Blackrock forwards lay perfect platform for victory

Schools Rugby Leinster Junior Cup - Blackrock College 67 St Mary's College 0:ST MARY'S College were unable to muster any significant response in this bruising encounter at Donnybrook yesterday. The Rathmines school were left counting the cost of defeat in more ways than one with outhalf Ben Hoey and frontrow Keith Mannion picking up injuries.

Blackrock produced some breathtaking forward rugby on the day with backrows Nicholas Timoney and Oliver Jager making some serious yards throughout the 70 minutes.

The Williamstown school took just five minutes to open their account when fullback Zac O’Hagan made the touchdown.

A converted try from secondrow Jack Dwan followed on seven minutes before some exhilarating play from the backs saw Joe O’Hehir and O’Hagan combine to send John Redmond into the right-hand corner.

A lovely reverse pass from outhalf Jack Power then saw O’Hagan race unopposed for a try under the posts with Dillon Coughlan obliging for his second conversion of the day.

Blackrock then won possession off a St Mary’s put in with Shane Lynch making the touchdown (converted) before Timoney brushed aside a series of challenges to go over on the right.

Blackrock then completed the half with their seventh try when Eoin Fanning stretched over on the left-hand side with Coughlan sending over his fourth conversion to leave it 43-0 at the break.

And there was no let up from Blackrock as Ian Kinsley, Hugo Keane, Timoney and David O’Connor added further tries, two of which were converted by Coughlan.

ST MARY’S COLLEGE: J Duffy; C Watters, M Opperman, D Cooley, D Murphy; B Hoey, J Delaney; M Larney, C Whelan, K Mannion, P McHugh, D Shaffrey, M Fitzgerald, P Fogarty, T Lynch. Replacements: B Maher for Fitzgerald (25 mins), D Matthews for Hoey (43 mins), H Diepman for Shaffrey (46 mins), D Sloan for Murphy (50 mins), C Corcoran for Mannion (55 mins), M Fogarty for Delaney, K Molloy for Whelan (both 62 mins).

BLACKROCK COLLEGE: Z O’Hagan; J Redmond, J O’Hehir, I Kinsley, D Coughlan; J Power, T Brady; S Lynch, G Moylan, E Holland, J Dwan, D O’Conor, O Jager, E Fanning, N Timoney. Replacements: H Keane for Moylan, C O’Dwyer for Dwan (both half-time), D Fitzpatrick for Lynch, G Flynn for O’Hehir (both 45 mins), D O’Mahony for Redmond (50 mins), E Sullivan for Kinsley (60 mins), J Moore for Fanning (65 mins).

Referee: E Kenny (Leinster).