LEINSTER SCHOOLS' SENIOR CUP Castleknock College 11 Gonzaga College 3: FULLBACK CONOR Toolan's careful first-minute finish right along the touchline gave Castleknock College enough of a boost to make all the difference in their Leinster Schools' Senior Cup first-round win at Stradbrook yesterday.

Gonzaga returned to the scene of their Vinnie Murray Cup quarter-final win over CUS (17-5), which gained them entry into the Senior Cup, in order to execute what would amount to a shock for Castleknock.

However, Castleknock could not have started any better. Hooker Peter Reilly took the ball around the corner of a maul for a gain of 10 metres. It was cleaned quickly for outhalf Ross Jones to fling out a wild pass that, momentarily, confused the Gonzaga defence.

In the midst of the hesitation, right wing Seán Lacey picked up the bobbling ball to cut back against the grain, creating space for fullback Toolan to dive over in the corner.

It seemed to have a debilitating effect on Gonzaga. They disrupted at the lineout and drove their maul manfully.

But, they lacked the composure to go through their patterns wider out.

Recognising this, they narrowed their game plan slightly. Centre Daniel Diviney took the ball on a direct route to draw a penalty for hands in the ruck.

Centre Stephen Murphy found the posts from the best part of 40 metres to make it 5-3 in the 10th minute.

Ireland Schools’ fullback Jones was relocated to outhalf to get him on the ball as often as possible to use his undoubted footballing skills.

Jones was smart enough to provide for others as a pivot rather than go it alone.

This was no place for the faint of heart as bodies slammed into each other like bumper cars at a carnival.

An instinctive cross-field kick from Jones gave Lacey an acre of room until he ran into the brick wall that was Stephen Murphy, who was also doubling up as a handy option for booming clearances out of defence.

Lock Matthew Webb tore down the left wing to give Castleknock front-foot momentum from where slick close-in driving and a fast release were too much of a temptation.

Gonzaga advanced offside in midfield. Jones was short with a 40-metre shot-to-nothing drop goal only to kick the ensuing penalty from the 22-metre line when an advantage did not accrue to make it 8-3 to Castleknock at the interval.

It was becoming difficult to differentiate between the players as the churned pitch left its’ muddy mark on their bodies and sapped their speed.

Gradually, putting boot to ball became the first option rather than the second.

Another Jones punt in the direction of the tall Lacey almost did the trick, but a stray foot in touch was all that stood between the wing and five points.

The only things heavier than the pitch were the hits as the players tired just enough to allow the tackler to make an impact.

Still, Gonzaga kept coming forward, one delicious offload from outhalf Mark McPhillips almost cracking the cover and Murphy losing the ball forward with room to profit on the outside.

When they could not break through, the northsiders broke upfield for replacement Niall Cullen to force a penalty on the ground.

Jones sent the ball between the posts and Castleknock into the quarter-finals against St Michael’s on Sunday week.

CASTLEKNOCK COLLEGE: C Toolan; S Lacey, M O'Sullivan, T Farrell, M Mellot; R Jones (capt), P Byrne; A Noonan, P Reilly, B O'Malley, M Webb, L Briody, C O'Riordan, T Austin, J O'Brien. Replacements: S Scott for O'Riordan (34 mins); F Toolan for Byrne (53 mins); N Cullen for Briody (57 mins); S Condon for Austin (60 mins).

GONZAGA COLLEGE: J Fitzpatrick; R Lenehan, D Diviney, Stephen Murphy, Sean Murphy; M McPhillips, H Byrne (capt); C Murray, C Coburn, K Hargaden, C O'Leary, H Mays, P Lavelle, O O'Cleirigh, D Seaver-O'Leary, Replacements: C McDowell for Coburn (41 mins); C Coman for Lenehan (52 mins); J McDowell for Hargaden, A Deeney for Lavelle (both 63 mins).

Referee: N Correll(Leinster Branch).