Leinster Schools Senior Cup semi-final
Blackrock College 38 Cistercian College Roscrea 17
The traditionalists wouldn’t have it any other way.
Brian Walsh and James Browne scored a brace of tries each as Blackrock qualified to meet Terenure in the Leinster Schools Senior Cup final at Tallaght Stadium on St Patrick’s Day.
Roscrea almost got the perfect start. Rob Carney made a strong carry, taking a number of would-be tacklers with him, but Sam Cusack couldn’t quite take the offload.
Blackrock hit back straight away. Harry O’Neil and Michael O’Sullivan made dents but Aiden Vetjens was rattled by Keelan Dunne for a knock-on.
No matter, ‘Rock props Ben Guerin and Sam Bishti straightened an attack. The ball found Johnny O’Sullivan knifing through for Paddy Clancy to convert in the 11th minute.
From a scrum, the ‘Rock boys then moved wide for Johnny O’Sullivan to eat up metres. Brian Walsh took Geoff Wall’s flat ball for a try, converted by Clancy for 14-0 in the 15th minute.
Still, Roscrea’s maul was starting to gather momentum and Eoin Naughton claimed a confidence-boosting try. Jack Deegan converted.
When Johnny O’Sullivan made his next incursion, Albert Lindner looked a racing certainty to make the line until Sam Cusack caused a spill in the act of grounding.
[ Michael Smyth grabs hat-trick as Terenure see off St Fintan’s to book final slotOpens in new window ]
Nevertheless, the Williamstown school was slipping through the gears. Something had to give and it would be Roscrea’s fringe defence off a maul. Number eight Walsh peeled off for his second try, converted by Clancy for 21-7 at half-time.
Roscrea, however, were not quite ready to accept their fate and Deegan kicked a penalty to narrow the deficit early in the second half.
But ‘Rock stormed back and, following a Vetjens interception, Johnny O’Sullivan sent Browne over in the corner for 26-10 in the 39th minute.
Roscrea still had an ace to play. A smooth lineout was moved to Deegan, whose venomous in-to-out movement ended beside the posts where he converted for 26-17 in the 50th minute.
Another interception, by Bernard Whyte this time, put Blackrock back where they wanted to be deep in Roscrea territory.
Fionn Carney prevented a try by Vetjens, but Bishti couldn’t be stopped. Clancy converted for 33-17 in the 65th minute.
That was the ball game.
There was still time for Michael O’Sullivan’s break and sound handling to see Browne into the right corner to clinch a day with destiny.
Blackrock: J Reddan, J Browne, J O’Sullivan, B White, A Vetjens; P Clancy, A Lindner; B Guerin, H O’Neill, S Bishti (Capt), G Wall, A Smykovskiy, M Walsh, M O’Sullivan, B Walsh.
Replacements: L Golden for Guerin, R Savage for B Walsh both 68 mins; C Power for Wall, L Coffey for Lindner both 69 mins; G Eggers for O’Neill, M Cullen for Bishti, D Cadden for Clancy, R Keogh for Vetjens all 70 mins.
Roscrea: S Cusack; K Dunne, R Carney, J Deegan, H Finlay; A Moloney, F Carney; O Doody, E Naughton, H Maher, J Walsh, J Finn, S Killeen, E Brophy, W Hayes (Capt).
Replacements: J Miller for Brophy ht; F Higgins for Finlay 47 mins; R Sullivan for Moloney 52 mins; R O’Neill for Naughton, W Powell for Maher, A Kinsella-Garcia for Hayes, P Deegan for Miller, R Flynn for Walsh all 69 mins.
Referee: P Haycock, Leinster Branch.
