Lynch’s strike seals first Leinster Senior Cup for High School

Wesley claim the Minor Cup with a victory over High School

Leinster Schoolboys Senior Cup Final

The High School 1 Wesley College 0

The High School finally fulfilled their potential to win a first Leinster Schoolboys Senior Cup as Harry Lynch’s first-half thunderbolt saw them home against Wesley.

He slammed home a penalty corner during a golden period in which the Rathgar side drew a host of good stops from Euan Mackay in the Wesley goal.

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Evan Jennings, Calum Adair and Ali Empey gave their attack real menace while Ross Howard organised the back lines well.

Once Wesley rode out that spell, there was a sense that one goal might not be enough as Josh Greaney powered on his side.

But Ben Whelan (still a junior) in the High School was equally adept in goal while his defence led a charmed life in the last 10 minutes to close out a famous win.

It was the first time the trophy has left the hands of either Wesley or St Andrew’s since 2002 but a major title has been in the pipeline for the Rathgar outfit for some time. Twice they had fallen in the senior league final while they missed out on the cup in a shoot-out but it was finally their day.

Earlier on, Wesley won the Minor A Cup final with a 2-1 success against High School. Conor Walsh – younger brother of Irish international Daragh – roofed a first half drag-flick but Charlie Beatty levelled just before the break.

Gordon Bernon, though, swept in the winner with 10 minutes to go for the Ballinteer school.

On the girls side, Newpark were also first time winners as they beat Holy Child Killiney 4-1 to land the Junior Premier League,

High School: B Whelan, A Canning, R Howard, J Coman, T McCausland, M Wright, H Lynch, Calum Adair, E Breen, A Empey, E Jennings. Subs: B Cripps, D Sullivan, Ciaran Adair, E Flynn, A O'Connor, A Maguire, J Murphy

Wesley: E Mackay, B Ryder, H Burns, A Walker, R Williams, B O'Grady, S Ruttle, B Cullen, F Marriott, J Greaney, T Power. Subs: M Gallagher, A Galbraith, B Adams, J Smalley, C Mackay, M McCabe, C Larkin

Umpires: B Bale, G Hohn

Minor Cup final: Wesley College 2 (C Walsh, G Bernon) The High School 1 (C Beatty)

Schoolgirls

Junior Premier League final: Newpark 4 (Z Watterson, M Lynch, L Moore, L Geoghegan) Holy Child Killiney 1 (S McLoughlin)

Stephen Findlater

Stephen Findlater

Stephen Findlater is a contributor to The Irish Times writing about hockey