Blackrock College 67 St Andrew's 0:CAPTAIN CONOR KILCOYNE led from the front with three of 10 tries as Blackrock College blew St Andrew's College away in the only Leinster Schools' Junior Cup first-round tie to survive the snowy afternoon at Williamstown yesterday.
The openside is a massive physical presence in quite an imposing ’Rock edition. He was able assisted by lock Gavin Thornbury, tighthead Adam Boland and number eight Alex Carroll.
Fullback Jack O’Carroll was also in fine form with 22 points, including a try, most of which came from conversions in front of the posts as his colleagues were kind enough to freewheel around to the sticks.
Unsurprisingly, continuity between backs and forwards was the basis for a bloodless victory with wings Daniel Carr and Killian O’Leary, scrumhalf Andrew Quirke, Boland, Thornbury and replacement Jamie Spring all finding the try line.
Of course, there will be more stern tasks ahead with Clongowes Wood College mooted as favourites to retain the Cup.
But, this does not distract from the fact that this is, once again, a Blackrock side to be respected, maybe even feared.
At Williamstown – Blackrock College 67 (C Kilcoyne 3 tries; J O’Carroll try, pen, 7 cons; G Thornbury, A Boland, A Quirke, K O’Leary, J Spring, D Carr try each); St Andrew’s College 0.
BLACKROCK COLLEGE:J O'Carroll; D Carr, P Robb, G Walsh, K O'Leary; J Dempsey, A Quirke; M Carroll, J Sexton, A Boland, G Thornbury, P Moloney, F Bolger, C Kilcoyne (capt), A Carroll. Replacements: J Reynolds for Robb ht; C Stack for Sexton, D O'Flynn for Bolger, both 45 mins; D Collins for Moloney, J Spring for Dempsey, both 49 mins; G Bolger for M Carroll, I O'Shea for A Carroll, both 53 mins.
ST ANDREW'S COLLEGE:S Keenan; R Ingram, J Aplin, J Roe, S Curran; P Crowley, K Weymes; M Mohammed, N Veltom, A Ellis, B Stephenson, A McCauley, K McCarthy, B Anderson, (capt), S Locke. Replacements: C Cassidy for Ingram, E Murphy for Stephenson, J Newport for Mohammed, all 39 mins.
Referee:N Correll (ARLB).