SCHOOLS RUGBY LEINSTER SENIOR CUP: Clongowes Wood 23 Presentation Bray 0: A DEVILISH crossfield wind and showers, coupled with the decision by Pres Bray to leave everything on the field, conspired to keep defending champions Clongowes Wood at bay for nearly all of yesterday's second-half.
This was an impressive showing from the qualifiers. They knew how ferocious the onslaught would be but they stood firm.
The best example was openside flanker Niall Finch (a dead ringer for Jean Pierre Rives), who repeatedly returned to the fray despite a bloodied nose. Finch went toe-to-toe with his opposite number, Irish under-19 captain Conor Gilsenan, or could be seen clinging to the coat-tails as Clongowes number eight Jordan Coghlan exploded off the back of a scrum.
That’s what Pres Bray did for this whole swirling afternoon, they hung on in there. It helped that in outhalf Davie Downey they had a gem of a ball-striker, although scoring a try never looked a realistic aspiration.
Clongowes, when denied possession, seemed unperturbed as they gave as good a defensive clinic as will be witnessed at this level.
Some of the hits were wincingly accurate, duly popping the ball from the attacker’s grasp. Such examples of this, from flanker Nick McCarthy and right wing Gareth Murray, drew roars of delight from the faithful louder even than the four tries they also pocketed.
Left wing Conor Mahony may have only registered one from five shots at goal, but the wind played havoc with his well-balanced technique. Even still, he won’t have many better days, finishing off two tries in either half to keep Pres Bray at arm’s length.
Gilsenan got in for the opening score after four minutes of constant pressure.
The most telling touchdown, however, belonged to McCarthy. Along with his fellow returnees from the 2010 backrow and a hardy-looking front five, they gathered a lineout on the 22 before slowly marching over.
More from the Clongowes backline is promised but this was not the day for that and David Quirke managed things effectively from outhalf.
The Byrne brothers may have cemented their place in Clongownian folklore by the end of this campaign. The best of them wasn’t even on view yesterday. Edward Byrne is the returning loosehead from last season and already capped by Ireland Schools this year. But he is injured.
In his absence, twin Bryan got to work in his first Senior Cup game. When not seeking to pound over the gainline, he was offloading in the tackle. The whole pack can do this. Fellow frontrow Tom Collis also looks the part.
But Gilsenan remains the most naturally talented performer in the pack. Providing injury does not disrupt his progress that is. After some onfield attention, and once victory looked assured, he retired early here.
He looks a decent leader too. At one stage, when referee Ken Henley–Willis warned Gilsenan about his team-mates playing the ball on the deck, within ear shot of the spectators he explained in no uncertain terms what he wanted from his men.
A fifth try was probably denied when Collis was sinbinned after Henley Willis deemed a drive over the line was held up. An exchange of views saw Pres Bray awarded a relieving penalty and a yellow card was produced.
The referees have not hesitated in this regard this year.
SCORING SEQUENCE– 4 mins: C Gilsenan try, 5-0; 17: C Mahony try, 10-0; 27: C Mahony pen, 13-0; 32: N McCarthy try, 18-0 (h-t). 38: C Mahony try, 23-0.
CLONGOWES WOOD:H Burns; G Murray, J Glynn, C Joyce, C Mahony; D Quirke, C McQuaid; G Frayne, B Byrne, T Collis; B Phelan, T Byrne; N McCarthy, C Gilsenan, J Coghlan. Replacements: B Grehan for C Gilsenan (51 mins), S Fromm for C Joyce (53 mins), D Donnellan for B Byrne (59 mins), D O'Byrne for T Collis (65 mins), M McFarland for C McQuaid (66 mins), P Timmins for J Coghlan (67 mins).
PRES BRAY:H Barrett; F Kenny, K Devin, R Keating, A Conway; D Downey, C Cassidy; C Higgs, C O'Meadhra, K Murphy; G Peakin, J Ashworth; N Hunter, N Finch, C O'Donoghue. Replacements: J Hauge for J Ashworth (50 mins), D Sheehy for K Murphy (58 mins), C Guihen for A Conway (61 mins).
Referee:K Henley Willis.
Development Cup final
DUNDALK GRAMMAR became the first school to win the Leinster Senior Development Cup final for the second time by edging out Gorey Community School 7-3 at the Alsaa Grounds, near Dublin Airport, yesterday.
The conditions played havoc with the best intentions of both sides.
Gorey fullback Niall O’Brien struck a penalty for a 3-0 lead at the break that never looked enough with the strong wind. Sure enough, Dundalk hooker Laurence Steen burst over in the 43rd minute for outhalf Ultan Murphy to convert.
