Tom Wyley the hero as Gonzaga College land first Leinster Schools Senior Cup title
Tom Wyley was the match-winning hero at the RDS on Friday afternoon as Gonzaga College made history by claiming their maiden Leinster Schools Senior Cup title with a magnificent triumph over Blackrock College.
Beaten finalists in 2019 and 2022 against St Michael’s College and Blackrock respectively, Gonzaga established their credentials in an absorbing contest by developing an 11-point interval cushion. They had looked set to fall short in agonising fashion when ‘Rock turned the tables on them inside the final-quarter, but Wyley’s 68th-minute try ensured the Ranelagh side were added to the competition’s roll of honours.
In an explosive start to the contest, ‘Rock No 8 Tom Brigg and Gonzaga full-back Hugo McLaughlin traded converted tries. Justin Vanstone’s defending champions regained the advantage courtesy of a routine place-kick from Oliver Coffey on 25 minutes, but they were knocked back on their heels thanks to a spectacular scoring burst by Gonzaga in the latter stages of the opening period.
One of five starters from last year’s final reversal to ‘Rock, McMahon elected to tap a close-range penalty in the 28th-minute and proceeded to power past the whitewash in clinical style.
There was further joy for Gonzaga’s number 10 just past the half-hour as he was put through by prop Adam McVerry for another five-pointer after winger JP Breslin had gone close to scoring.
McMahon also contributed conversions to both of his tries to propel Gonzaga towards a commanding 21-10 interval cushion.
Although momentum was seemingly with their opponents, Blackrock were firmly back in the reckoning when loosehead prop Tom O’Riordan finished off a lengthy attacking move for a converted try on 40 minutes.
Gonzaga reinforced their authority just four minutes later when superb approach work from McMahon and Hugo McLaughlin created the platform for Breslin to touch down in the right-corner. Yet, even though McMahon added two more points to his impressive personal tally, ‘Rock seized control of the action either side of the third-quarter mark.
Alex Mullan was growing into the play as it progressed and he registered tries off multi-phase moves in the 46th and 56th minutes to move ‘Rock back into the ascendancy.
Whilst the expectation was that ‘Rock were going to push on from here for their 71st senior title, Gonzaga simply refused to throw in the towel.
Despite Luke McLaughlin being held-up on the try-line, they remained on the front-foot and replacement scrum-half James O’Dwyer worked the ball into Wyley’s hands for a try underneath the posts. McMahon brought his individual haul up to 20 points with a fifth conversion and after they withstood a resulting surge from ‘Rock, Gonzaga had officially reached the promised land.
Tries – S McMahon (2), H McLaughlin, JP Breslin, T Wyley. Cons – S McMahon (5).
Tries – A Mullan (2), T Brigg, T O’Riordan. Pens – O Coffey. Cons – O Coffey (4).
H McLaughlin; JP Breslin, A O’Flanagan, J Browne, M Wall; S McMahon, T Brophy; F O’Neill, L McLaughlin, A McVerry; J Kennedy, T Wyley; C Kennedy, G O’Grady, P Wilson.
M Tyrrell for Kennedy, J O’Dwyer for Trophy (both 58), P Masterson for Wall, J Sheil for McVerry (both 59), P O’Brien for O’Neill (67), S Inglis for O’Flanagan (69).
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.
C Hodges for Tonge, A Quinn for M Walsh (both 50), D McGuire for Brigg (66), H Whelan for O’Shaughnessy (67).
P Reidy (LRR).