CLONGOWES 10 BLACKROCK 8

A try from centre James Lappin in first-half stoppage-time proved decisive as Clongowes Wood dethroned Blackrock in a gripping quarter-final at Donnybrook.

Clongowes had started the game with great intent, as Tim Burke and William Grealy made powerful surges towards the Blackrock line, and they deservedly took the lead five minutes in courtesy of a close-range penalty from out-half Jonathan Glynn.

Blackrock were finding it difficult to settle, but they eventually got a handle on the game and took the lead on 17 minutes with a try from No 8 and captain Roghan McMahon, following good work in the line-out.

Centre Mark McCallion was unlucky to see his conversion crash off the post, but Blackrock were beginning to find plenty of inroads through the Clongowes rearguard.

However, the Clane school recovered and got the reward their efforts deserved when the pacy Lappin burst through for a try underneath the posts, followed by a conversion from Glynn.

Trailing 10-5, Blackrock stepped up their game after the break and, after much persistence, they reduced the lead with a 47th-minute penalty from McCallion.

This should have been the catalyst for the Dubliners to push on for victory, but they were frustrated by the five-time champions time and time again.

McCallion had a tough chance to win it with a penalty from half-way deep into injury-time, but his effort came up short.

CLONGOWES WOOD — C Murray; C Mulcahy, J Lappin, D Mongey, M McDermott; J Glynn, R Osborne; D O’Leary, J Molony, C Carroll, T Burke, D O’Mahony, W Connors, H McDermott, W Grealy (J Sullivan 52).

BLACKROCK COLLEGE — J Fennelly (M O’Callaghan 67); C Delaney, M McCallion, R Egan Barron (M O’Brien 56), A Dunne; C Dean, J McGowan; M Reidy, H Kean, G O’Meara, D Mullane (N Wilson 47), P West, A Cassidy, J Mion (H Egleston 63), R McMahon.

REF — J Carvill (Leinster).

– LEINSTER SCHOOLS JUNIOR CUP