Belvedere advance to cup semi-finals
Belvedere College 29
St Michael’s College 18
Leinster Schools’ Cup quarter-final
Daire Walsh
Donnybrook
Champions Belvedere College held off a spirited second-half display from St Michael’s College at Donnybrook yesterday to book their place in the Leinster Schools’ Senior Cup semi-finals.
Michael’s opened the scoring with a sixth-minute penalty from Harry Byrne, but Belvo eventually responded with a seven-point salvo by full-back Hugh O’Sullivan. Winger Jordan Wilkes also touched down for the holders after Michael’s back Ian O’Kelly allowed a chipped pass from David Hawkshaw to slip through his legs, but a second Byrne penalty helped the Ailesbury Road outfit close the gap to six (12-6) at the break.
Belvo looked set to ease into the last four when number eight Ruadhan Byron powered over the whitewash four minutes after the restart, but a hard-earned converted try from skipper Jack Dunne gave Michael’s a fighting chance.
Michael’s replacement Rob Russell also crossed over in response to an O’Sullivan penalty, but Belvo made sure of their victory with a 66th-minute intercept try from fly-half Hawkshaw.
Scorers for Belvedere College: H O’Sullivan try, 3 cons, pen, J Wilkes, R Byron, D Hawkshaw try each.
Scorers for St Michael’s College: J Dunne, R Russell try each, H Byrne 2 pens, 1 con,
BELVEDERE COLLEGE: H O’Sullivan; M Donnelly, P Maher, C Walsh, J Wilkes; D Hawkshaw, P Cagney; C Molloy, S Osborne, J Robinson; G Murray, O O’Brien; M Kearney, C Doran, R Byron.
Replacements: C Byrne for Osborne (53), J O’Grady for Wilkes (65), D Hill for O’Brien (67).
ST MICHAEL’S COLLEGE: I O’Kelly; J O’Loughlin, M Corcoran, D Ryan, C Carey; H Byrne, P O’Berne; C Hennessy, S Judge, L Duffy; R Baird, J Dunne; M Roche, S Penny, D O’Donovan.
Replacements: A Deegan for Duffy, J Booth for Roche (both 39), R Russell for O’Loughlin (56).
Referee: H O’Reilly (LRR).