Kilkenny win in stoppage time

SCHOOLS RUGBY/Kilkenny College 22 CUS 17: SIMON WILLIAMS was the hero for Kilkenny College in Donnybrook yesterday afternoon, as his controversial try deep into second-half stoppage time booked the southeast school’s place in the last-four of the Leinster Schools’ Senior Cup in the most dramatic of conclusions.

Kilkenny had been the dominant side and deservedly took the lead after 15 minutes thanks to a penalty from left-wing Williams to the left of the posts. CUS soon settled and found themselves in the lead with 24 minutes gone on the clock courtesy of a brace of penalties from Marc Hiney.

Kilkenny had faded out of the game in a major way after their fine start, but they found themselves back in the driving seat three minutes later, when Williams took advantage of a fumble by CUS right wing Killian Lynsky to secure the first try of the afternoon after a lung-bursting run up the left-hand side. Williams would add to this score with a conversion and even though he came up short with a brace of penalties late in the half, Kilkenny still held a 10-6 cushion at the mid-way stage.

CUS conjured up the next score, as a 51st minute penalty from Hiney brought the lead down to the bare minimum. Kilkenny regained control as flanker Michael Triggs drove over the line two minutes later for a try that was converted by Williams.

CUS wouldn’t give up and forced their way back with a brilliantly worked try from fullback Ciarán Divney with 11 minutes of normal time remaining, before Hiney drew the sides level with a 30-metre penalty two minutes into time added on. Williams latched on to the loose ball after Ben Ridgeway’s drop-goal attempt had been blocked down seven minutes into injury-time, before showing great strength to ground the ball to the left of the posts.

KILKENNY COLLEGE: J Duncan; T Bulfin, S Sterling, R Baily-Kearney, S Williams; B Ridgeway, D Leybourne; G Condell, R Foot, S Delahunt, J Moynan, J Holland-Brennan, H Crowley, M Triggs, R Deacon. Replacements: H Rhys Thomas for Crowley (57-68 mins), J Baker for Condell (68 mins).

CUS: C Divney; K Lynsky, R Magee, A Neary, J Fallon-Doran; M Hiney, M O’Driscoll; J Fisher, B Keelan, M McCann, D Gahan, J Gavin, K Beakey, A Quinlan, M Beakey. Replacements: N Gilson for Gavin (39), J Bodkin for Fisher (39 mins), Fisher for Bodkin (54 mins), D Feenan for K Beakey (75 mins).

Referee: D Wallace (Leinster Rugby).