St Gerard's 19 CUS 13:ST GERARD'S set up a quarter-final with King's Hospital but rarely looked convincing as they overcame CUS at Stradbrook yesterday.
The Bray boys shocked Blackrock College last season, but they were tested by a spirited CUS who dominated the scrum, winning three against the head, and competed gamely at the breakdown, but ultimately couldn’t get the scores they needed.
With the wind at their backs, they led during the first half thanks to wing Shane Bodkin’s try, but despite owning the ball for long periods, they allowed St Gerard’s Stephen Hackett-Delaney in for a try on the last play before the break, as the Wicklow side led 11-8.
Hooker Oisín O’Neill extended the lead with a close-range try eight minutes after the restart, and captain Stephen Crosbie knocked over a penalty that should have given last year’s semi-finalists breathing space.
But CUS never gave up and impressive backs Colm Driver and David Beakey combined to send over John McAllister to set up a nervous finale, as St Gerard’s held out.
SCORERS –St Gerard's: S Hackett-Delaney, O O'Neill try each; S Crosbie 3 pens. CUS: J McAllister, S Bodkin try each, C Driver pen.
ST GERARD'S:D Simmonds; C Shiel, J Desmond, R Martin, I Byrne (R O'Brien 45); S Crosbie (capt), C O'Rourke; S King, O O'Neill, D Murray; H Wojnar (J Roberts 45), J Prendergast; S Hackett-Delaney, D Symes, J Conan.
CUS: R Magee; S Bodkin (B Kiely 41; J Fallon-Doran 62), D Beakey, J McAllister, C Driver; M Hiney, T Guiry (D Moore 47); J Bodkin (D Gahan 47), B Keelan (M McCann 18), T Doyle; M Beakey (Foster 69), N Foster (K Cooke 62); K Beakey, A Quinlan (D Byrne 64), R Sheedy (capt).
Referee:E Kenny (IRFU).
* Wing Fergal Howley twice pierced the Mount Temple defence as Newpark Comprehensive comfortably captured the Leinster Schools Section A Senior League title 29-5 at Ashbourne RFC yesterday.
