Leinster Schools wrap: Blackrock rout The High School as quarter-final line-up takes shape

Blackrock College 85 The High School 7

Blackrock College sent out a strong signal of intent at Ollie Campbell Park on Friday afternoon with an emphatic opening round success over The High School in the Leinster Schools Senior Cup.

Finalists in 2023 - when they lost out to Gonzaga College in a thrilling showpiece - the 70-time winners found themselves 21 points in front by the 11th minute of the action, thanks to converted tries from outhalf Conor O’Shaughnessy, fullback Charlie Molony and flanker Jack O’Neill. The latter subsequently added a second in fine style, but High School centre Elliot Walsh raised a cheer for his team’s travelling supporters with a superb intercept try on 26 minutes.

Yet this only offered the Rathgar outfit a temporary reprieve as hooker Jack Pollard dotted down either side of a Mark Walsh five-pointer to leave Blackrock 47-7 in front at the interval.

O’Shaughnessy had contributed 12 points off the kicking tee in the opening period and also supplied the bonuses to a breakaway finish from O’Neill straight after the resumption. Not content with completing a hat-trick, the outstanding O’Neill bagged his fourth try of the contest after being released by Derry Moloney in the 46th minute.

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[ Terenure and champions Gonzaga book their places in Leinster quarter-finals ]

High School had lost winger Charlie O’Neill to the sin-bin during this juncture and before he returned to the field, scrumhalf Albert Lindner became the latest player to add his name to the Blackrock scoresheet with a clinical effort underneath the posts.

While High School did occasionally establish territory inside the opposition half, the Blackrock defence was proving to be just as formidable as their attack.

The Williamstown school were temporarily reduced to 14 men when lock Donnacha McGuire was yellow-carded in the closing-quarter, but additional tries from O’Shaughnessy, Moloney (a magnificent solo score) and replacement Geoff Wall ensured that they still managed to end the action with a flourish.

BLACKROCK COLLEGE: C Molony; D Moloney, C Woodcock, Mark Walsh, B O’Flaherty; C O’Shaughnessy, A Lindner; P Moore, J Pollard, N Smyth; T Butler, D McGuire; Michael Walsh, J O’Neill, J Angulo.

Replacements: P Clancy for O’Flaherty, J O’Sullivan for Molony, both 47 mins; M O’Sullivan for Michael Walsh, G Wall for O’Neill, B Walsh for Angulo, S Shortt for Lindner, all 53 mins; L Magee for Moore, B Guerin for Smyth, both 57 mins.

THE HIGH SCHOOL: L Kilroy; L D’Arcy, E Walsh, J Cox, C O’Neill; A Bowden, E Kelleher; J Morton Bailey, A Jordan, F McLean; B Kelly, O Burgess; E Tuite, M Lavelle, S McNamara.

Replacements: T Taylor for Kilroy, 43 mins; U Spain for Kelly, 64 mins; F Robinson for Lavelle, 65 mins; I Hay-McGrath for Jordan, E Quigley for Morton Bailey, M Dreyer for McLean, E du Lacy for Kelleher, T Duke for O’Neill, all 70 mins.

Referee: R Jenkinson

St Mary’s College 39 Wesley College 10

St Mary’s were confirmed as the last name into the hat for the Leinster Schools Senior Cup quarter-final draw after a convincing win over Wesley at Energia Park.

Evan Moynihan, David Leane and Jack Halpin each bagged a brace of tries on a perfect afternoon for rugby. The Wesley ploy to kick long was immediately undermined by successive counters by Josh Kelly and Paul Neary.

The next time Charlie Hempenstall attempted this tactic, a company of two charged it down to force a penalty slotted by Cillian Jacobs, the hooker, in the seventh minute.

The dancing feet of Max Colbert soon had Wesley hatching plans at the other end, the forwards dictating terms until centre Ferida Spain was given license to twist out of a tackle for a try in the ninth minute.

The scrappy work of Liam Flaherty on the fringes turned St Mary’s defence into attack. Moynihan sliced through a gap to establish a pick-and-go sequence for Leane to gather the try, converted by Jacobs.

Wesley were opportunistic at the breakdown, lock Isaac Reid leading the charge, as they worked to slow down Mary’s momentum. Everything was happening a touch too fast for them. Neary and Moynihan were a blur, Flaherty fighting through contact to make Andrew Stronge’s pass to Halpin a winner for 15-5 in the 23rd minute.

Neary’s precision kick landed in Christopher Maguire’s bread basket, the decision to twice come off his right foot spoiled by the vigilance of David Gilmore.

The Ballinteer boys were kept in the game by their pilfering nature at the ruck, captain Rian Handley snatching another penalty there.

A body-shaking hit from Flaherty convinced Wesley to explore another avenue, Moynihan picking up a spilled ball to take off for the third try, converted by Jacobs, for 22-5 at the break.

Wesley could have accepted their fate. That was never likely. A committed chase of the kick off produced an unexpected option to attack. The ball was trucked up and moved swiftly by Jack Freyne for Jack Duffy to slip in at the corner flag in the 38th minute.

St Mary’s were quick to stamp out any appearance of a comeback, the bludgeon of the forwards working Wesley over for Leane to ground out a result. Jacobs converted.

Replacement Sean Thornton walked onto the field and, immediately, into the action, being held up over the line before Moynihan powered out of a tackle for his second

All the while, Wesley had to absorb the loss of outhalf Hempenstall and captain Handley to injury, soon followed by that of Finn O’Neill to the bin for a late tackle.

Somehow Dufy prevented Matthew Morrissey from grounding the ball in the right corner before Halpin flew to the left corner

Wesley were never discouraged, managing to finish the game on attack, getting over the line three times without reward.

ST MARY’S: J Kelly, C Maguire, Z Hopkins, E Moynihan (Capt), J Halpin; P Neary, A Stronge; G Ewing, C Jacobs, J Molloy, M Egan, P Power, D Leane, L Flaherty, A O’Brien.

Replacements: J Christie for Ewing 43 mins; D O’Shea for Power 44 mins; S Thornton for Egan 50 mins; E Kenny for Neary 59 mins; J Gannon for Molloy, M Morrissey for Maguire both 62 mins; E Dillon for Flaherty, A Crawley for Moynihan both 65 mins.

WESLEY: M Colbert; C MacLachlann-Hickey, D Gilmore, F Spain, J Duffy; C Hempenstall, J Freyne; T Burke, R Handley (Capt), J Cullen, I Reid, F O’Neill, H Jones, S McMullin, M Campbell.

Replacements: M Wystepek for Hempenstall 38 mins; L L’Estrange for Handley 54 mins; A Quinlan for Jones 55 mins; E Collins for McMullin 58 mins; R Price for Burke 59 mins; E Caddow for Cullen, D Jones for Freyne both 65 mins; A Hamilton for Duffy 66 mins

Referee: P Reidy

Bank of Ireland Leinster Schools Senior Cup Quarter-Finals

Terenure College v St Michael’s College

CBC Monkstown v St Mary’s College

Gonzaga College v Belvedere College

Cistercian College Roscrea v Blackrock College

Matches to be played on week beginning February 19th.

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