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Selectors have plenty to ponder after tight match

Schools Rugby Final Trial/Probables - 33 Possibles - 29: As always, the Irish Schools trial was more about individual performances…

Mon Dec 13 2004 - 00:00

Schools Rugby Final Trial/Probables - 33 Possibles - 29: As always, the Irish Schools trial was more about individual performances and the cohesion between selected units than it was about the result.

However, the management would have felt a lot more pleased if there had been a clearer indication on the scoreboard that their choices were the right ones.

A glut of late withdrawals failed to dilute the pride and ambition of the schoolboys that gathered from all over Ireland for this exciting trial at Williamstown on Saturday.

Captain David Pollock and Barry O'Mahony, two survivors from last season, provided a swarming presence in the Probables back row and prop Cian Healy emerged with a brace of tries.

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The backs weren't redundant either with Vasya Artemiev and Mark McCrea bursting over for tries.

The Possibles were always in the hunt for a shock and they matched the Probables with their own quartet from Royce Burke-Flynn, Don Keogh, Kevin Sheehan and Owen McMurray.

The two teams to take on the Irish under-19s and Irish Youth teams on Demcember 29th will be selected tomorrow evening. The schools will then play England, Wales and France during March and April.

PROBABLES: L Fitzgerald (Blackrock); S Hanratty (Gonzaga), M McCrea (Belfast HS), C Bruce (Portora Royal), V Artemiev (Blackrock); J Shiells (Royal Dungannon), D Moore (Blackrock); C Healy (Belvedere), J Turkington (Royal Dungannon), A Cotter (St Munchin's), D O'Reilly (Blackrock), C McInerney (St Mary's), B Coyle (Clongowes Wood), B O'Mahony (Crescent), D Pollock (Royal Dungannon, capt).

POSSIBLES: K Doyle (CBC Cork); M Barker (Bangor GS), T Twoomey (Gonzaga), S Morrow (MCB), P Thompson (Rockwell); B Collins (Castleknock), D Drake (RBAI); M Ferguson (Sullivan Upper), G Slattery (St Munchin's), R Burke-Flynn (St Michael's), N Keogh (St Munchin's), D Keogh (CBC Cork, capt), Z Desmond (St Gerard's), I Condell (Kilkenny), I Cullinane (Garbally).

Reserves (all used): S Carey (Garbally), A McNeice (Sullivan Upper), P Burke (St Michael's), M O'Driscoll (Rockwell), G Dunne (PBC Cork), O McMurray (MCB), S Cranley (Pres Bray), G Moran (King's Hospital), S Douglas (RBAI), N Simpson (BRA), S Dunlop (Terenure), S Shannon (Ballymena Academy), K Sheehan (St Michael's), K Roche (Rockwell), R Connor (Kilkenny).

Schools Schedule 2004/05: Wednesday, December 29th: Irish Schools v Irish under-19 (Terenure College); Irish Schools A v Irish Youths (Terenure College); Saturday, March 26th: Ireland v England (Cork); Saturday, April 2nd: Wales v Ireland (venue TBC); Friday, April 8th: Ireland v France (Buccaneers RFC - Athlone)