Leinster Schools Senior Cup / Blackrock College 28 Terenure College 0: Such an emphatic result should send a wave of inevitability through the corridors of other elite schools in this year's competition, but it won't. This was not the Terenure we have become accustomed to. Far from it in fact.
At least they did their homework in defence by singling out Blackrock's main strike runners for special attention. In particular, Moscow flyer Vasya Artemiev and fullback Niall Morris rarely found a one-on-one scenario, while several bodies queued up to hit big loosehead prop Shane Cahill.
Still, as the Blackrock pack grew more ferocious at the breakdown, the opposition withered. Three tries from the 59th to 68th minute put a gloss on a contest Terenure never looked capable of stealing. Even with referee Dudley Philips awarding a three-to-one penalty count in their favour. When they attempted to move the ball wide - in the last 15 minutes - handling errors abounded.
Victory, although convincing, will not overly worry the holders, Belvedere College. What will raise eyebrows though is the number of Blackrock individuals who stepped into the leadership roles vacated by an injury list that would decimate any other school.
Irish schools centre Luke Fitzgerald is expected back for the quarter-finals, as is last year's outhalf Ian Madigan, while captain David O'Connor's shoulder problem healed sufficiently for a three-minute cameo yesterday.
In their absence, Darragh Fitzpatrick was solid at outhalf, Morris and Artemiev forced a second tackler to commit every time and number eight Paul Ryan guided his fellow forwards on the path to eventual dominance.
Terenure's courage and commitment cannot be doubted but the only source of go-forward ball came from hooker Gavin Tully.
The first scoring opportunity came eight minutes into a nervy, error-strewn first half. Fitzpatrick intercepted a Matthew O'Sullivan pass as Terenure attempted to attack from deep. From the recycle Cahill was driven back but two phases later Philips awarded a penalty under the posts. Aiden Wynne got the scoreboard ticking.
The only other try-scoring opportunity before the break came when James Lee put Artemiev clear but fullback Shane English tackled three yards from the line.
The contest's one flashpoint came moments later when the physically-imposing Russian winger was penalised for upending Terenure prop Niall McDonagh. The referee recognised a lack of intent and handed out a warning with the penalty.
English was then marginally wide with a long-range effort but Wynne made no such mistake in injury-time to make it 6-0.
Wynne, who had moved to outhalf early in the second half after Fitzpatrick sustained a leg injury, slotted a difficult penalty to reward the Blackrock eight for gradually cranking up the tempo.
The ever-dangerous Morris claimed the first try when, after multiple phases of rumbling forwards, he sped outside centre Conor Malone.
Wynne was wide with the conversion.
Some classic offloading up the right flank saw possession eventually switched left to replacement James Ronan, whose pass out of a tackle put Artemiev over. Wynne rediscovered his range.
Another substitute took all the plaudits for the final try as scrumhalf Conor Crowley sneaked down the blindside after Terenure's first attempt at adventure resulted in turnover ball. Wynne added a difficult conversion and Blackrock were home.
They can expect a tougher examination in the quarter-final on February 22nd if, as expected, Cistercian College Roscrea defeat Kilkenny this afternoon.
By then Blackrock should be dealing from a full deck.
Scoring sequence: 9 mins: A Wynne pen, 3-0; 38: A Wynne pen, 6-0. Half-time. 45: A Wynne pen, 9-0; 58: N Morris try, 14-0; 64: Artemiev try, 19-0; A Wynne conv, 21-0; 67: C Crowley try, 26-0; A Wynne conv, 28-0.
BLACKROCK COLLEGE: N Morris; J Simon -Byrne, J Lee, A Wynne, V Artemiev; D Fitzpatrick, D Moore; S Cahill, D O'Brien, W Kavanagh; D Dowling, B Cawley; S Foyle, A Cullen, P Ryan (capt). Replacements: J Ronan for D Fitzpatrick (40 mins), R Carroll for S Cahill (50 mins), C Crowley for D Moore (56 mins), D O'Connor for A Cullen (67 mins), M Scott-Lennon for J Simon-Byrne, D Byrne for B Cawley (both 70 mins).
Terenure College: S English; B Byrnes, D Le Gros, C Malone, N Kelly; C Morley (capt), R O'Neill; N McDonagh, G Tully, I Morley; C Diskin, G Costello; R Burns, M O'Sullivan, K Gallagher. Replacements: A Buckeridge for G Costello (49 mins), G Hamilton for I Morley (54 mins), K Kane for M O'Sullivan (70 mins).
Referee: D Phillips (ARLB).
