LEINSTER SCHOOLS' SENIOR CUP FINAL/Belvedere College 11 St Mary's College 10: WHETHER ANY members of this Belvedere team go on to greater things on the rugby field or elsewhere in life they can certainly use this collective experience as a springboard to further achievement. Suffice it to say, they are an obstinate group.
It required each player to push themselves to the limit but they eventually saw off the valiant efforts of St Mary's to clinch a 10th Powerade Leinster Schools' Senior Cup.
Some 11,230 spectators arrived at the unique final setting of the RDS yesterday and, in keeping with the theme of this competition, went away content in the knowledge that schools rugby is as vibrant and entertaining as ever.
It helps when all the marquee players show up. Fullback Michael Keating exceeded the pre-competition hype surrounding him with a sparkling performance in a back line where centre Niall Myron equalled his more feted team-mate for impact in attack and defence.
The tactical decisions off the pitch also worked out, first-year coach Gabriel Fulcher rewarded by scrumhalf Hugo Nolan, who provided a decent supply line in his first schools cup start.
But it was all made possible by yet another immense contribution from the Belvedere forwards.
Just as in the felling of Terenure, Roscrea and Clongowes en route to the final, this Tom Sexton-led pack won the battle down in the dirt.
It must be noted that their best forward was sitting in the stand. Nermin Lovic is an intimidating loosehead prop about whom we may well be reading in the coming years, but he has been a spectator since dislocating a shoulder in the first round against Terenure.
After this victory, Sexton paid tribute to the inspirational behind-the-scenes role Lovic had played since the injury.
The St Mary's outhalf Darragh Fitzgerald did have an injury-time - really there were five minutes remaining - conversion of Robert Ferris's try to put St Mary's in front but it was a difficult shot into a swirling wind. After his fine kicking return throughout the campaign Fitzgerald owes no one an explanation.
Other key moments?
Belvedere can point to their defensive solidity in the remaining time referee Alan Rogan (who had a commanding afternoon) allowed but it was their Herculean efforts in a 10-minute period before half-time that in retrospect seem the most crucial.
They were trailing 5-3 after an early try from the St Mary's forward Brendan O'Connell, following fine approach play by Peter Finnegan and Ray Crotty - who damaged a groin/hamstring releasing the openside for a straightforward run-in with a perfectly timed offload.
St Mary's lost a valuable strike runner as a result, which forced a reassessment of tactics.
Anyway, with captain Richard Bent making serious yardage off the scrum and winger Ian O'Neill (a candidate for player of the tournament) finding space out wide, they set up camp in the Belvedere 22. Four scrums and over 20 phases of close-in bombardment eventually ended in Peter Synnott and CJ Barry forcing a turnover.
A special mention must also go to the massive defensive interventions of Keating and Myron. Keating, in particular, put in a legitimate dump-tackle on Bent (one for the scrapbook) and a monstrous try-saving hit on Finnegan, when he damaged his shoulder.
He played on hurt.
Moments before these valuable contributions, the Leinster fullback punished St Mary's for not putting points on the board while dominating possession.
Quick feet by Myron found space down the short side. His pass found Keating arriving at pace and a delightful sidestep saw him over the line.
Belvedere were presented with just one more scoring opportunity, 13 minutes into the second half. They took it, their multitasking flanker Synnott landing a penalty from 50 metres out to put six points between them.
Belvedere went into their shells thereafter, and Ferris was denied a try only by Sexton holding him up over the line. It provided the ideal attacking opportunity but the otherwise excellent Bent knocked on three phases later.
Both teams made two replacements soon after; Belvedere's were enforced by mass cramp in their back line; St Mary's made tactical changes up front as coach Rodney O'Donnell worked the oracle one last time.
Fitzgerald was bossing the game with a half break followed by a clever chip that forced the Belvedere defence into desperate measures. Ferris eventually muscled over after incessant pressure. The missed conversion left it at 11-10.
St Mary's conjured up two more opportunities. The first was from a lineout but for the second time Eoghan Browne got a hand on the ball and the St Mary's inability to remove the stubborn lock from their maul resulted in a turnover.
The final sniff of a score fell to O'Neill but he was escorted into touch by substitute Alan Kenny.
Belvedere regained possession and had no intention of giving it back. The stronghold remained intact. Champions for the second time this century.
SCORING SEQUENCE: 7 mins: B O'Connell try, 0-5; 16: P Synnott pen, 3-5; 34: M Keating try, 8-5. Half-time. 48: P Synnott pen, 11-5; 71: R Ferris try, 11-10.
BELVEDERE COLLEGE: M Keating; J Conroy, N Myron, C O'Shea, B Woods; R Considine, H Nolan; C O'Brien, T Sexton (capt), CJ Barry; E Browne, L Mangan; C Doyle, P Synnott, D Memery. Replacements: M D'Arcy for R Considine (59 mins), A Kenny for B Woods (62 mins).
ST MARY'S COLLEGE: D Hudson; I O'Neill, M Walsh, P Finnegan, R Crotty; D Fitzgerald, S O'Donnell; J McGrath, W Andreucetti, R Ferris; O McGill, R Field; R Lennon, B O'Connell, R Bent (capt). Replacements: E Moriarty for R Crotty (13 mins), S Murray for R Field, K O'Sullivan (both 63 mins).
Referee: A Rogan (ARLB).
