Sport

O'Kelly's late, late try earns Bray boys another chance

Schools Rugby Leinster Junior Cup quarter-final: Pres Bray 26 Gonzaga College 26: Replacement Josh O'Kelly was the unlikely …

Tue Feb 28 2006 - 00:00

Schools Rugby Leinster Junior Cup quarter-final: Pres Bray 26 Gonzaga College 26: Replacement Josh O'Kelly was the unlikely hero for Presentation College, Bray, when he carried the ball one metre for a try four minutes into injury-time that was casually converted by Fergal Devlin to ensure a replay after this pulsating Leinster Schools' Junior Cup quarter-final at Donnybrook yesterday.

Leinster League champions Gonzaga were slight favourites and their captain, Killian Tuite, provided the perfect start by slicing through the middle to get in under the posts. Centre Godfrey Green kicked the extras.

Pres struck back within three minutes when number eight James Molloy powered over the line from a five-metre scrum. Then, Pres outhalf Fergal Devlin escaped the clutches of Greene and Eoghan Wogan after a delightful show-and-go from 30 metres out in the 18th minute. Devlin added the conversion.

A smartly executed blindside move saw Greene dive in for the equaliser one minute later.

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Soon, Gonzaga centre Kevin Ryan's floated pass found fullback Daniel McEvoy and his stylish dummy and mazy run opened the space for right wing Ben Hickey to finish with something to spare.

Greene intercepted for a simple try deep into injury-time and he converted both to give Gonzaga a 26-12 lead at the break.

It was a long way back for Pres until Molloy's second try, following an impressive burst from centre Brian Maher, was converted by Devlin.

The bigger Pres forwards gradually got on top in a titanic struggle with a Gonzaga side substituting physique for playing clever rugby.

It looked as though it would be enough before a late surge from Molloy and the rest of the Pres pack ended with O'Kelly's try and Devlin's conversion to force the replay.

GONZAGA COLLEGE: D McEvoy; B Hickey, G Greene, K Ryan, D Layden; K Tuite (capt), A Byrne; K Larchet, N Rutledge, C Mounsey, P Lynn, D Mays, N Dillon, A Naughton, R Kenny. Replacement: E Cusack for Mays (34 mins).

PRES BRAY: D Haughton; E Wogan, S Byrne (capt), B Maher, B Daly; F Devlin, S Duggan; J O'Brien, G Walsh, A Jeffers, P Kennedy, N Cooper, J Breslin, R Nicholson, J Molloy. Replacements: J O'Kelly for Nicholson (44 mins); C Messett for Jeffers (58 mins).

Referee: T Redmond (IRFU).

The quarter-final replay will take place on Monday week, March 6th, at Stradbrook (3.0).