Hughes drives Clongowes
Clongowes Wood………………………………………… 26
Belvedere College………………………………………… 14
By Daire Walsh
Leinster Schools’ Rugby
Full-back Alan Hughes’ 16-point haul helped Clongowes Wood College book their place in the Leinster Senior Cup semi-final following a hard-fought win at Donnybrook yesterday.
A superb seven-point salvo from Hughes after six minutes, as well as an 11th minute penalty, had given the north Kildare school an early platform, but the Belvo challenge was sparked into life by a converted try from hooker Jack Hutchinson.
However, the 2011 champions settled once more with a third successful Hughes place-kick, before a Joshua Pim five-pointer two minutes before the interval gave Clongowes an 18-7 mid-way cushion.
Belvo gave themselves a fighting chance when captain Ciaran Clifford crossed 12 minutes after the restart, but thanks to a fantastic try on the left by impressive winger Cian O’Donoghue on the 50-minute mark, Clongowes’ passage to the last-four was secured.
Scorers for Clongowes Wood College: A Hughes try, con, 3 pens, J Pim, C O’Donoghue try each.
Scorers for Belvedere College: J Hutchinson, C Clifford try each, C Jennings 2 cons.
CLONGOWES WOOD COLLEGE: A Hughes; J Lappin, C Mulcahy, C Burke, C O’Donoghue; F Cleary, R Osborne; J Inglis, J Molony, D O’Leary; C Gleeson, J Kennedy; W Connors, J Pim, S McVeigh.
Replacements: N Rinklin for O’Leary (21), D Kiely for Lappin (61), J Glynn for Osborne (64), C Gillick for Kennedy, C Murray for O’Donoghue (both 69), E Tyrell for Pim (73).
BELVEDERE COLLEGE: S McCullough; J McKeown, C Clifford, M White, S Long; C Jennings, A Foy; M Sweeney, J Hutchinson, B Lysaght; N Turley, C McCrum; T De Jongh, T Keane, J McGauran.
Replacements: G O’Kelly for Foy (27-31), C Marrey for Lysaght (51), R Duignan for White (52), C Peate for McCrum, R Litchfield for De Jongh (both 54), S Keane for McCullough (64-67), A Hines for Hutchinson, C Feeney for Keane, G O’Kelly for Foy (all 69).