Belvedere defence holds firm and Maher and O’Sullivan do the rest
Belvedere College 10
Blackrock College 3
Daire Walsh
Donnybrook
Leinster Schools Senior Cup final
A converted first-half try from Peter Maher was the difference between the teams at a wet and windy RDS yesterday afternoon, as Belvedere College claimed back-to-back Leinster Schools Senior Cup titles with a hard-earned victory over Blackrock College.
Five points from the boot of Hugh O’Sullivan also aided the cause of the Great Denmark Street outfit, and although ‘Rock remained in touch throughout, a disciplined Belvo kept the 68-time winners at bay during a frantic finale.
Belvo skipper Max Kearney was playing in his third consecutive Senior Cup final, and he identified the defensive structure implemented by head coach Phil Werahiko as a key factor in their success.
“This one is just as special for me, especially playing alongside your pals. I think last year we had a special group of players, and I just worked hard for those lads, because they really deserved the cup. This year, it’s more for myself. I want to leave the school with a cup, with my friends,” Kearney remarked after the game.
“Phil [Werahiko] is really unpredictable with what he brings every year, and this year I think we built up our defence really well. I don’t how many times a Blackrock team have been kept to three points in a final. I’d say it’s not very often. I’m really proud of our defence today.”
In difficult weather conditions, clearcut opportunities were at a premium – until the defending champions eventually opened the scoring in the 21st-minute.
‘Rock’s Tom Roche looked set to comfortably gather a low kick towards the posts by David Hawkshaw, but following a slip by the full-back, Belvo outside centre Maher was on hand to touch down beyond the whitewash.
This was supplemented by an O’Sullivan conversion, and thanks to a subsequent penalty by the reliable place-kicker, the north Dublin school brought a 10-0 advantage into the interval.
‘Rock opened their account with a superbly-struck Peter O’Reilly penalty three minutes after the resumption, but they suffered a set-back when the influential John Fairley and Charlie Ryan were forced out of the action through injury.
Justin Vanstone’s men were beginning to grow in confidence as the half developed, however, and they were close to breaking through with 13 minutes remaining on the clock.
Belvo held firm to secure a five-metre scrum on this occasion, but just when it looked like their challenge had evaporated, a resilient ‘Rock responded with a final push in first-half stoppage-time.
They thought they had secured the five-pointer they craved when replacement prop Thomas Clarkson made a powerful drive towards the line, but after he was adjudged to have been held up by referee Paul Haycock, Belvedere College’s 12th final victory at this grade was finally confirmed.
Scorers for Belvedere College: P Maher try, H O’Sullivan pen, con.
Scorers for Blackrock College: P O’Reilly pen.
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: S Barry for Wilkes (44), C Byrne McDonnell, D Hill for O’Brien (both 62), J Haughty for Molloy (65).
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: R Deegan for Maher (h-t), M McGagh for Fairley (44), S Molony for McLoughlin, T Clarkson for Byrne, J Burke for Ryan (all 51), C Delaney for Coyne (65), R Fahy for Patterson (66).
Referee: P Haycock (LRR).