Bailey-Kearney stars in Kilkenny’s victory
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Bray 3 Kilkenny College 10
Tries in either half from centre Ross Bailey-Kearney proved significant in Ashbourne yesterday as Kilkenny College moved into the second round of the Leinster Schools Senior Cup following a hard-fought encounter with a dogged Presentation College Bray outfit.
In a tense opening period, the influential Bailey-Kearney crossed the whitewash in emphatic style just before the break, ensuring that the boys from the Marble County took a 5-0 cushion into the second half.
The Wicklow school were still in the reckoning after the restart, eventually opening their account with a penalty from out-half Diarmuid Masterson.
Unfortunately for Bray, though, Masterson was wide of the mark with two more place kick attempts (one shaved the upright), and Kilkenny made the most of these missed opportunities with a second Bailey-Kearney try 50 minutes in. It proved enough to see home.
KILKENNY COLLEGE: H Rhys-Thomas; S Williams, S Sterling, R Bailey-Kearney, T Bulfin; B Ridgeway, C Miller; J Baker, C Ruddock, J Paton, G Hastings, C Hanbidge, E Horan, M Triggs, R Stanley. Replacements: J Holland-Brennan for Hanbidge (45), S Pim for Horan (60).
PRES BRAY: J Keating; C Martin, D Henderson, J Curran, D Cassidy, D Masterson; D Molloy, J Carney , L Barrett, C Pearse, M Thompson, J Hayes, J Walsh, L O’Flynn-Martin, H Armstrong. Replacements: C Byrne for Carney (52), M Burton for Walsh (52), J O’Connor for Molloy (60).