Terenure continue to improve

Eight minutes remained when St Mary's College left wing Ronan Doherty was offered a half chance just outside the Terenure College 22. He rounded Oliver Pugh and crashed through a final tackle to score a try in the corner. Cathal Connolly kicked a superb conversion from the touchline and Terenure's lead had been whittled down to three points 19-16; the formbook looked like being ripped to shreds once again.

Unfortunately for Mary's, having hauled themselves within striking distance, they simply self-destructed. The penalty conceded from a line-out on their 22 - they were penalised for pulling down the jumper - was silly and punished ruthlessly by Terenure outhalf David McAllister.

Mary's then panicked and in their desire to fling the ball about, conceded a turnover that was eventually superbly finished by Terenure David Cabazon. McAllister's excellent conversion was pretty much superfluous at that juncture. Terenure, second favourites prior to the competition, had confirmed their passage into the Leinster Schools Senior Cup quarterfinals where they will meet defending champions Clongowes Wood College.

In mitigation, St Mary's had demonstrated tremendous resilience and on occasion no little flair in standing up to a physically superior Terenure team. In hooker Barry McCormack the losers boasted a tyro whose appetite for work never flagged. Ciaran Potts enjoyed periodic prominence while behind the scrum wings Doherty and Connolly appeared threatening on a modicum of possession.

Terenure's display was an amalgam of passages of excellent rugby occasionally undermined by a loss of concentration and a hint of indiscipline. Their pack, which performed strongly as a unit, led by captain number eight Donal Dunlop and flanker Jonathan Barretto, gave their backs a consistent supply of quality possession.

Outhalf, McAllister, who kicked beautifully from hand and placed ball, did his best to release the three quarter line but the absence of centre Killian Coleman, a late withdrawal, denied Terenure midfield penetration. Their tries were largely a result of McAllister's vision and the strong running of full back Cabazon and right wing Pugh.

McAllister kicked a couple of early penalties, before Terenure grabbed the game's first try on 23 minutes. The outhalf drifted to the blindside from a ruck just inside his own half and his perfectly timed pass released Leo Comer who in turn sent Pugh racing clear 30 metres out. The right wing survived two last flailing tackles to cross in the corner.

Mary's response was a penalty in first-half injury time from Connolly. The winners increased that advantage on 44 minutes, again McAllister was the catalyst. His long pass and Killian O'Toole's perfectly timed pass allowed Cabazon to race through a gap, taking a wide arc around the cover to the try line. Mary's tenacity and Terenure's indiscipline precipitated two penalties from Connolly that narrowed the gap to 16-9.

McAllister punished Mary's for collapsing a maul with a well struck penalty only for the latter to strike back with Doherty's converted try and a potentially exciting finale. Terenure are improving but will need to find a little extra next time out in what could be the match of the competition.

Scoring sequence: 11 mins: McAllister penalty, 3-0; 21: McAllister penalty, 6-0; 23: Pugh try, 11-0; 36: Connolly penalty, 11-3. Half-time 11-3. 44: Cabazon try, 16-3; 47: Connolly penalty, 16-6; 52: Connolly penalty, 16-9; 59: McAllister penalty, 19-9; 62: Doherty try, Connolly conversion, 19-16; 65: McAllister penalty, 22-16; 68: Cabazon try, McAllister conversion, 29-16.

TERENURE COLLEGE: D Cazabon; O Pugh, K O'Toole, L Comer, J Donnelly; D McAllister, P Coleman; J A Lee, G Doyle, F Cronin; E Wallace, R McDonnell; J Barretto, D Dunlop (capt), C McGinn.

ST MARY'S COLLEGE: I O'Herlihy; R Doherty, S Grissing, G Cullen, C Connolly; M Ryan, G O'Brien (capt); D Ryan, B McCormack, C O'Byrne; C Lennon, F O'Sullivan; C Potts, D O'Brien, J Ryan. Replacements: R McArdle for Lennon (34 mins); O McCormack for Ryan (40 mins); G Banahan for J Ryan (45 mins).

Referee: S Buggy (Leinster).