Belvo advance as Clongowes charge too late
LEINSTER SCHOOLS’ SENIOR CUP SEMI-FINAL
BELVEDERE COLLEGE………………………………………. 27
CLONGOWES WOOD COLLEGE……………………….. 26
Daire Walsh
Donnybrook
An opening-half scoring blitz proved vital for Belvedere College at Donnybrook yesterday, as they held off an extraordinary final-quarter comeback from Clongowes Wood College to progress to the Leinster Schools’ Senior Cup final.
The Great Denmark Street outfit appeared to be heading towards a comfortable triumph when a try from replacement Dan McCaffrey on 54 minutes increased their lead to 22 points (27-5). However, when the same player was sent to the sinbin moments later, resilient Clongowes registered converted scores through Rowan Osborne, John Molony and James Lappin – which kept the Belvo faithful on the edge of their seat.
Clongowes were aiming to reach their fifth decider in six years, but found themselves trailing by 12 points with just 11 minutes gone on the clock.
After flanker Max Kearney had claimed an eighth-minute Clongowes lineout, winger Oscair McGrath was on hand to supply the finishing touches on the left flank. Out-half Conor Jennings found the target from a tricky conversion, before adding a second try from the subsequent attack.
He couldn’t add the bonuses but courtesy of a successful penalty on the stroke of 20 minutes, he ultimately provided Belvo with a commanding 15-0 interval cushion.
Clongowes were struggling to settle into any rhythm, and received a further setback eight minutes after the restart, when Belvo full-back Eoin Cleere finished off a superb offensive move.
Impressive back-row Donal Mongey finally opened the Clongowes account with an unconverted effort 20 minutes from time, only for Belvo to swiftly reply with a well-worked McCaffrey touchdown.
However, Belvo’s numerical disadvantage offered incentive to Clongowes, and thanks to tries from Osborne and Molony, they dramatically reduced their deficit to a manageable eight points.
Then, with just four minutes left in the tie, Clongowes centre Lappin secured an outstanding breakaway try underneath the posts. Conor Murray’s third conversion left the minimum between the teams, but in spite of a last-minute Jennings penalty miss, the 10-time champions eventually edged a pulsating encounter.
Scorers for Belvedere College: O McGrath, E Cleere, D McCaffrey try each, C Jennings try, 2 cons, pen.
Scorers for Clongowes Wood College: D Mongey, R Osborne, J Molony, J Lappin try each, C Murray 3 cons.
BELVEDERE COLLEGE: E Cleere; S Long, J McKeown, O McGrath; C Jennings, H O’Sullivan; M Sweeney, A Hynes, E Molloy; C McCaffrey, B Egan; S McNulty, M Kearney, T De Jongh.
Replacements: D McCaffrey for Molloy (42), F Dillon-Kelly for Kearney (57-65), J Kenny for C McCaffrey (59), J Clarke for Hynes (61), G O’Kelly for Cleere (67).
CLONGOWES WOOD COLLEGE: M Silvester; F Madden, J Lappin, M McDermott, C Murray; J Glynn, R Osborne; N Rinklin, J Molony, C Carroll; T Burke, D O’Mahoney; W Connors, D Mongey, S McCrohan.
Replacements: E Carroll for C Carroll, J Moore for Burke (both 44), T Monaghan for Glynn (54), P Nulty for Mongey (65), H McDermott for Molony (70).
Referee: N Correll (Leinster Branch).