Ethan Black kicks St Michael’s to Leinster Junior Cup final
Ethan Black struck a decisive second half penalty at Energia Park in Donnybrook yesterday as St Michael’s College edged out Blackrock College in a low-scoring Leinster Schools Junior Cup semi-final.
Both teams produced impressive defensive efforts throughout, but the Ailesbury Road outfit did just enough off the kicking tee to progress to the decider. Cistercian College Roscrea and St Fintan’s High School, Sutton contest the other semi-final on Tuesday.
Blackrock face Gonzaga College in the Leinster Senior Cup showpiece on Sunday and were hoping to keep their quest for a 28th schools double success alive. Paddy Clancy edged them in front with a third-minute penalty but, remarkably, this was to be their final score of the contest.
Michael’s skipper Black cancelled out Clancy’s effort on 16 minutes and this ensured the sides were on level terms at the interval. The dependable Black extended his side’s advantage four minutes after the resumption and despite ‘Rock’s best endeavours for the remainder of the action, this was all they needed to seal the deal.
E Black (2).
P Clancy.
J Reddan; C Sheahan, C O’Connell, R Houlihan, J O’Sullivan; P Clancy, H Phelan; A McCann Walsh, M Wyse, S Bishti; G Wall, B O’Halloran; A Daly, M Walsh, B Walsh.
A Smykovskiy for O’Halloran (42), B Crowley for Phelan (49), N McCarthy for Wyse (59), J Luff for Wall (61).
J O’Sullivan; O Richardson, E Black, C McConnell, D Ryan; C Lydon, L Kilmurray; H Miller, D Willis, D Maguire; J Elliott, E Burke; S Wall, M Berman, R Greally.
J McInerney for Elliott (48), H Bracken for Miller, C O’Neill for Berman (both 54).
R Jenkinson