As a statement of intent, Clongowes Wood College's victory in yesterday's second round at Donnybrook, was emphatic. It is going to take an exceptional team to wrest the title from the defending champions.
Conditions militated against a decent game, the gale force winds and intermittent showers would have offered a ready excuse, but it is to the credit of both schools that they mustered a highly entertaining encounter. The scoreline doesn't reflect the effort expended or the quality of rugby that the losers produced for large periods of the match.
It was their misfortune to come up against a Clongowes team that produced some sparkling rugby, particularly behind the scrum where centre Robert Jenkinson, right wing Paddy Berkery and full back Gareth Hayes excelled. Jenkinson grabbed a brace of tries while Berkery and Hayes contributed one each, all the product of strong running.
The angles that the Clongowes backline took and the clever interchange of passes, encouraged by the occasional brittle tackle, ensured a torrid afternoon for Belvedere. Belvedere centre Gerard Doyle proved a powerful and resilient stumbling block.
The dominance of the Clongowes backs is attributable to the work of the pack. Billy Carlos and Ronan O'Farrell were excellent out of touch, their scrum was markedly superior and the rucking typically Clongowes; low body positions, huge tackling on the fringes. Captain Robert O'Toole was an inspiration in a wonderful pack display.
Belvedere too boasted some fine performers up front, the hard working Cliff Murphy and also second-row Tom Whelan, a productive source in the lineout. They couldn't though match the quality and cohesion of their opponents, looking most threatening when full back Eamon Fitzgerald - a late pre-match replacement for David O'Reilly - surged into the line.
Clongowes managed two tries in the first 15 minutes, the first from Berkery who profited from a neat inside pass from Barry Culliton on the Belvedere 22 and stepped neatly around the last defender. Scrumhalf David Connellan converted and was to provide a superb display of placekicking in the extreme wind.
Jenkinson grabbed the first of his two tries on 15 minutes, a good drive by O'Toole creating the opening. Belvedere's response was two Fitzgerald penalties to leave Clongowes leading 14-6 at the interval. Jenkinson's second try, saw him breach the initial line of defence off quick ruck ball on the half-way line, hand off Fitzgerald, racing 45 metres to score in the corner. Connellan's touchline conversion was a magnificent effort.
Belvedere's grit and determination conjured a speedy response, good work by the pack culminating in a try for left wing Brian McLoughlin in the corner. Their opponents though immediately wrested back the initiative. Trundling into the Belvedere 22 they won four rucks in succession and from the fifth David Sharkey forced his way over.
Connellan converted as he would do again nine minutes from time when full back Hayes, scored from long range, breaking the first tackle and then rounding Fitzgerald. Clongowes look the team to beat.
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6 mins: Berkery try, Connellan conversion, 7-0; 10: Fitzgerald penalty, 7-3; 15: Jenkinson try, Connellan conversion, 14-3; 35: Fitzgerald penalty, 14-6. Half-time: 14-6. 42: Jenkinson try, Connellan conversion, 21-6; 47: McLoughlin try, 21-11; 49: D Sharkey try, Connellan conversion; 61: Hayes try, Connellan conversion, 35-11.
CLONGOWES: G Hayes; P Berkery, D Sharkey, R Jenkinson, J O'Reilly; B Culliton, D Connellan; S Dunne, C Klinkerberg, J Moran; B Carlos, R Sharkey; D Brides, R Farrell, R O'Toole (capt). Replacements: A Houlihane for R Sharkey (39 mins); J Flanagan for D Sharkey (54 mins); D Campbell for Moran (53 mins); G Murphy for Dunne (62 mins); P Malone for Brides (62 mins); S Conway for Connellan (62 mins); D Kavanagh for O'Reilly (69 mins).
BELVEDERE: E Fitzgerald; M Hewitt, G Doyle, P Hobbs, B McLoughlin; H Lord, B Carson; J Wickham, P McGuire, E O'Griofa; R Leyden, T Whelan; C Murphy, G Murphy, D O'Brien. Replacements: M Hayes for O'Griofa (23 mins); T Peavoy for Leyden (46 mins); B McArdle for McGuire (56 mins).
Referee: A Lewis (Leinster).
