Champions St Michael’s College eased into the Leinster Schools Senior Cup semi-finals with a comprehensive win over Gonzaga College at Donnybrook in a repeat of last year’s final.

A brace of tries from James Power, fired the Ailesbury Road outfit to a 14-3 interval lead against a Gonzaga side that had shocked 69-time champions Blackrock College in the opening round.

Power was central to this win as was full-back Chris Cosgrave who landed four conversions and two penalties.

While they took their time settling into this contest the holders broke the deadlock in the 11th-minute.

From just their second entry into the Gonzaga ’22’, Jack Boyle released fellow prop Power for a powerful finish over the line.

Power was in tremendous form during the opening stages and the tighthead powered over for his second converted try on 21 minutes.

Cosgrave was wide of the mark off a subsequent long-range effort, before Gonzaga opened their account through a Harry Colbert penalty before the break.

The Michael’s scoring sequence was only temporarily interrupted, however. Just six minutes after the restart, hooker Lee Barron applied the finishing touches to a line-out maul at the Bective end of the ground. Cosgrave’s outstanding touchline strike increased their advantage and left them within touching distance of a last-four spot.

Gonzaga suffered a further blow when blindside flanker Arthur Henry was yellow carded on the third-quarter mark and Barron immediately punished them with his second try of the half.

Cosgrave once again supplied the extras and later contributed a brace of penalties to ease St Michael’s through to the penultimate rounds.

Scorers for St Michael’s College: J Power, L Barron 2 tries each, C Cosgrave 2 pens, 4 cons.

Scorers for Gonzaga College: H Colbert pen.

ST MICHAEL’S COLLEGE: C Cosgrave; E Kelly, S O’Kelly, H McWade, H McErlean; N Carroll, F Gunne; J Boyle, L Barron, J Power; J Guinane, S Woods; D Ryan, C Booth, W Hickey.

Replacements: J Nicholson for McErlean (45), M Barron for Ryan, J Woods for Gunne (both 56), Z Baird for Barron, J Egan for Boyle, D Carroll for Booth (all 67), D Rogan for Power (70).

GONZAGA COLLEGE: J MacNulty; H Lynn, B Barron, J Browne, S Wilson; H Colbert, E O’Callaghan; G Morris, G Kenny, R Shaw; S Carroll, S O’Connell; A Henry, T Cullen, H Fitzgerald.

Replacements: D Colbert for Browne (18), N Maguire for Morris, M Colgan for O’Callaghan (both 44), L Hassett for Lynn (60), C Murphy for Carroll (70).

Referee: A Cole (LRR).