Early tries crucial as Rock advance to semi-finals
Leinster Senior Schools Cup quarter-final
Blackrock College 22
Kilkenny College 8
by Daire Walsh
First-half tries from David O’Connor and Zach O’Hagan were crucial at Donnybrook yesterday afternoon, as Blackrock College booked their place in the Leinster Schools Senior Cup semi-final with an impressive victory.
It only took the South Dublin school six minutes to break the deadlock, as second row O’Connor drove over powerfully from an enterprising maul for a try that was converted superbly by outside
centre Gary Ringrose. Ringrose was also on hand to secure a routine close-range penalty 23 minutes in, before a second converted try from right-wing Zach O’Hagan gave Rock a commanding 17-0 lead at the mid-way stage.
Kilkenny emerged for the second period in determined fashion, and they finally opened their account with a 48th-minute penalty from winger Simon Williams, who also crossed the whitewash spectacularly
two minutes later when he touched down on the left-hand side after chasing his own kicked ball from deep.
Blackrock responded through full-back Jack Power after good work by Gavin Tynan to secure the win.
Scorers for Blackrock: D O’Connor try, Z O’Hagan try, J Power try, G Ringrose 1 pen, 2 cons.
Scorers for Kilkenny: S Williams 1 try, 1 pen.
BLACKROCK COLLEGE: J Power; Z O’Hagan, G Ringrose, S Lawton, S Coughlan; P Quirke, C Rock; J Loughman, T Cooke, O Jager; D O’Connor, J Dwan; G Fenn, R Tyrell, N Timoney.
Replacements: D Fitzpatrick for Jager (14-15, blood replacement), G Tynan for O’Hagan (52), D Fitzpatrick for Tyrell (67), H Keane for Cooke (68), L O’Dea for Timoney (73).
KILKENNY COLLEGE: H Rhys Thomas; S Williams, S Sterling, R Bailey Kearney, T Bulfin; B Ridgeway, C Miller; J Baker, C Ruddock, J Patton; G Hastings, C Hanbidge; S Pim, E Horan, M Triggs.
Replacements: R Trayer for Rhys Thomas (17), J Yates for Bailey Kearney (35-35+4, blood replacement), R Stanley for Hastings (48), M Mulhall for Patton (60), C Stephenson for Ruddock (66), S Horan for Miller (67), S Beattie for Baker (71).
Referee: S Gallagher (LRR).