Schools rugby/St Mary's College 25 CUS 14:This is shaping up as a year for great escapes. Blackrock got a reprieve on Sunday before St Mary's conjured up two late tries yesterday to foil one of the most honest displays ever witnessed by a minnow in the Leinster Schools' Cup.
A crowded Stradbrook was reminiscent of the season Eddie O'Sullivan guided Blackrock RFC to second place in the AIL as CUS threatened to make a dramatic statement at the competition's opening hurdle.
Alas, a malfunctioning lineout and an empty petrol tank in the closing stages proved the Leeson Street school's undoing. Also, the St Mary's pack, who will undoubtedly improve under the leadership of Shane Timmons, eventually realised the path to victory lay in grinding their valiant opponents into submission.
Near the finale, a CUS student humorously began quoting the William Wallace "freedom" speech from Braveheart on his megaphone.
They had no answer to the pick- and-drive tactics of the final quarter that yielded a try for scrumhalf Paul Early and another for hooker Peter Barrett, who was shunted over the line by Timmons after a 40-yard break by number eight David Wilson.
CUS are a young team and can make a more definitive statement next season if they retain their focus and coaching structures. What is important now is they regroup to win the Vinnie Murray Cup - a task well within their range.
The game initially stayed true to the predicted script as St Mary's outhalf Gareth Redmond landed a penalty, cancelled out by CUS fullback Shane McGrath, before adding a neat drop goal after fullback Ray Crotty made inroads into the opposing 22.
But there were no tries on offer due to the CUS scramble defence. A bone-jarring hit by lock Stephen Cowley on centre Stephen Walsh laid down a statement of intent.
The underdogs also had the common sense to tap and go from everywhere with livewire outhalf Eoin Stanley the most direct runner.
St Mary's dominated possession and territory, but when flanker Mark Kilduff spoiled Early's attempts to clear from a scrum the ball spilled into Stanley's path. A clever grubber allowed him follow up for the try. Heads up rugby at its finest.
St Mary's were in a calamitous state as the mongrel in the CUS pack threatened to consume them. Cowley blocked an attempted clearance soon after, but they had to be content with a McGrath penalty, slotted rugby league style, to leave it 11-6 at the break.
This lead was overturned four minutes into the second half when Conor McGlade, the hero of last year's quarter-final victory over Castleknock, profited from another overthrown CUS lineout just yards from the try-line. Flanker Richard Bent snaffled up possession before a quick recycle allowed Redmond to send McGlade over.
Redmond's conversion made it 13-11, but the scavenger's solitary raid into enemy territory presented McGrath with a difficult penalty. He nailed it. 13-14. It was now a case of CUS resisting a predictably ferocious St Mary's onslaught.
The effort was admirable, but the bodies eventually gave way to a relentless maul and superior scrum.
The contest was still alive after the Early try, with eight minutes remaining, but the CUS restart went dead. St Mary's ground out another penalty opportunity. Redmond was wide, but six minutes had passed. Then came the Barrett try.
St Mary's prevailed due to their intensity and, perhaps, wealth of tradition. These attributes will not be sufficient against Clongowes.
SCORING SEQUENCE- 2 mins: G Redmond pen, 3-0; 6 mins: S McGrath pen, 3-3; 12 mins: G Redmond pen, 6-3; 27 mins: E Stanley try, 6-8; 33 mins: S McGrath pen, 6-11. 39 mins: C McGlade try, 11-11; G Redmond conv, 13-11; 52 mins: S McGrath pen, 13-14; 62 mins: P Early try, 18-14; G Redmond conv, 20-14; 68 mins: P Barrett try, 25-14.
ST MARY'S:R Crotty; N Sheedy, C McGlade, S Walsh, C Quinn; G Redmond, P Early; M McKay, P Barrett, R Shaffrey; B Shortt, P Gannon; R Bent, S Timmons (c), D Wilson. Replacements:I O'Neill for N Sheedy (57 mins), J McGrath for R Shaffrey (58).
CUS:S McGrath; F MacMahon, M Kelly, M McGrath, D Rock; E Stanley, L O'Toole; J Redmond, P MacCarthaigh, J Mulville; D Fitzpatrick, S Cowley; M Kilduff, C Hendricks (c), R Whelan. Replacements:J Slattery for J Redmond (62 mins), R McGrath for L O'Toole (68).
Referee: B Montayne(Leinster).
