Blackrock College 70 Cistercian College, Roscrea 7
The holders Blackrock sounded a chilling warning to those with sights on their prize, running in ten tries against Roscrea in the Leinster Schools Senior Cup quarter-final at Energia Park on Thursday afternoon.
The lasting thing Roscrea wanted to see happen was loosehead prop Tom O’Riordan running free in the first minute for a try, converted by Oliver Coffey.
Then, the ball was moved from a smart lineout for Mark Walsh to hit the line and prop O’Riordan had no trouble in finding hooker Mike Yarr for the second converted try for 14-0 in the fifth minute.
READ MORE
But, Billy Kelly’s slicing break for Roscrea was supplemented by support on both sides, the centre picking the right option, James Conroy bolting in for the try, converted by Charlie Naughton.
The problems arose when Blackrock got their mitts on it, James O’Sullivan slipping to tackles and Luke Kritziner taking his pass to the house for 22-7 in the 19th minute.
The running power of the Williamstown school reverberated through their next move, fullback Charlie Molony skinning defenders and tighthead Alex Mullan completing the parade of frontrow try scorers, for another seven points.
Halfbacks Finlay and Naughton tried to hold the fort with multiple clearance kicks, only to be rocked by Kritzinger’s simple finish from Mark Walsh’s mastery of drawing in the last man, Coffey converting again.
The whistle couldn’t come quick enough for Roscrea – and it didn’t – as ‘Rock ran around the outside for number eight Tom Brigg to make it 41-7 at the break.
Blackrock settled for three points when Coffey slotted a penalty near halfway before Rob Carney got to grips with Charlie Molony just in time.
Lock Glynn grabbed a lineout, centre Conroy broke up the middle and the Ros’ pack caused a maul turnover in isolated moments.
The intensity of the tackling went up a notch too from the Offaly school until full-back Molony broke out his A-game for a superb individual effort, converted by Coffey in the 55th minute.
Just as Roscrea looked to have moved on to the front foot in a defensive sequence, a loose ball led to confusion and Derry Moloney’s try.
It was left to Gregg Barron to provide the ninth – both were converted by Harry Whelan – and James O’Sullivan the 10th.
Scorers: Blackrock – L Kritzinger 2 tries; T O’Riordan, M Yarr, A Mullan, T Brigg, C Molony, D Moloney, G Barron, J O’Sullivan try each; O Coffey 2 pens, 5 cons; H Whelan 2 cons. Roscrea – J Conroy try; C Naughton con.
Blackrock: C Molony; J O’Sullivan, L Kritzinger (D Moloney 59), M Walsh, E Walsh; C O’Shaughnessy (H Whelan 59), O Coffey (Capt, J Larkin 59), T O’Riordan (P Moore 56), M Yarr (G Barron 56), A Mullan (S Bishti 56), M Colreavy (D Maguire 50), T Butler, C Tonge, J Angulo T Brigg (C Hodges 56).
Roscrea: C O’Sullivan (A Walsh ht); D Punch, J Conroy, B Kelly (J Deegan 49), R Carney; C Naughton (F Fleetwood 57), S Finlay (J Powell 57); R Og Doody (H Grant 60), L Fitzpatrick, C Kennedy (M Metcalfe 39), C Schofield (R Tynan 49), R Glynn, D Byrne (J Finn 52), B Hayes, R Whelan (Capt).
Referee: R Jenkinson, Leinster Branch.
