BLACKROCK COLLEGE must have had one eye on a Leinster Championship semi-final berth at Stradbrook on Saturday. They turned in an erratic performance that enabled St Mary's to slip into a semi-final meeting with Section Two winners Clontarf. This is not to diminish the willingness of second from bottom UCD to fight for every ball in a game where Blackrock were caught very much on the hop.

St Mary's may have made an indifferent start to the league, but they are putting things together quite effectively at the most important stage of the competition. They thrashed Suttonians 53-3 scoring eight tries.

Section One winners Terenure College will take on Lansdowne in the other semi-final. Ironically, Terenure gave perhaps their least convincing display in their win over Greystones. Second half tries from the resurgent Ciaran Clarke and number eight Joe Kelly pushed them to victory. Lansdowne pinched a single point away win at DLSP thanks to a late penalty from Declan Fassbender.

Meanwhile, with likely first teamers Peter Coyle. Denis Hickie, Andrew Parke, Sheldon Coulter and Rory Sherriff absent due to injury there was every incentive, particularly for the fringe squad members, to shine in the Irish Under-21 trial on the back pitch at Lansdowne Road yesterday.

A highlight of the Whites' 28-26 win over the Blues was the reluctance on the part of both sides to needlessly kick away possession, the emphasis was on quick ruck ball and keeping the ball in hand.

The Blues had the better of the first-half exchanges with David Watt, David Lane and Barry Everett going over for tries, Everett converting the last two as the Blues led 19-7 at half-time.