Leinster Schools Senior Cup First Round: Gonzaga College V St Fintan’s High School, Sutton – The Irish Times – February 2 2024

Gonzaga College 50 St Fintan’s High School 12

Defending champions Gonzaga College produced a devastating first-half performance at Lakelands Park on Thursday to safely advance into the quarter-final stage of the Leinster Schools Senior Cup.

Lining up with nine players that featured at some point in their historic final win over Blackrock College at the RDS last March, Gonzaga broke the deadlock against St Fintan’s with just six minutes gone on the clock – fullback Noah Byrne breaking through a defensive gap for a converted try.

Flanker Josh Mulligan also dotted down off a lineout maul just shy of the first-quarter mark, in advance of outhalf Daragh O’Dwyer securing tries in the 21st and 24th minutes. Byrne subsequently bagged his second score of the contest moments later, before Aidan O’Flanagan and JP Breslin also added their names to the scoresheet to propel Gonzaga into a seemingly unassailable 45-0 interval lead.

It had been a tough opening period for Fintan’s, but with a strong breeze now blowing in their favour, there was a chance for them to establish attacking territory on the resumption. Indeed, following much persistence, hooker Rory O’Connor Hehir touched down on 42 minutes to finally open the Sutton side’s account.

This bolstered their confidence and when secondrow Luke Ingle kicked to touch off a penalty five minutes later, O’Connor Hehir doubled his personal tally for the day with a clinical finish off an ensuing set-piece move.

Although Gonzaga were now being caused a number of problems by their determined counterparts, the Ranelagh men remained firmly in control of this tie. Having gone more than 30 minutes in the second half without adding to their points haul, Mulligan claimed his second try of the action in the closing stages to ease the title holders over the line and into the last eight.

SCORERS – Gonzaga College: D O’Dwyer 2 tries, 5 cons; N Byrne, J Mulligan 2 tries each, A O’Flanagan, JP Breslin try each. St Fintan’s High School: R O’Connor Hehir 2 tries, L Ingle con.

GONZAGA COLLEGE: N Byrne; JP Breslin, A O’Flanagan, P Masterson, B Colbert; D O’Dwyer, T Brophy; S Heneghan, L McLaughlin, J Sheil; M Kennedy, M Tyrrell; J Mulligan, G O’Grady, C Kennedy.