Schools Rugby Leinster Senior Cup quarter-final: The stage is set for Friday week's Leinster schools semi-final: Blackrock against the defending champions, Belvedere, with 14 players from last year's decider in action - eight for Blackrock and six for Belvedere.
Like their next opponents, Blackrock have reached the last four without conceding a point.
Yesterday's mismatch at a freezing Donnybrook was about getting all their ducks in a row after a succession of injuries to key players threatened to derail their bid for a 65th title.
The signs are promising this morning. Three of last year's team - David O'Connor, Ian Madigan and Luke Fitzgerald - were introduced from the bench, Fitzgerald looking close to his immaculate best.
This player really is special. He may need until St Patrick's Day to regain full fitness after breaking a collarbone before Christmas, but a 26-minute cameo showed his ability to devastate teams in broken play has improved from last season. Comparisons with the current Irish senior captain appear spot on.
Fitzgerald's first act of this Cup campaign was to break two front-on tackles in midfield. This was soon followed by an 80-yard break, after he had snapped up loose possession and danced out of three tackles. And he had a hand in Blackrock's fifth try.
Fitzgerald aside, this is a hugely gifted backline. Fullback Niall Morris, winger Jan-Simon Byrne and centre Aidan Wynne all ooze class, while replacement scrumhalf Conor Crowley is putting serious pressure on the incumbent David Moore.
And don't forget the quickest player in the squad, winger Vasya Artemiev, who missed out yesterday through injury.
The forwards aren't half bad either. Captain Paul Ryan and tighthead Warren Kavanagh take some stopping.
There is, however, one potential weakness: yesterday the pack were repeatedly penalised at the breakdown for failure to release or not staying on their feet.
Kilkenny produced the usual 20-minute burst and tackled until they dropped but they were way off the pace.
The opening score came from the silky running of Morris, whose break set up the first of two tries for Artemiev's able replacement Ian O'Connor.
Wynne added the conversion but missed a long-range penalty later in the half. He rediscovered his range for the second try after Blackrock, with no breakthrough materialising up front, resorted to the backs once more. Byrne sped outside his marker after the initial inroads were made down the left by Morris and James Lee.
Moore broke the back of Kilkenny's resistance early in the second half with a neat dummy before darting over at close quarters. Wynne was on target but again missed a penalty soon after, albeit into a stiff breeze.
Fitzgerald's introduction followed. O'Connor had already come in for the injured openside Shane Foyle, but others were dominating the contest. Wynne shadowed a Byrne dash to the corner and was rewarded with the fourth try, which he converted from the touchline.
It was Wynne again who put Morris in space for the final try when Fitzgerald provided the final link for O'Connor to claim his second of the afternoon.
The gaps won't be so apparent at Lansdowne Road next week.
SCORING SEQUENCE: 8 mins: I O'Connor try, A Wynne con, 7-0; 30: J-S Byrne try, Wynne con, 14-0 (half-time 14-0). 37: D Moore try, Wynne con, 21-0; 48: Wynne try, con, 28-0; 57: O'Connor try, 33-0.
BLACKROCK COLLEGE: N Morris; J-S Byrne, J Lee, A Wynne, I O'Connor; D Fitzpatrick, D Moore; S Cahill, D O'Brien, W Kavanagh; D Dowling, B Cawley; A Cullen, S Foyle, P Ryan (capt). Replacements: D O'Connor for Foyle (32 mins), R Carroll for Cahill (38 mins), C Crowley for Moore (40 mins), L Fitzgerald for Lee (44 mins), D Byrne for Ryan (58 mins), S Schuster for Cawley (63 mins), I Madigan for Fitzpatrick (65 mins).
KILKENNY COLLEGE: A Jacob; A Smith, A Foley, N Copeland, M Ruddock; D Brennan (capt), S Hemmingway; K McArdle, D Payne, K Hanbidge; W Carter, R Copeland; K Murphy, B Horan, S Talbot. Replacements: T Dukelow for Talbot (40 mins), O Tootell for Ruddock (48 mins), D O'Brien for Payne (60 mins), M D'Alton for Murphy (61 mins), B Brathwaite for Smith (63 mins), M Harris for Carter (66 mins).
Referee: E O'Dowd (ARLB).
