St Michael’s College and Newbridge College will contest to the quarter-finals of the Leinster Schools’ Junior Cup, following respective victories over St Gerard’s, Bray and Gorey Community School, yesterday afternoon.

Michael’s were firm favourites to prevail from their clash with Gerard’s at Donnybrook, and broke the deadlock on 11 minutes with a seven-point salvo by outside-centre Christopher Cosgrave.

His midfield partner, Cian McGettigan also secured a converted score for the Ailesbury Road outfit, and with Mark O’Brien and winger Zach Harrison also touching down before the end of the half, they brought a commanding 24-0 cushion into the interval.

Indeed, the rampant south Dubliners continued to dominate upon the resumption, and Harrison secured his hat-trick with an impressive brace of five-pointers.

A couple of tries from skipper Charles Byrne did offer some hope to Gerard’s, but with Andrew Smith also contributing a 10-point haul, Michael’s recorded a 44-12 triumph.

Meanwhile, second-half tries from Robert Scully and David Higgins helped Newbridge College to overcome Gorey at Kilbogget Park.

Excellent Gorey No 8 Jack Ryan broke the deadlock on eight minutes with a powerful drive over the line, and even though Newbridge responded with five-pointers from hooker Bill Kavanagh and the pacey Higgins, a try on the half-hour mark from flanker Nacho Farina ensured that the Wexford outfit were on level terms (10-10) at the break.

However, Newbridge placed the outcome beyond any doubt when Scully and Higgins crossed the whitewash after the restart, before Ryan claimed a late consolation try for Gorey in second-half stoppage-time.