Blackrock see off Michael’s to return to cup final
Leinster Schools Senior Cup Semi-Final
Blackrock College 17
St Michael’s College 14
Daire Walsh
Energia Park
In a repeat of last year’s decider, defending champions Blackrock College will face Gonzaga in the Leinster Schools Senior Cup final following their hard-earned win over St Michael’s College at Energia Park yesterday.
Four points adrift at the break, tries from Mikey Yarr and Conor Tonge helped ‘Rock to turn the screw on the restart. Patrick Wood’s converted effort for Michael’s ensured this tie went down to the wire, but Justin Vanstone’s charges did just enough to prevail.
Rock scored first after 14 minutes, scrum-half Oliver Coffey stepped up to the kicking tee on the 22-metre line and coolly slotted a penalty from a left-hand angle.
Michael’s scored in the closing minute of the opening half. Following excellent build-up play by Mark Canniffe and Wilhelm De Klerk, outside centre Jules Fenelon burst through a defensive gap for a try that he also converted to lead 7-3 at the break.
It didn’t take Blackrock long to regain the initiative.
Coffey kicked a penalty to touch four minutes after the resumption, and hooker Yarr latched onto the ensuing line-out maul and powered over the whitewash in fine style.
Coffey followed up with a successful bonus strike and after Michael’s prop Riain Coogan was sent to the sin-bin on 45 minutes, momentum appeared to be with ‘Rock.
Winger James O’Sullivan was close to touching down in the right-wing, but Rock ultimately secured their second try just before Michael’s were restored to their full compliment. At the end of a series of five-metre drives towards the opposition line, flanker Tonge burst over for another converted score.
Michael’s came storming back into the contest on the hour when Patrick Wood crossed over in the left-corner after executing a slick one-two with Chris O’Connor. Fenelon magnificently split the uprights off the resulting conversion, but Rock held out in a frantic finale for a three-point triumph.
Scorers for Blackrock College: Tries – M Yarr, C Tonge. Pens – O Coffey. Cons – O Coffey (2).
Scorers for St Michael’s College: Tries – J Fenelon, P Wood. Pens – Cons – J Fenelon (2).
BLACKROCK COLLEGE: C Molony; J O’Sullivan, L Kritzinger, M Walsh, E Walsh; C O’Shaughnessy, O Coffey; T O’Riordan, M Yarr, A Mullan; M Colreavy, T Butler; C Tonge, J Angulo, T Brigg.
Replacements: C Hodges for Brigg (28).
ST MICHAEL’S COLLEGE: D Lucey; L Kirkham, J Fenelon, M Canniffe, P Wood; W De Klerk, J Sherwin; B Howard, T Stewart, R Coogan; D Walsh, M O’Reilly; J White, R Brown, S Corrigan.
Replacements: T Begley for Stewart (41), D Maguire for Brown (47-52), C O’Connor for Sherwin (55).
Referee: S Holt (LRR).