World of Sport
Hat-trick hero Maher toast of Clongowes
Rugby
Daire Walsh
Full-back John Maher was the hero at Donnybrook yesterday, when his last-minute try helped Clongowes Wood College to secure a dramatic 31-26 Leinster Schools’ Junior Cup quarter-final victory over CBC Monkstown.
Maher had crossed over at the end of a sensational fourth minute run, but even though hooker Hugh Lonergan also secured a try for the north Kildare outfit, Monkstown held a 19-14 interval advantage courtesy of five-pointers from Niall Scully, Jonathan Browne and Luke Hallam.
A replay appeared imminent after Monkstown’s Scully claimed a second try in response to earlier Clongowes tries from Maher and David Wilkinson. However, after he intercepted a potentially-decisive Monkstown pass, Maher raced the length of the pitch to claim his hat-trick on the hour mark.
Scorers for Clongowes Wood College: J Maher 3 tries, H Lonergan try, D Wilkinson try, 3 cons.
Scorers for CBC Monkstown: N Scully 2 tries, J Browne, L Hallam try each, J Reynolds 3 cons.
CLONGOWES WOOD COLLEGE: J Maher; C Grimes, T O’Brien, J Carroll, C Martin; D Wilkinson, M Galvin; S Mo, H Lonergan, R McMahon; T Coughlan, G Dowling; E Boland, C Dowling, B Dooley.
Replacements: T D’Arcy, E Noone, C Doyle, M Cruise-O’Brien, T Power, S O’Grady, J Joyce, M Medeiros.
CBC MONKSTOWN: T Brady; L Brady, J Reynolds, P Nolan, D Drummond; S Power, E Healy; L Hallam, E Mahon, J Browne; L Forster, N Scully; T Quinn, R Hayes, E Ryan.
Replacements: D Power, A Patterson, D Madden, M Kavanagh, K Lalor, D Montayne, J Finnegan, C Tallon.
Referee: S Troy (LRR).