Wood out of luck in Senior Cup
CLONGOWES WOOD COLLEGE 10
ST. MICHAEL’S COLLEGE 17
Daire Walsh
It has been a long and memorable journey, but ultimately Clongowes Wood College’s quest to record an historic three in-a-row of Leinster Senior Cup titles came up just short against a determined St Michael’s College in an atmospheric RDS on Sunday afternoon.
The Clane school settled into the proceedings early on, as they started to gather plenty of territorial possession towards the Michael’s ’22’.
But once the game passed the 20 minute mark, Michael’s started to push the play further up the field, and they had a chance to break the deadlock with a 40-metre penalty, positioned at a relatively straight angle.
Out-half Ross Byrne came up short with this attempt, but he was on target 23 minutes in with an effort closer to the Clongowes posts, giving Michael’s a slender, yet precious advantage. This caused the North Kildare men to step their game up again, and they forced the Dublin 4 outfit into the concession of a penalty three minutes later, though right-wing Conor Mahony was unable to take advantage with his subsequent kick at goal.
Strong tackling from Michael’s was causing Clongowes plenty of frustration, but the eight-time champions finally opened their account in first-half stoppage time, when Mahony successfully converted a penalty from the left-hand side.
This ensured that the sides were level heading into the second half.
However, just when it looked like Clongowes were started to gain a stranglehold in the game, they were caught when Fagan intercepted a loose pass, before grounding underneath the Clongowes posts unopposed. Byrne was on hand to slot over the conversion.
Clongowes were really up against it now, and Michael’s registered their all important second try three minutes later when Leavy finished to the left of the posts after a ‘pick and run’ out of a scrum.
Another conversion from Byrne gave Michael’s a 14-point cushion and while Edward Byrne crossed for a converted try it was not to be for the gallant Clongowes Wood outfit.
CLONGOWES WOOD COLLEGE: Max McFarland; Conor Mahony, Garvan McVerry, Sebastian Fromm, Cian O’Donoghue; Mark Nicholson, Conor McQuaid; Edward Byrne, Bryan Byrne, Daniel O’Byrne; Jack Paul, Robert Daly; John Wallace, Stephen Kealan, Peadar Timmons.
Replacements: James Sullivan for Nicholson (43), Cillian Burke for McQuaid (60), Sean Mulholland for Wallace (64).
ST MICHAEL’S COLLEGE: Cameron Diamond; Chris Fagan, Rory O’Loughlin, Rory Kavanagh, Cian Kelleher; Ross Byrne, Bobby Holland; Andrew Barr, Gavin Kelly, Jamie Lawless; Ross Molony, Andy Coleman; Josh Murphy, Dan Leavy, Donagh Lawlor.
Replacements: Denis Coulson for Lawless (47), Adam Leahy for Fagan (53), Stephen Harold for Coleman (56), Alex Penny for Murphy (67).
REFEREE: Paul Haycock.