Two penalties from out-half Marc Hewitt gave Skerries Community College their third Senior Cup Section A title, and their first in 10 years, over a gallant Wilson's Hospital at Donnybrook yesterday.
The extremely blustery conditions looked like ensuring a tight game. However, both schools decided to play their natural running games and for this they deserved great credit. In the first half Wilson's had marginally the better of the exchanges. However, they did not go in front until the 24th minute, when Christopher Knowles used his massive frame to claim a try from a maul close to the Skerries line.
Centre Ryan Lindsay was nowhere close with the conversion and this was down to the almost impossible kicking conditions. Skerries Hewitt found this out five minutes later when his well-struck penalty from the 22 metre line went horribly awry on the wind.
Yet, he did pull Skerries back into the game with a kick from straight in front of the posts on the blower to leave it 5-3 to Wilson's.
It was always likely that the next score would win the game as Skerries had the debatable advantage of the swirling wind. In the 48th minute, Hewitt was hindered from following his own kick and from the resultant penalty, he gave Skerries a 6-5 lead which they held to the end.
This was one of those games in which one's heart went out to the losers. Wilson's broke even everywhere around the pitch and, arguably, had the better chances. However, Skerries had Hewitt at out-half and he was the one player that could control his game despite the wind.
Scorers: Skerries - M Hewitt, 2 pens; Wil- son's - C Knowles, try.
Skerries CC: A Murtagh; J Dunphy, P O'Sullivan, C Whearity, S Carroll; M Hewitt, M Heeney; N Walsh, O McGonagle, R McCorry, B Murray, A McGuinness, J Crowell, C Cribbin, J Sherlock.
Wilson's Hospital: I Poole; A Finnan, R Lindsay, S Champ, K Brennan; M Ethell, I Ferris; M Walsh, W Byrne, C Knowles, R Rothwell, M Finlay, R Ginnell, A Rizzini, J Hargroves.
Referee: J Downey (ARLB).