R Boucher, C Byrne. Replacements: L Murray for Phillips 41 mins; D Walsh for Casey 51 mins.
WESLEY COLLEGE: D Heelan (capt); J Keogh, R Greene, G Notley, S Odidison; A Large, J Power; P Walker, K Hillier, C Jackson; R Rhynhart, S Wall; D Richardson, P Richardson, P Rowe.
Referee: A Rogan (Leinster).
