Ruthless Michael's take stepcloser

Leinster Schools' Senior Cup/St Michael's College 22 Kilkenny College 0:The long wait is nearly over. In the 32 years since St Michael's became a fully fledged secondary school they have failed to annex the Leinster Senior Cup.

There have been nearly days like the three finals of 1988, 1991 and again last year - they lost the first two to Clongowes Wood College, who again provide the opposition for the all-ticket affair back in Donnybrook on March 18th.

These highly motivated players were ruthless in halting the odyssey that brought Kilkenny to the semi-final. However, Kilkenny must now be seen as genuine challengers to the old order and will always have the quarter-final slaying of Blackrock to reflect upon, although this result highlights the defending champions' shortcomings.

The marauding centre pairing of Conor Cleary and Rory Pratt - before sustaining injury and being ably replaced by Kian Grace - the ferocious backrow and livewire scrumhalf Freddy Mehigan all deserve a special mention.

St Michael's have now soaked up the best efforts of St Gerard's, Belvedere and Kilkenny but their ability to pull away in every game, when it really counts, is the mark of champions.

Now, to overlook the attributes Clongowes bring to the final would be folly; it is difficult to separate the forward power, equally intelligent halfback units and the competition's two outstanding backs in David Kearney and Cleary.

But the form of St Michael's demands they go in as favourites.

On a calm afternoon, they seemed destined to reach the break just 3-0 in front, thanks to a Noel Reid penalty, after numerous early raids into the Kilkenny 22 were resisted by the sheer stubbornness of Ben Horan's men.

Kilkenny spoiled several final thrusts towards the try line, while Paddy Brophy was bundled into touch by excellent scramble defence from Nevil Copeland and Horan as the winger dived for the corner.

It required some good fortune to finally break the deadlock. From what appeared lost St Michael's ruck ball, Cleary was allowed come through the gate, pick and race into the 22. His timely offload sent flanker Alex Byrne galloping under the posts.

Reid tacked on the simple conversion for a 10-0 interval lead.

What followed suited the leaders as the game turned into a war of attrition. Cleary and number eight Paddy Mallon began to carry regularly over the gain line, as did Kilkenny's Tim Dukelow and Ben Horan. Crucially, St Michael's made yards while Kilkenny made mere inches.

The territorial dominance was eventually reflected on the scoreboard when loosehead prop Ian Leonard forced his way over on 50 minutes. It came after Kilkenny outhalf Craig Ronaldson fumbled the ball over the dead-ball line. From the resulting scrum Pratt set up a platform to create a one-on-one scenario for Leonard off second phase.

All this was conducted by St Michael's halfbacks Mehigan and Stephen Malone.

The third try arrived with two minutes of normal time remaining as a beaming Rajan Reilly was scooped up by teammates from the bottom of a relentless rolling maul.

To be considered a genuine peer of the superpowers in Leinster schools rugby, St Michael's must win the Cup.

This team look capable of finally ending the hurt.

SCORING SEQUENCE: 11 mins:N Reid pen, 3-0; 34:A Byrne try, 8-0; N Reid con, 10-0. Half-time. 50:I Leonard try, 15-0; N Reid con, 17-0; 68:R Reilly try, 22-0.

ST MICHAEL'S COLLEGE:M O'Malley; N Reid, R Pratt, C Cleary (capt), P Brophy; S Malone, F Mehigan; I Leonard, J Daniel, M Kelly; C O'Sullivan, S Mahony; A Byrne, R Reilly, P Mallon. Replacements:K Grace for R Pratt (57 mins), K McKenna for C O'Sullivan (60 mins), D Marshall for M O'Malley (63 mins), C Turley for I Leonard, G Featherstone for J Daniel, R Piggot for R Reilly (all 72 mins), A Kealy for S Malone (74 mins).

KILKENNY COLLEGE:N Copeland; B Braithwaite, S Yates, G Rynhart, C Masterson; C Ronaldson, S Hemmingway; K McArdle, K Dagg, G Beattie; W Carter, J McAssey; M D'Alton, B Horan (capt), T Dukelow. Replacements:G Dunne for K Dagg (43 mins), P Mahon for S Yates (52 mins), D Ryall for C Masterson (63 mins).

Referee: P Haycock(ARLB).