Hot favourites Blackrock hit Castleknock with seven-try blitz

Blackrock College 53 Castleknock College 8

Peter Smyth's wonder kids lived up to their billing as the headline act of the Leinster Schools Senior Cup to blaze away to a seven-try blitz of Castleknock at Donnybrook on Friday.

In fact, the feeling out process took some time as Castleknock went about disrupting Blackrock’s continuity by getting in a hand, boot or whatever body part best suited to prevent rhythm.

The hot favourites were respectful in going for early penalties, the second and third of which gave them a 6-0 edge from full-back James McGowan’s right boot.

Castleknock were not devoid of opportunity as Blackrock struggled to tame the restarts. Wing Marc Boucher struck for 25 metres to halve the deficit in the 16th minute.

All the while, there was the sense that the first try could lead to many. So it proved.

What transpired was seven tries from seven brothers as the systems finally connected to the pace dotted throughout their side, captain Caelan Doris the first to find the line in the 20th minute.

It looked worrying for the Vinnie Murray Cup finalists when Castleknock finished off tries by flanker John Fairley and wing Conor Kelly before the intervention of their captain Cathal Bermingham prevented a hat-trick of strikes from a third successive restart to leave it 27-3 at the break.

It was a mission of damage limitation for Castleknock.

Okay, they gave way to full-back James McGowan - the goal kicker finished with 23 points - centre Gavin Mullin, replacement Emmet Burns and wing Patrick Patterson. But, the loudest and longest cheer of the day was spared for Castleknock’s final say from out-half Patrick Murtagh’s creation of full-back Cathal Lacey’s superb late try.

Blackrock: J McGowan; P Patterson, L Turner, G Mullin, C Kelly; C Dean, L Gaffney; R Mouatt, S McLoughlin, C Connolly, C O'Flaherty, C Ryan, R Dunne, J Fairley, C Doris (capt).

Replacements: E Burns for Connolly, H Bourke for Dunne, P Cullen for Deans all 43 mins; J Gardiner for Fairley 44 mins; H Egleston for McLoughlin, A Alonso for Turner both 48 mins; F Power for Mullin, G Coyne for Doris both 53 mins.

Castleknock: C Lacey; R Hobson, N Eastmond, S Gibbons (capt), M Boucher; P Murtagh, L Salmon; J Keleghan, M Corcoran, G Murray, J Horgan, C Stinson, C Bermingham (capt), A Corcoran, C Clancy.

Replacements: J Gibney for M Corcoran 28 mins; J Connolly for Salmon 48 mins; C Keogh for Keleghan 53 mins; D McNally for Clancy 58 mins; J McGaley for Eastmond 60 mins; D Treacy for Stinson, A Doyle for Murray both 62 mins; C Egenton for Lacey 65 mins.

Referee: P Haycock, Leinster Branch.