Rock Power to final win over Saints
Blackrock College 23 St Michael’s College 20
FULL-BACK Jack Power was the hero for Blackrock College as his 64th minute try in yesterday’s final helped the Williamstown side to secure the Leinster Schools Senior Cup crown for an incredible 67th
time at the expense of last year’s victors St Michael’s College.
A 35-metre penalty from Gary Ringrose gave Blackrock a third-minute lead, before Michael’s grabbed the first try when excellent work by half-back partners Ross Byrne and Nick McCarthy paved the way for captain Ross Molony to power over the line soon after.
The influential Byrne was on hand to secure bonus on offer, before Ringrose added to his second penalty on the 15th-minute mark with a terrific try after he intercepted a Josh Murphy pass deep
inside his own half and raced over on the left.
He also secured the conversion that followed, and with out-half Peter Quirke splitting the posts beautifully with a perfectly measured drop goal 20 minutes in, ‘Rock suddenly found themselves in possession of a 16-7 cushion.
This forced Michael’s back on the offensive, and dyamic full-back Cian Kelleher crossed the whitewash after 27 minutes of play with a simple finish at the end of a sweeping move.
Reduce
Byrne converted again to reduce the deficit to two (16-14) by the break.
It was no surprise that, in contrast to a pulsating and event-filled first half, the action upon the resumption was far cagier in nature.
Byrne coolly slotted over two penalties to put Michael’s in control.
However, after a long spell of pressure towards the opposition line, elusive No. 15 Power pounced to touch down in the right corner with six minutes remaining and Ringrose converted from way out on the left to clinch the win.
SCORERS – BLACKROCK: Tries: J Power, G Ringrose. Pens: G Ringrose 2. Cons: G Ringrose. D/Goal: P Quirke. ST MICHAEL’S: Tries: R Molony, C Kelleher. Pens: R Byrne 2. Cons: R Byrne 2.
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, G Fenn; R Tyrell, D Fortune, N Timoney.
Replacements: L O’Dea for O’Hagan (10), J Dwan for Fortune (34), D Fitzpatrick for Tyrell (57), S Kearns for O’Dea (58).
ST MICHAEL’S COLLEGE: C Kelleher; M O’Hare, A Leavy, M Gilsenan, D Green; R Byrne, N McCarthy; H Redmond, R Allen, D Coulsen; R Molony (captain), J Ryan; C Cregan, A Penny, J Murphy. Replacements: M O’Keefe for Leavy (20), G Duffy for O’Hare (67), M Deegan for Murphy (67).
Referee: S Gallagher (IRFU).