The Leinster Schools' Senior Cup final assumes its customary place in the St Patrick's Day pecking order at Lansdowne Road this afternoon when Blackrock College take on Cistercian College Roscrea.
For Roscrea, a first final in 58 years is such a source of celebration in itself that past pupils are coming from all over the world. On the form book alas, the likelihood is that they will indeed lose, for in the blue corner are the latest crop from the peerless wonders that are Blackrock College. Enough said really. However, in a curious way, this only adds to the pressure on the Williamstown boys.
A mere three-year gap since their last final is a comparative disaster, and, as the saying goes, losing is not an option - only photographs of cup-winning teams are displayed on the hall wall in Williamstown.
Admittedly, the teams' routes to the final look similar at first glance, with a strikingly comparable scoring differential (Blackrock's is 91-39, while Roscrea's is 88-38). However, on closer inspection, there's no doubt that Blackrock have come though the harder half of the draw.
Furthermore, their record in friendlies before the cup of 16 wins to one loss compares more than favourably with Roscrea's ratio of 47, and, as Roscrea coach Kevin West concedes, that included a "comprehensive beating" by Blackrock.
"However, we've got to keep that in perspective. We were at the early stages of our preparation. This will be our hardest game of the campaign, but so it should be given it's the final. . . we're not too fazed by this one."
Roscrea have their strengths, and seven of this team were hardened by last season's semi-final defeat. Their strong, mobile loose-head Sean Byrne is one of the best in the competition; their line-out maul is exceptional; they've a couple of good kickers at half-back, a potent straight-runner in outside centre Gavin Duffy and a potent goal-kicker and all-round full back in Redmond Barry.
But as West concedes, "we'll have to play to our full potential, which we haven't done so far." Intriguingly, West has largely encouraged a running 15-man game even from their own 22 with a view to the longer-term development of his boys, but which partly contributed to an early 12-0 deficit in the semi-final. The temptation to tailor their needs to the one-off occasion has been discussed, he admits, but the players want to play the way they enjoy best.
Blackrock, as you'd almost expect, are a very accomplished side from number one to 15. They have a very strong pack and their backs move the ball wristily and crisply. It's hard to detect too many weaknesses. As the club coach at Blackrock, West is in a curious position to say the least. "I've been made well aware of the depth of feeling within the club for the schools' cup," he says, and adds only half-jokingly: "I've been wished luck, but only a modicum of luck."
As a Kiwi and relative outsider, he's also been struck by the phenomenon that is the Leinster Schools' Senior Cup. "Phenomenal is a good description," he concedes. A phenomenon alright, deeply flawed in many respects, but the denouement is upon us once more. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realise an early score or two for Blackrock would increase the risk of a rabbits-in-headlights scenario for the Roscrea boys, whereas an early score or two for the underdogs could make for a memorable final.
Blackrock College: P Drew; C Buckley, G Brown, J Ronan, A Cahill; A Frame, J Walsh; P Dowling, D Laide, J Montgomery, J MacGovern, R Lacey, M Cooney, T O'Donoghue (capt), S Fallon.
Cistercian College Roscrea: R Barry: E Fox, G Duffy, D O'Keeffe, B Phelan; N Moloney, S Connellan; S Byrne, J Phelan (capt), B Hall, D Cavanagh,, A Spring, P Corcoran, P McCarthy, B McCann.
Referee: T Redmond (Leinster).
Roads To The Final
Blackrock
First round: bt St Michael's 15-6.
Second round: bt High School 36-7.
Quarter-final: bt Clongowes 22-16.
Semi-final: bt St Mary's 18-10.
Roscrea
First round: bt DLS Churchtown 32-13.
Second round: bt Gonzaga 21-0.
Quarter-final: bt Castleknock 22-13.
Semi-final: bt Newbridge 13-12.
