Leinster Schools' Senior Cup Semi-final - Clongowes Wood College 10 St Mary's College 9: CONTACT WITH the eye area has become an unwelcome ocurrence in rugby union that appears to have funnelled down to the schools game as Clongowes Wood College number eight Conor Gilsenan was shown a red card in the 66th minute yesterday after touch-judge James Fegan informed referee Brian MacNeice of an incident. That the Leinster Schools' Cup semi-final was live on Setanta Sports ensured the dismissal received immediate national coverage.
This match was at times a spiteful affair, with at least three other acts of foul play. Twice MacNeice felt compelled to halt proceedings to speak with captains Robert Hynes (Clongowes) and Maurice Walsh (St Mary’s).
A disciplinary hearing will be convened for Gilsenan before the March 17th final to decide on any further sanction. The talented number eight protested his innocence to his coaches on the sideline but if the touch-judge’s call is upheld he could face a suspension.
It is unclear whether the Leinster schools committee will be looking at other incidents from the game that the officials did not see but clearly incensed the St Mary’s players. After Gilsenan’s departure there was a stamp by Clongowes fullback Stephen MacAuley on the bemused St Mary’s prop Shane Kearney. Earlier, approaching half-time, lively scrumhalf David Fanagan was the victim of a shoulder charge while moments later secondrow Liam Curran was visibly disgusted after something occurred in a maul.
This prompted the second warning by MacNeice to Hynes and Walsh before Conor Hogan landed his second penalty to put St Mary’s 6-5 ahead at the break.
Yes, there was also a game of rugby taking place in Donnybrook yesterday. Pre-tournament favourites Clongowes are an uncompromising, highly efficient side that combines a well-oiled forwards game, marshalled by Hynes, with a quality backline. David Quirke, at outhalf, has a dangerous step on him that ultimately delivered the decisive try on 40 minutes.
Up to that juncture it had been too close to call. St Mary’s worked off counter-attacking or turnover ball, with centre Harry Norton agonisingly close to a breakaway try after four minutes only for him to knock on. Unperturbed, Hogan had them in front on 13 minutes with a well-struck penalty.
Clongowes went back to their pack, where openside Nick McCarthy came up with a big play, working through the phases that eventually saw hooker Evan Lewis crash over after Mark Fallon had held up Gilsenan inches shy of the line. Really, the enthralling individual battles, like that between the heavyweight number eights – Fallon and Gilsenan – should be the main discussion point but instead it is indiscipline.
A massive call in the contest came early in the second half when Hogan was pulled back, for offside, after an intercept that looked certain to see him galloping 80 metres for a try.
Clongowes hit a hot streak at the same time, with MacAuley and Garret Ó Suilleabháin making decent yardage. They clearly smelled blood, refusing a kickable penalty, instead opting for an attacking lineout. A few carriers later, particularly a rumble by prop Ian Prediville, sucked in the St Mary’s defenders creating a four on one situation down the short side that Quirke exploited. The outhalf’s touchline conversion attempt fell just short but, at 10-6, Clongowes had a valuable cushion.
St Mary’s upped the ante and a skip pass from Hogan had David O’Halloran racing over the gain line. He fed winger Eoin Moriarty, who stepped inside and offloaded to Eoin Farrell but the Clongowes scramble defence prevented a try. They were all offside, however, allowing Hogan to make it a one-point game with 20 minutes remaining.
Clongowes kept it tight, picking and jamming, with Gilsenan’s athleticism cleverly utilised, by dropping deep to gather punts and run back at St Mary’s.
The red card came with five minutes remaining, plus six minutes’ injury-time, but Clongowes refused to yield even when Jerry Sexton burst through a ruck to provide St Mary’s with much needed possession. Forced to attack from their 22 the Clongowes defence rushed up and smothered them.
Just as they had done all day and presumably how they will attempt to overcome the winners of tomorrow’s semi-final, between St Michael’s College and St Gerard’s School, come St Patrick’s Day.
However, that is not the story. The story is discipline and an investigation into events at Donnybrook yesterday looks certain.
Scoring sequence– 13 mins: C Hogan pen, 0-3; 26: E Lewis try, 5-3; 35: C Hogan pen, 5-6. half-time. 40: D Quirke try, 10-6; 51: C Hogan pen, 10-9.
CLONGOWES WOOD COLLEGE:S MacAuley; O O'Suilleabhain, N Jones, G O'Suilleabhain, A Thomson; D Quirke, D O'Meara; E Byrne, E Lewis, I Prediville, T Beirne, R Hynes (capt); S Burke, N McCarthy, C Gilsenan. Replacements:J McMahon for N Jones, T Collis for E Lewis (both 40 mins), J Coghlin for S Burke (60 mins).
ST MARY'S COLLEGE:D O'Halloran; E Farrell, H Norton, M Walsh (capt), E Moriarty; C Hogan, D Fanagan; G Gallivan, D Drumm, S Kearney, J Sexton, L Curran, S O'Carroll, K Barnwell, M Fallon. Replacements:P Doran for S O'Carroll (40 mins), G Hennessy for G Gallivan (45 mins), A Martin for K Barnwell (61 mins).
Referee:B MacNeice (ARLB).
