It was a poignant afternoon for Clongowes Wood College, the first competitive opportunity to honour the memory of their late, great coach Vinny Murray. The emotion of the occasion was palpable, and captain and centre John Smyth's animated pre-match call to arms contrasted sharply with the minute's silence, scrupulously observed by combatants and spectators alike.
The blueprint of previous Clongowes campaigns remains unaltered: a lightweight well-drilled pack rucking with controlled ferocity allied to the exertion of smothering pressure. Hampered by an initial adrenaline overdose, Clongowes gradually settled to their task and in the final 17 minutes of the first half produced some classic counter-attacking rugby.
Three tries came in that period, all the result of turnovers, each one hallmarked by incisive running and dextrous handling. At 21-0 it appeared that Wesley would offer nothing more substantial than fodder, but they refused to capitulate and produced two well-crafted and beautifully executed tries.
Both sides resorted to aerial ping-pong in the opening stages before the Kildare school began to use the ball with greater conviction through strong-running centres Smyth and David Clavin, and full back Philip Treacy.
But it was a Wesley turnover that facilitated Clongowes' opening score. Out-half Matthew Britton decided to move the ball from inside his 22, and Clavin made the initial break before releasing Stephen McGee.
He drew the final tackler before passing back inside to Clavin who covered the last 20 metres in comfort. McGee added the conversion.
Another turnover, this time by Wesley left wing Matt Feely in the tackle, saw Clongowes scrum-half Conor Matthews exploit the shortside, Mark Rooney sustained the momentum and sent Treacy racing away from 40 metres. McGee again converted as he would do on 32 minutes.
This time Matthews took a quick tap penalty inside his half, the ball reached Smyth in the centre and he stepped past two tacklers to score a fine try under the posts.
Wesley, boasting a physically bigger pack in which Kevin Corrigan, Stuart Abbott and Marc Warburton excelled, could not match their opponents' dynamism but managed to exert their physical superiority in injury time in the first half.
Stephen Wallace drove off the base of a scrum and, when Graeme McCoy pursued the shortside option, Corrigan burrowed over.
Brian Hastings kicked an excellent touchline conversion. This proved far from a consolation score.
The opening exchanges in the second half saw Wesley try to tie down their opponents up front, making decent headway around the fringes.
Ironically it was a more adventurous policy that produced a dividend. Michael Hastings sent Abbott racing clear from inside the Wesley 22. He made 40 metres before linking with Feely. The left wing weaved his way through the traffic before touching down under the posts for the game's best try. Brian Hastings converted and an upset was a possibility.
Scoring sequence: 17 mins: Clavin try, McGee conversion, 7-0; 24: Treacy try, McGee conversion, 14-0; 32: Smyth try, McGee conversion 21-0; 35: Corrigan try, B Hastings conversion, 21-7. Half-time: 21-7. 56: Feely try, B Hastings conversion, 21-14.
Clongowes: P Treacy; S McGee, D Clavin, J Smyth (capt), P Berkery; M Britton, C Matthews; D McKeown, M Kelly, J Moran; M Egan, D Hickey, R O'Toole, D Lynch, M Rooney. Replacements: B Purcell for Matthews (52 mins); A Proctor for Hickey (59).
Wesley: R Leech; O Ashiru, N Correll, B Hastings, M Feely; M Hastings, G McCoy; D Rowe, K Corrigan (capt), A O'Connor; S Dawson, M Warburton, S Abbott, S Wallace, M Gray.
Referee: D Woods (Leinster).
