Clongowes Wood show they mean business with big win over Castleknock

Clongowes Wood 70 Castleknock College 3 

Sometimes it is difficult to know what to make of game like this.

The new 4G surface at Donnybrook is a sight to behold, making for high-speed rugby where every school is encouraged to play wide and often.

It also automatically inflates the gap between one school and another as what would often be a winter slog is transformed into a summer sizzle.

Clongowes Wood made a statement to the rest of the province in carrying out their duties to a tee. They rounded off with a dozen tries, with Colm Mulcahy grabbing his fourth deep into injury-time.

This meant the centre overtook the tally of flanker Will Connors, who laid the foundations for this romp with a hat-trick by the 20th minute.

Springing a surprise

Castleknock must have entered into this harbouring legitimate hope of springing a surprise on the back of their run to the Vinnie Murray Cup final.

But this is another competition, a total step up in standard and they simply struggled to match the speed and accuracy of Clongowes. It was a performance that was every bit as good as Blackrock’s in their win over Terenure on Sunday.

There was a ruthless streak to Clongowes as they never tired of using their forwards, like try-scorer Nicholas Rinklin, captain Jonny Molony and number eight Sean McCrohan, to make the dents before the quick release to a synchronized three-quarter line.

All Castleknock could offer in response was durability in defence where Bilal M’Uazzam, captain Richard McHugh and goal-kicking prop Geoff Brookes were always present.

Gaping wounds

They even had a breakaway try by centre Marc Boucher to take away, although it came in the 64th minute, leaving enough time for fullback Michael Silvester, replacement Daniel O’Leary and Mulcahy to rub salt into gaping wounds in qualifying for the quarter-finals.

CLONGOWES WOOD COLLEGE: M Silvester; J Lappin, C Mulcahy, M McDermott, C Murray; J Glynn, R Osborne; N Rinklin, J Molony (capt), C Carroll; D O'Mahoney, T Burke; W Connors, D Mongey, S McCrohan. Replacements: P Nulty for McCrohan (24 mins – temp & 48 mins); E Carroll for C Carroll (48 mins); T Monaghan for Osborne (55 mins); H McDermott for Molony (58 mins); J Moore for Burke (60 mins – temp); D O'Leary for Rinklin, J Murphy for Glynn, F Madden for Murray (all 65 mins).
CASTLEKNOCK COLLEGE: P Murtagh; R O'Meara, M Boucher, S Gibbons, D McConville; A Chester, O O'Donoghue; G Brookes, J Gibney, J Kelligan; J Horgan, C Stinson; R McHugh (capt), B M'Uazzam, C Birmingham. Replacements: A Hobson for O'Meara, C Keogh for Kelligan, A Healy for Birmingham (all half time); D Ladd for Chester (37 mins); A Doyle for Gibney (57 mins); L Salmon for O'Donoghue (62 mins); C Maher for Horgan, Z Emara for Brookes (all 66 mins). Referee: C Hogan (Leinster Branch).