Leinster Schools Senior Cup: Belvo’s Eoghan Rutledge goes from villain to hero

By Daire Walsh

Belvedere College held off the spirited challenge of St Mary’s College at Donnybrook to book their spot in the Leinster Schools Senior Cup quarter-finals.

St Mary’s enjoyed the better opening with scrum-half Jack Lundy landing a sixth-minute penalty before Belvedere’s Eoghan Rutledge was sin-binned for a heavy tackle on Matthew O’Shea.

Belvo remained resolute during his absence, however, and the flanker’s return coincided with the temporary dismissal of St Mary’s fly-half Daragh Gilbourne.

The resulting numerical advantage helped the north Dubliners to build attacking momentum and, thanks to tries from a rejuvenated Rutledge and Jed Tormey, they raced into a 12-3 lead by the interval.

Although Mary’s reignited their challenge on the resumption, courtesy of Robert Nolan’s superb individual try, Belvo subsequently fired back with a Daniel Hawkshaw try on the third-quarter mark.

Another Lundy penalty ensured Mary’s remained in contention late on, but it was Belvedere College who ultimately prevailed.

Scorers for Belvedere College: E Rutledge, J Tormey, D Hawkshaw try each, D O’Grady con.

Scorers for St Mary’s College: R Nolan try, J Lundy con, 2 pens.

BELVEDERE COLLEGE: D O’Grady; S Murphy, D Hawkshaw, J Tormey, J Dillon; F McCarrick, J MacNiece; J Sargent, C Marrey, H Flood; E Murphy, B Bolger; D Coan, E Rutledge, J Ross.

Replacements: E MacAdaimh for O’Grady (h-t), B McCabe for Bolger (40), W Finnegan for Murphy (47), H McPeake for Coan (53), P O’Farrell for Tormey (58), D McCarthy for Rutledge (61).

ST MARY’S COLLEGE: G Monaghan; R Moore, R Nolan, M Svejdar, L Moore; D Gilbourne, J Lundy; JR Walsh, M Black, A Mulvihill; L McGauran, D Leane; J Kennedy, JL Carvill, M O’Shea.

Replacements: A Gibbons for Walsh, K Ryan for R Moore (both 48), J Brennan for L Moore (58), H Massey for McGauran (61).

Referee: D Blake (LRR).