Sport

St Patrick's on the double

Schools' rugby: All-conquering Gaelic football nursery St Patrick's Classical School, Navan, made their most serious impression…

Tue Dec 16 2003 - 00:00

Schools' rugby: All-conquering Gaelic football nursery St Patrick's Classical School, Navan, made their most serious impression in rugby by capturing their first Leinster Schools' Section A McMullen Senior Cup at Donnybrook yesterday.

They took their inspiration from imperious openside Shane Dawson, who was outstanding at the lineout, the breakdown and in the tackle.

It was Dawson's initial involvement that opened the way for centre Paddy Murray and outhalf Brian Forristal to put robust number eight Seán Gallagher over for the second and crucial try two minutes from the end of normal time.

Skerries full back Owen Keane kicked his side to the lead, as early as the fifth minute, and in a half of few chances, St Patrick's did not get their noses in front until the 22nd minute when Ciarán Kenny crossed in the corner. Forristal, who had given Kenny the pass, converted from the touchline for a 7-3 lead at the interval.

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Gallagher's touchdown looked to have put the game beyond Skerries' reach. Undaunted, Keane knocked over his second penalty in the second minute of injury-time and St Patrick's had to endure an astounding 12 minutes of added time before referee Peter Fagan brought matters to a close.

ST PATRICK'S CLASSICAL SCHOOL, NAVAN: C Kenny; K Brennan (A McCormack 58), J Brady, P Murray, R Gorman; B Forristal, S Bedford; D O'Flynn, C Brady, C Curtis, C Dunphy, D McAteer (N Finley 54), T Clarke, S Dawson, S Gallagher.

SKERRIES CC: O Keane; E O'Mahony, J Whitney (B O'Connor 53), J Gavin, D Daly; S Dempsey (Capt), T Hanratty; S Halpin (C Scully 50), G Sambrooks, G Duffy, J Glennon, D Coffey, G Dennis (C Pierse 65), D Crowell, P Matthews.

JUNIOR CUP: A Conor O'Donohue penalty four minutes into the second half gave the more powerful St Patrick's Classical School, Navan side a 3-0 win over St Fintan's HS, Sutton, in the Leinster Schools' Section A Duff Junior Cup final at Donnybrook yesterday.

ST PATRICK'S CLASSICAL SCHOOL, NAVAN: C Smyth; J Coogan, C O'Donohue, D Tully, R Geraghty; K Manning, Mark Byrne; R Duff (SR Duggan 47), J Brennan, A Cutajar, E Kelly, R Perez, Matt Byrne (C Irwin 59), J O'Meara, B McKeever (capt).

ST FINTAN'S HIGH SCHOOL, SUTTON: B Daly; C McGregor, J Plunkett, M Winterson, C McMeel (D Cullen 49); N Billings, D Farrell (capt); D Ennis, K Cullen, C Cadwell, C O'Reilly, D Soady, G Carey, C McQuillen, D Soady.

Referee: F Murphy (ARLB).