DLSP reach first final to prolong great season

De La Salle Palmerston are setting themselves up for quite a centenary next season. Already promoted to Division One of the All-Ireland League, they went to Lakelands on Saturday and barely broke sweat in reaching their first Leinster Senior Cup final.

Three tries before half-time was more than enough to dishearten Skerries and even if their lead was challenged later in the game, it was never going to be surpassed.

David O'Riordan was quickly directing the play through DLSP's superior backs and after 12 minutes scrum-half Brian Hogan sent the ball running out towards full back Eddie Devitt who looped around for the corner try.

A similarly constructed try in the 26th minute increased DLSP's lead as O'Riordan began a running move that sent the ball out to Devitt and ended up with Stephen Gormley stepping over for the try. O'Riordan's confident conversion brought them to a 12-0 lead.

Hooker Steve Cullen then started a charge that set up Devitt for his second on 37 minutes. Skerries managed to catch the DLSP defence off guard just before the break and Clive Lawless burst through for a try which left it 17-5.

The pace slackened off even more in the second half as Skerries created the few bright moments early on. Pat Beggs' penalty was followed up by the forwards and Brian Higgins rolled over a try nine minutes into the half. Manu Petera's conversion was unfortunate to hit the upright.

As DLSP regained the momentum, O'Riordan had little trouble with a final penalty 10 minutes from time.

Scoring sequence: 12 mins: Devitt try, 5-0; 26: Gormley try, O'Riordan con, 12-0; 37: Devitt try, 17-0; 39: Lawless try, 17-5; 49: Higgins try, 17-10; 70: O'Riordan pen, 20-10.

De La Salle Palmerston: E Davitt; D McCabe, N O'Riordan, M Cunningham, S Gormley; D O'Riordan, B Hogan; K Condren, S Cullen, C Shanley, K Wheelock, P McDonnell, A Toher, P Nugent, P Werahiko. Replacements: M McGuinness for Cunningham (45 mins), G Stewart for Shanley (62 mins).

Skerries: M Petera; C Lawless, M Connolly, E Caraher, M Quirke; P Beggs, C Keane; J Horan, B Mulcahy, J O'Reilly, T Giles, T Grey, D Keane, D O'Sullivan, B Higgins. Replacement: D O'Neill for Keane (62 mins).

Referee: S Buggy (ARLB).