CBC Monkstown 12

St Mary’s College will face 70-time champions Blackrock College at the semi-final stage of the Leinster Schools Senior Cup after recording a comprehensive win over CBC Monkstown at Energia Park in Donnybrook yesterday.

Remarkably, there was just seven seconds gone on the clock when St Mary’s took the lead in this game.

Reminiscent of Mack Hansen’s famous try for Ireland against France in the Six Nations two years ago, Jack Halpin gathered a kick-off from fly-half Paul Neary and proceeded to dive over the whitewash on the left-wing.

The Rathmines school couldn’t have asked for a better start to the action and their second try of the game subsequently arrived when blindside flanker David Leane finished off an elongated line-out maul in the ninth-minute.

Hooker Cillian Jacobs supplied the extras to this score and did likewise in the aftermath of Zack Hopkins touching down on the first-quarter mark.

A seven-point salvo followed from Jacobs on 26 minutes and while Monkstown did see more of the ball as the half progressed, this ultimately handed Mary’s a seemingly unassailable 26-0 interval buffer.

Credit must go to Monkstown for persisting with their challenge, however, and they finally opened their account when their own hooker Luan Moloney drove over for an unconverted try in the 39th minute.

Their winger Cal Traynor Russell also crossed over moments later from a Tom Reynolds pass, but the play was brought back by referee Colm Roche for an earlier knock-on.

This nevertheless served as a wake-up call of sorts for Mary’s and they responded by claiming their fifth try of the game on 45 minutes.

Following excellent approach work by Jacobs, Evan Moynihan and Halpin, Christopher Maguire evaded the retreating Monkstown defence to dot down on the right-wing.

Leane went on to grab his second try and while Monkstown centre Milo Quinn touched down after Eoghan O’Hanlon had blocked Josh Kelly’s clearance on 55 minutes, Mary’s added further five-pointers through Hopkins, Aaron O’Brien and Matthew Morrissey to ensure they progressed to the penultimate round in fine style.

Meanwhile, in the competition’s other semi-final, defending champions Gonzaga College will take on St Michael’s College.

Scorers for St Mary’s College

Tries: D Leane (2), Z Hopkins (2), J Halpin, C Jacobs, C Maguire, A O’Brien, M Morrissey.

Cons: C Jacobs (6), Z Hopkins.

Scorers for CBC Monkstown

Tries: L Moloney, M Quinn.

Cons: R Mahon.

ST MARY’S COLLEGE: J Kelly; C Maguire, Z Hopkins, E Moynihan, J Halpin; P Neary, A Stronge; G Ewing, C Jacobs, J Molloy; M Egan, P Power; D Leane, L Flaherty, A O’Brien.

Replacements: M Morrissey for Halpin (50), J Christle for Ewing, D O’Shea for Power (both 51), E Kenny for Neary, S Thornton for Egan (both 60), E Dillon for Jacobs, A Holt for Molloy, A Crawley for Stronge (all 62).

CBC MONKSTOWN: R Mahon; B Sharpe, L Power, M Quinn, C Traynor Russell; CS Broderick, E O’Hanlon; N Ocampo, L Moloney, C O’Toole; M Shaw, T Reynolds; C O’Donnell, L Cahill, C Meagher.

Replacements: C Cave for Sharpe (21), B Tomkins for Meagher (h-t), C O’Connell for Quinn (55), J Duffy for O’Connell (61), M McNamee for Reynolds, D Purcell for O’Toole, DB Buckley for O’Donnell (all 63), M Murray for Ocampo (68).

Referee: C Roche (LRR).