Belvedere persevere
Leinster Schools’ Senior Cup
Belvedere College 11
Gonzaga College 10
Daire Walsh, Donnybrook
Belvedere College survived a late scare from Gonzaga College at Donnybrook yesterday to make a winning start to the defence of their Leinster Schools’ Senior Cup crown.
Belvo are chasing their third consecutive title at this grade, and although scrum-half Jack Connolly edged Gonzaga into an early lead, Aaron Coleman’s 24th-minute try gave Belvo a slender 5-3 interval cushion.
Clearcut scoring opportunities were at a premium for large stretches of the contest, but a brace of second-half penalties by Dublin minor footballer David Lacey offered Belvo some much-needed breathing space.
However, Robbie Kidney’s superb converted effort reduced the gap to the bare minimum on 68 minutes, and the defending champions had to dig deep before booking their spot in the quarter-finals.
Scorers for Belvedere College: A Coleman try, D Lacey 2 pens.
Scorers for Gonzaga College: R Kidney try, J Connolly pen, con.
BELVEDERE COLLEGE: D Lacey; M Grogan, J O’Grady, D Hawkshaw, A Loughrey; J Leonard, T Walsh; J Gleeson, L Harmon, C Cagney; A Soroka, N Howard; G Hill, A Coleman, R Byron.
Replacements: P Twomey, J Bell, M Daly, J Haughty, C Scott, P Lysaght, J Meagher, A O’Grady.
GONZAGA COLLEGE: F O’Grady; F O hOisin, B O’Donnell, A Henry, D Inglis; E Barr, J Connolly; H Godson, H Fitzgerald, S Clear; E Buggy, C Fassbender; I O’Grady, J Barry, R Kidney.
Replacements: M Gleeson, M Meagher, M Holly, J Coolican, L Tyrell, M Colgan, H Gleeson, K Morgan.
Referee: P Haycock (LRR).