Terenure College 13 St Mary’s College 5
The last time Terenure touched the Leinster Schools Senior Cup was in 2003, for their 10th title.
St Mary’s have to go back one more year to Denis Hickie’s boys of 2002.
It will be the former that will get a chance to revive more glorious times after a tense tussle at a chilly Donnybrook on Sunday.
The two former powerhouses have been rebuilding for some time now and this was a measure of which school has come the furthest.
The mistakes were abundant and came from over-eagerness more than anything else.
St Mary’s looked the more comfortable on the ball, while Terenure’s lineout maul work was impressive.
The Rathmines school got on the wrong side of the referee Andrew Cole to see flanker Johnluc Carvill binned for what looked like a cumulation of penalties.
That was no concern of centre Henry Roberts, who struck the lead points in the 16th minute.
The smart kicking game of St Mary's halfbacks Eoin Franklin and Adam McEvoy were a source of territory as wing Eoin Carey threatened down the left and McEvoy was just wide from a penalty.
The game was crying out for a measured move and it came from Terenure, Matthew McGettrick shooting through a gap in midfield to hit Patsakorn Kidd with a flat pass.
The timing of the fullback onto the ball was exquisite and he had enough speed to make it around the wrong-footed Carey for a stunning try, brilliantly converted from the touchline by Roberts for 10-0 at the break.
In a game of tight confines, big hits and hard-earned yards, it was a big advantage.
Perhaps St Mary’s were aware of this, Carey cutting loose down the left and Fionn O’Sullivan being held up over the line.
They went to Carey from the subsequent five-metre scrum and the recycle was quick enough for lock O’Sullivan to locate the line for a 10-5 lead in the 45th minute.
It was game of half-chances from there as Terenure did a better job of holding the ball, while St Mary’s went in search of the big play.
It all came down to a penalty by Roberts following a burst made by replacement Jack Townsend and St Mary's failure to be squeaky clean at a ruck.
The two-score game was crucial as St Mary's threw caution to the windless afternoon, Carey doing his best, flanker Joe Nolan shooting a gap for 30 metres and centre Michael McEvoy running out of room in the right corner.
TERENURE COLLEGE: P Kidd; D Byrne, M McGettrick, H Roberts, C McElwaine; G Morgan (capt), L McNamara; L Vaughan, A Dunne, S McCoy; T Cadell, A Deegan; C Hayes, T Ruane, P Larkin.
Replacements: C Harpur for Ruane (43 mins), J Townsend for Cadell (46), A Byrne for Dunne (53), J Keegan for Larkin ( 63), A Cobianu for D Byrne, S Daly for McCoy (both 66), A Dempsey for Morgan (69).
ST MARY'S COLLEGE: J McSharry; A Martin, M McEvoy, M Whelan, E Carey; A McEvoy, E Franklin; E Massey, C Walsh, M Connell; I Wickham, F O'Sullivan; J Nolan, J Carvill, N Hurley (capt).
Replacements: R Nolan for McSharry (h/t), S Devereaux for E Franklin (45 mins), D Leane for J Carvill (53), P McDermott for Wickham (59), D Nulty for Massey (60), J Coolican for Whelan (63).
Referee: A Cole (Leinster Branch).
