Belvedere ready for old rivals Blackrock
Leinster Schools Senior Cup
By Daire Walsh
Belvedere College will be aiming to secure back-to-back Leinster Schools Senior Cup titles when they face Blackrock College at the RDS this afternoon (2pm, Eir Sport).
This will be the first final meeting between the schools since 2005 when a Belvo side featuring Cian Healy and Ian Keatley defeated a ‘Rock outfit spearheaded by Luke Fitzgerald and Ian Madigan.
Belvo (unchanged from their semi-final against Clongowes Wood College) claimed their 11th title at this grade with a magnificent triumph against Cistercian College Roscrea last year, and with nine players who featured in that success still involved, they enter the tie as favourites.
They began their campaign with a facile opening round win over St Andrew’s College, before subsequent outings with St Michael’s College (29-18) and Clongowes (17-12) tested the mettle of Phil Werahiko’s charges.
Along with the returning half-back pairing of David Hawkshaw and Paraic Cagney, full-back Hugh O’Sullivan is a key figure in the Belvo back line, while skipper Max Kearney is the lynchpin of an impressive Belvo pack at openside flanker.
However, ‘Rock sit on top of the senior cup roll of honours list with an astonishing 68 titles, and will be seeking a first crown since 2014.
The dynamic duo of Patrick Patterson and Tom Roche were on the scoresheet in a first-round success over The King’s Hospital, before a brace of Tom Maher touchdowns subsequently helped them to defeat Terenure College.
Roche replicated this scoring feat in a semi-final showdown with surprise package Gonzaga College, and with lock Charlie Ryan returning to the starting line-up, they will be hoping to build momentum ahead of the school’s Junior Cup final showdown with St Michael’s on Wednesday.
BELVEDERE COLLEGE: H O’Sullivan; M Donnelly, P Maher, C Walsh, J Wilkes; D Hawkshaw, P Cagney; C Molloy, A McDonnell, J Robinson; G Murray, O O’Brien; C Doran, M Kearney, R Byron.
Replacements: C Byrne, S Osborne, J Haughey, D Hill, J Meagher, T Walsh, J O’Grady, S Barry.
BLACKROCK COLLEGE: T Roche; T Maher, L Turner, J Moriarty, D Heavey; P O’Reilly, P Patterson; G Coyne, S McLoughlin, J Byrne; A Murphy, C Ryan; J Fairley, A Francis, C Reilly.
Replacements: S Molony, C Delaney, T Clarkson, J Burke, M McGagh, R Fahy, R Deegan, G Jones.