Rockwell reap reward

The final score-line is misleading, offering scant justice to the merit of St Munchin's College's display in yesterday's senior final at Thomond Park. The Limerick school dominated for large stretches of the match but crucially could not translate periodic superiority into points.

In contrast Rockwell defended with great resilience and exploited whatever opportunities came their way and certainly deserved their 23rd triumph, the first since 1986, in this competition.

Captain Eoin Macken produced a towering performance out of touch, not just offering a steady supply of ball on the Rockwell throw but pinching opposition ball. The scrum was solid with hooker Denis Fogarty managing a strike against the head but it was the willingness of Fogarty, James Clifford and Frank Quinlan in particular to make the hard yards that provided the team with field position.

Number eight Mark Melbourne and openside Michael Barry were conspicuous in the loose, as much for their tackle count as supporting the ball carrier. The half-back combination of Gerry Hurley and Daragh Lyons played intelligently, the latter's prodigious wind-assisted punting in the first half forcing St Munchin's to retreat 50 and 60 metres.

In injury time at the end of the first half, the Rockwell pack won quick ball, powerful centre Brendan O'Connor manufactured a half break and Morgan Lyons and Brendan Crowley combined to put Brendan Mackey over in the corner.

Morgan Lyons' superb conversion from close to the touch-line compounded what was a body blow for St Munchin's. Despite the advantage of a strong breeze all Rockwell had managed was a Morgan Lyons penalty up to that point.

St Munchin's had performed very capably in the first half. Aidan Buckley did well in the lineout but it was the mobility and rucking of their pack that caught the eye. Captain and flanker Eoghan Nihill was immense. He only marginally shaded team-mate Francis Broderick whose contribution as a ball carrier was phenomenal.

Three minutes after the interval St Munchin's received the impetus they craved with a try from Nihill. Buckley won the five-metre lineout, the pack drove and Nihill was last up with the ball.

Outhalf Brian Carroll missed the conversion. No sooner had the Limerick school hauled themselves back into the game than they self-destructed. Carroll's clearance was charged down on the St Munchin's 10 metre line by his opposite number Daragh Lyons.

O'Connor reacted quickest, hacked the ball on and when it stopped two metres from the line was first to reach it, picking up and plunging over. Morgan Lyons converted and suddenly Rockwell had the breathing space they craved.

St Munchin's were denied an injury-time try when replacement wing Conor Guiry rounded his opposite man and raced for the corner. A wonderful covering tackle by centre Conor O'Gorman in the in-goal area resulted in Guiry being manhandled out of play.

Scoring sequence: 28 mins: M Lyons penalty, 3-0; 37 mins: Mackey try, M Lyons conversion, 10-0. Half-time: 10-0. 38 mins: Nihill try, 10-5; 40 mins: O'Connor try, M Lyons conversion, 17-5.

Rockwell: M Lyons; B Mackey, C O'Gorman, B O'Connor, B Crowley; D Lyons, G Hurley; J Clifford, D Fogarty, R Brosnan; E Macken (capt), J Mackessy; F Quinlan, M Melbourne, M Barry.

St Munchin's: A Kilcoyne; F O'Dea, B Deady, B Cahill, C O'Doherty; B Carroll, A Howard; S Deady, R O'Connor, D Varley; F Broderick, A Buckley; D O'Dwyer, M Carroll, E Nihill (capt). Replacements: C Guiry for Cahill 49 mins; G Morgan for S Deady 59 mins; A Guiry for C Guiry 73 mins.

Referee: J Sheehan (Munster).