This game was a repeat of last year’s final, but even though a ‘Rock side containing six players who featured in that decider enjoyed the lion’s share of possession early on, it was Michael’s who broke the deadlock in their latest meeting.

After withstanding attacking pressure from their opponents, Andy Skehan’s side edged in front when Ethan Black (who was a key member of their 2024 squad) knocked over a penalty from distance in the 17th minute. Although this was an early boost for the Ailesbury Road outfit, ‘Rock never panicked and ultimately found themselves in the ascendancy moments after falling behind.

Released through a gap by fly-half Patrick Clancy, Aiden Vetjens – who had replaced Rhys Keogh on the left-wing in the opening quarter – passed out to the right for Johnny O’Sullivan to touch down in the corner. The resulting bonus strike from Clancy was wide of the mark, but with scoring opportunities largely being at a premium, O’Sullivan’s try was enough to give ‘Rock a 5-3 interval lead.

This was a far from unassailable cushion and Michael’s squeezed back ahead four minutes after the resumption when Black knocked over a close-range place kick with minimal fuss. However, an expertly-struck 43rd minute penalty from Clancy ensured this slender Michael’s cushion was short-lived and ‘Rock were very much in the driving seat when Vetjens got on the end of a delicate kick towards the left-flank on the third-quarter mark for a superb converted try.

Despite losing lock Artur Smykovskiy to a yellow card inside the final-quarter, additional tries from Bernard White and O’Sullivan had already assured a last-four spot for ‘Rock before replacement prop Cian Walsh bagged a late consolation five-pointer for Michael’s.

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the competition, Terenure College and St Fintan’s High School, Sutton will also face off for a spot in the Senior Cup final at Tallaght Stadium on March 17.

Scorers for Blackrock College: Tries: J O’Sullivan 2, A Vetjens, B White Cons: P Clancy 3. Pens: P Clancy

Scorers for St Michael’s College: Tries: C Walsh Cons: E Black Pens: E Black 2

BLACKROCK COLLEGE: J Reddan; J Brown, J O’Sullivan, B White, R Keogh (A Vetjens 12); P Clancy (D Cadden 66), A Lindner (L Coffey 55); B Guerin (M Cullen 68), H O’Neill (G Eggers 68), S Bishti (L Golden 68); G Wall, A Smykovskiy; M Walsh (C Power 66), M O’Sullivan, B Walsh (R Savage 66).

ST MICHAEL’S COLLEGE: D Ryan; C Kenny, C McConnell, E Black, M McCarthy (D Hassett 56-59 & O Richardson 61); C Lydon, L Kilmurray; C Canniffe (C Walsh 66), J Kennedy, D Maguire; C O’Neill, J Elliot (P O’Gorman 51); B Gorman, O Twomey, M Berman.

Referee: A Cole (LRR).

The game had begun brightly for Castleknock with number eight Ben O’Toole dotting down from close-range after out-half Matthew Brennan had twice opted to kick attacking penalties to touch.

While Brennan was wide of the mark off the subsequent conversion, Castleknock looked set to double their advantage when he found the right-corner off another penalty in the second-quarter. Yet after surviving this latest onslaught, Fintan’s pounced for an equaliser on 24 minutes.

Following a neat delivery into his hands by scrum-half Oisin Kelly, second-row Bolger feigned a pass out wide before driving over the whitewash. This unconverted score meant the sides were now inseparable, but the Fintan’s faithful were daring to dream when a powerful finish from back-row Simon Cantwell propelled the Sutton school into a 12-5 interval buffer.

Castleknock returned for the second half as a highly-motivated outfit and it took some strong defensive work from Fintan’s to initially keep them at bay. However, ‘Knock’s persistence paid off in the form of a second O’Toole try on 44 minutes and they later seized the initiative when Jaydon Carroll touched down off a fast-paced attack.

Yet Fintan’s weren’t prepared to go down without a fight and an outstanding unconverted solo try from Tadhg Young – who had broken forward at electric pace from inside his own half – breathed fresh life into their challenge. Although Castleknock fired back with an Alvaro Moreno Gallardo five-pointer off a Brennan crossfield kick, Fintan’s were on level terms once again when referee Dermot Blake awarded them a penalty try in a tense finale at the Donnybrook venue.

Castleknock flanker Jonathan Ginnety was sin-binned in the wake of this score being awarded and while Castleknock edged back in front with a Brennan penalty, a relentless spell of attacking pressure ended with Bolger crossing over for his second try on 69 minutes to earn Fintan’s an historic spot in the last-four.

Scorers St Fintan’s High School: Tries: M Bolger 2, S Cantwell, T Young, Pen Try Cons: B Barnes, Pen Try Con

Scorers for Castleknock College: Tries: B O’Toole 2, J Carroll, A Moreno Gallardo Cons: M Brennan 2 Pens: M Brennan

CASTLEKNOCK COLLEGE: L Mooney (T Quigley 70); A Moreno Gallardo, A Tilly, F Watt, J Carroll; M Brennan, H Reilly; E Shanahan, PJ Matthews (J Brennan 39), B Fallon; R McEntaggart, F McLoughlin; J Ginnety, O Clinton (J O’Loughlin 62), B O’Toole.

ST FINTAN’S HIGH SCHOOL: R O’Shea; T Young, S O’Leary (M Haas 51), G Nostro, F MacDonald; B Barnes (J Burke 56), O Kelly; T O’Connor O’Hehir, R O’Connor O’Hehir, P Palazzetti; R Harvey, M Bolger; L Sanfey, B Dillon, S Cantwell (L Macari-Kelly 51).

Referee: D Blake (LRR).

Convincing winners over Presentation College Bray in the opening round, Roscrea edged in front when Deegan slotted a close-range penalty between the posts on six minutes. Gonzaga fired back almost immediately with an opportunistic try from scrum-half James O’Dwyer, but Roscrea responded superbly to the concession of this unconverted effort.

Following an interception deep inside their own half, the boys from the Offaly-Tipperary border broke forward at pace and left-wing Fionn Higgins passed to the onrushing Deegan for a finish to the left of the posts in the 11th minute. The reliable number 12 subsequently added the bonuses to his own score and he went on to enhance his personal haul by splitting the uprights off a second-quarter penalty.

While Gonzaga appeared to have turned the game on its head when Joshua Mulligan and Zachary Mulligan bagged quickfire tries, Roscrea once again displayed their mettle.

Eager to lift the scoring burden off his midfield partner Deegan, Carney got on the end of enterprising attacking moves for a brace of tries towards the end of a compelling opening half.

Both of these scores were supplemented by inch-perfect Deegan bonus strikes to propel Roscrea into a 27-19 interval lead, but this cushion was reduced to the bare minimum 12 minutes after the resumption when a second Zachary Mulligan try was followed by a touchline conversion from Daragh O’Dwyer.

Although this offered Gonzaga momentum, Roscrea reinforced their authority when hooker Eoin Naughton touched down off a line-out maul for his side’s fourth try of the game. Mark Butler’s charges then found themselves a step closer to making the penultimate round after scrum-half Fionn Carney took a quick ‘tap and go’ penalty and proceeded to race over the whitewash in fine style.

A Bobby Colbert try for Gonzaga (complimented by a fourth Daragh O’Dwyer conversion) set up a tension-filled finale in the Donnybrook venue, but Roscrea ultimately held out to advance into the last-four.

Scorers for Cistercian College, Roscrea: Tries: R Carney 2, J Deegan, E Naughton, F Carney Cons: J Deegan 4 Pens: J Deegan 2.

Scorers for Gonzaga College: Tries: Z Mulligan 2, J O’Dwyer, J Mulligan, B Colbert Cons: D O’Dwyer 4.

CISTERCIAN COLLEGE ROSCREA: S Cusack; K Dunne (H Finlay 53), R Carney, J Deegan, F Higgins; A Moloney, F Carney; O Doody, E Naughton, H Maher; J Walsh, J Finn; S Killeen, J Miller (E Brophy 43), W Hayes.

GONZAGA COLLEGE: P Coleman (D Keane 63); E O’Donovan, P Masterson, B Colbert, Z Mulligan; D O’Dwyer, J O’Dwyer; J Sheil, J Brophy, M O’Herlihy; M Wall (P Dockery 67), R Crowe (T Noone 67); J Mulligan, B Salto-Galdon, C Kennedy.

Referee: C Hogan (LRR).