High-tempo rugby pays off

Victory was as emphatic as the score-line suggests, but it was the manner in which Blackrock College claimed a 40th Leinster Schools' Junior Cup that will be long remembered. The winners produced a hugely-entertaining, high-tempo brand of rugby, hall-marked by a quality that would do justice to more senior brethren.

Blackrock's patterns were a recognition of the modern game - fast-paced, relentless continuity with the ball kept in hand. The winners showed a remarkable patience in forging opportunities even if occasionally they did not convert excellent approach work into points. They scored five tries and could have managed several others.

That they didn't may be attributed to some tenacious and brave last-ditch St Michael's defence and an occasional hint of personal glory. These, though, are minor quibbles on an afternoon when Blackrock produced some superb passages of rugby. They repeatedly drove through the heart of their opponents' defence, sucking in fringe tacklers before moving the ball wide.

In this respect no player was more effective than outstanding open-side Kealan O'Toole. He managed huge yardage as a ball carrier and was ably supported by props Alex Franciosi and David Soden, hooker James Coady and number eight Barry John Leahy. A superior rucking technique also facilitated a sizeable percentage of turnover ball in their possession.

Then there were the set scrums, where Blackrock's aggressive technique and pressure resulted in four strikes against the head for Coady: two led to tries, one to a penalty. The ball-handling skills of the forwards were exemplary, as was their ability to pass out of the tackle, thereby sustaining irresistible momentum.

St Michael's were forced to commit too many players to defending close in and in those situations Blackrock moved the ball wide. In centre and captain Ryan Walsh they boasted the game's most creative performer, his excellent hands, great balance and appreciation of gaps creating opportunities for those around him.

Full back Stephen O'Brien was another to excel, his strong running and direct style rewarded with a try and several barnstorming runs. St Michael's, who had lost the three previous finals they contested, demonstrated great doggedness and, on several occasions, fine rugby of their own but could not maintain that pressure.

In centre Stephen McGrath and wing Conor Gilbride they had players capable of breaching the first line of defence, while up front David and Hugh Carroll and captain James McCarthy worked hard with and without the ball. McGrath's penalty after two minutes provided St Michael's with an encouraging start, but Blackrock quickly wrested the initiative with two tries.

The first came from out-half Jason Quinn following excellent surges by Franciosi and Soden and the second when Coady stole a St Michael's scrum feed and Leahy raced over untouched. Michael Kavanagh converted. St Michael's responded positively, conjuring a brilliant try, Gilbride scything through the cover on a diagonal slant from George Byron's neat reverse pass. McGrath converted.

Another strike against the head culminated in a try for Blackrock second row Stephen Moloney and, in injury-time, Coady stole another St Michael's put-in, catching their backs offside. From the penalty Blackrock worked the blindside and Coady deservedly claimed a try.

Despite trailing 22-10 at the interval it was St Michael's who started better after the interval but could not manage the score that might have propelled them back into the game. McGrath came closest when he raced onto Byron's floated pass between the Blackrock centres, but the move petered out five yards from the line.

It was to be something of a last hurrah for the losers as their opponents broke the stranglehold emphatically as O'Brien raced 40 metres for a fine try which confirmed victory.

Scoring Sequence: 2 mins: McGrath penalty, 3-0; 7 min: J Quinn try, 3-5; 11 min: Leahy try, Kavanagh conversion, 3-12; 17 min: Gilbride try, Kavanagh conversion, 10-12; Moloney try, 10-17; 31 min: Coady try, 10-22. Half-time 10-22. 53 min: O'Brien try, 10-27.

Blackrock College: S O'Brien; M Kavanagh, D Nyhan, R Walsh (capt), C Moore; J Quinn, C Willis; A Franciosi, J Coady, D Soden, R Quinn, S Moloney, S McClafferty, B John Leahy, K O'Toole. Replacements: M Crowe for J Quinn (52 mins); S Kelly for Kavanagh (58 mins).

St Michael's College: B Rainey; C Gilbride, S McGrath, S Mitton, J Buckley-Barnes; G Byron, M Gibbons; A Murphy, A Kelly, N Best, B Dunne, P Foley, H Carroll, D Carroll, J McCarthy (capt). Replacement: R Kenny for Dunne (33 mins).

Referee: D Keane (Leinster).