Schools Rugby/Leinster Junior Cup final Blackrock College 36 Gonzaga College 0: A pattern is developing here. Blackrock's last Junior and Senior Cup double - this was their 23rd such success - also came in the same year as a Triple Crown-winning Ireland team was captained by a graduate of the Williamstown rugby academy. The quality of player may not be replicating Brian O'Driscoll anytime soon, but yesterday's all-encompassing display proved the production line from Willow Park is healthier than ever.
Ignore the scoreline for a minute, because Gonzaga are a decent outfit. But the task of combating such well-organised opposition became near impossible for a team that came into the contest without injured forwards David Mays and David Doyle.
Still, they made Blackrock earn every score with some tenacious tackling and were still putting their bodies on the line deep into injury time.
The Ranelagh school never generated any sustained momentum, but centre Kevin Ryan was a fingertip away from an early interception, while excellent fullback Daniel McEvoy almost produced the try of the season. After a superb break from deep, the bounce of the ball denied him the opportunity to gather a chip just yards from the Blackrock line.
They needed these breaks.
Frank Macken, Joe Gough and the other Blackrock coaches can take a bow for producing such a well-drilled unit, although most of these players have clearly been playing the game since infancy.
If not for the opposition's bravery, and disgraceful surface underfoot, it could have got really ugly yesterday. But 36-zip is still a record for a Junior final, eclipsing Barry Gibney's "Dream Team" demolition of St Mary's (33-3) in 1993.
So to the details. Blackrock produced six tries, but it took until early in the second-half for the killer third try to placate their supporters in the 5,200 crowd.
The first blow came, just seconds after Godfrey Greene's seventh-minute penalty fell short, when winger Andrew Conway finished off a textbook draw-and-delivery by fullback Colum Rowden.
A two-try cushion followed when dynamic hooker Tom Parsons profited from razor-sharp handling in midfield. Conway was put into space but pulled to earth deep in the 22. A couple of forward rumbles eventually saw Parsons barge over.
Blindside flanker Ed Tate went over for the third try four minutes into the second period after number eight - and this reporter's man of the match - Conor Barry made a trademark surge into enemy territory. Centre Brendan Macken, son of the coach, added the first of his three conversions.
The next try from loosehead prop Conor Walsh exemplified Gonzaga's refusal to lie down. It only came after Dylan Fawsitt and Jordi Murphy had sucked in a couple of tacklers.
Then a gem. McEvoy denied Conway a second try by grabbing the winger's attempted chip over, but the resulting clearance missed touch. Right winger Liam McHugh gathered and in the same breath stepped outside David Layden before racing clear.
Rowden completed a try-scoring afternoon for the back three late on.
Since the turn of the century, Blackrock have won this competition five times - that is probably the most impressive stat that can be rolled out.
One certainty is Brian Kingston's team will be runaway favourites come graduation to the senior ranks in 2009.
SCORING SEQUENCE: 7 mins: A Conway try, 5-0; 21: T Parsons try, 10-0. Half-time. 34: E Tate, 15-0; B Macken conv, 17-0; 41: C Walsh, 22-0; B Macken conv, 24-0; 55: L McHugh try, 29-0; B Macken conv, 31-0; 60: C Rowden try, 36-0.
BLACKROCK COLLEGE: C Rowden; L McHugh, B Macken, K Curran, A Conway; B Kingston (capt), P O'Shea; C Walsh, T Parsons, D Fawsitt; J Kelly, P Kilcoyne; E Tate, J Murphy, C Barry. Replacements: P Costello for A Conway (49 mins), D Buckley for C Walsh (54 mins), A Lyons for D Fawsitt, D Dunne for P O'Shea (both 57 mins), C Beauchamp for K Curran (60 mins).
GONZAGA COLLEGE: D McEvoy; B Hickey, G Greene, K Ryan, D Layden; K Tuite (capt), A Byrne; K Larchet, N Rutledge, C Mounsey; P Lynn, E Cusack; N Dillon, A Naughton, R Kenny. Replacements: D Diviney for B Hickey (34 mins), P Corcoran for C Mounsey (58 mins), N Cullen for D Layden (59 mins).
Referee: K Beggs (ARLB).
