St Andrew’s impress with big win over King’s Hospital at Donnybrook

St Andrew’s College 40 The King’s Hospital 10

Centre pairing Peter Sullivan and Gary Fearon were the star performers at Donnybrook yesterday, when their combined total of 30 points helped St Andrew's College to progress to the quarter-finals of the Leinster Schools' Senior Cup at the expense of King's Hospital.

With 12 minutes gone on the clock, King’s Hospital centre Paul McCullagh landed a 30-metre penalty from the left-hand side. The concession of this score would have come as a disappointment to Andrew’s, but they responded by registering their first try on the stroke of 20 minutes.

A powerful break from No 8 Jonny Guy forced King's Hospital on the back foot, and despite halting Guy's progress just shy of the line, Sullivan was on hand to finish off the move.

Sullivan was off-target from the kick that followed, but when Andrew’s were awarded a penalty inside the King’s Hospital 22-metre line five minutes later, he comfortably slotted his strike between the uprights.

As the half wore on, Andrew’s were beginning to get a measure of their opponents, and thanks to another Sullivan three-pointer, Andrew’s were 11-3 ahead at half-time.

The Booterstown outfit maintained this momentum when the action resumed, and following further excellent approach work by the impressive Guy, McDonagh raced through for a touchdown in the left-corner.

Dominate

After Sullivan’s conversion drifted wide, Andrew’s continued to dominate. Following several consecutive attacking phases, Fearon supplied the finishing touches to join his midfield partner, Sullivan, in the try-scoring stakes after 51 minutes. Sullivan subsequently added two points to his personal tally in spectacular fashion, as Andrew’s increased their lead to 23 points.

It was becoming a damage limitation exercise for King’s Hospital at this point and despite their best endeavours, they couldn’t prevent Guy and Fearon from crossing the line in the 60th and 67th minutes respectively.

Matthew Bursey did break away for a King's Hospital consolation score at the very end of normal time, but this was a minor issue on a memorable day for Andrew's, who will now face Newbridge College in the last eight.

ST ANDREW'S COLLEGE: J McDonagh; S Ballance, P Sullivan, G Fearon, S Smith; R Nicoll, J Black; R Bradley, L Judge, R O'Flaherty; B Ryan, N Hibberd; Z Henry, B Nolke, J Guy.

Replacements: H O'Byrne-Cullinane for Ryan, A Waller for Hibberd, C Sinnamon for Balance (all 62 mins), D Wilson for O'Flaherty, T Byrne for Henry, B Arrowsmith for Black (all 67 mins), W Wood for Judge, W Holland for Nolke (both 70 mins).

THE KING'S HOSPITAL: D Courtney; D Boles, P McCullagh, W Potterton, D Smith; R Lawless, R Sharkey; J White, J Perry, C Petit; F Shilling, J O'Reilly; S Kane, S Charman, M Bursey.

Replacements: T Doyle for Kane (46 mins), L Morgan for McCullagh (47 mins), OJ Onolememen for White, C Murphy for Charman (both 62 mins), D Corr for Smith, J Aurndel for Murphy (70 mins).

Referee: K Beggs (Leinster).