Leinster Junior Cup/St Michael's College 8 Gonzaga College 3Right-wing Patrick Brophy was the spark behind St Michael's College's victory over Gonzaga College in the Leinster Schools' Section C Junior Cup first round match at Anglesea Road yesterday.
Shane Gahan kicked Gonzaga into a 15th-minute lead from his third penalty attempt. The sides were soon level. Good approach play from the St Michael's number eight, Rajan Reilly, set up outhalf Conal McMahon for an easy, 17th-minute penalty equaliser.
Gonzaga were applying pressure without much reward against stern defending, even though full back Stephen Ryan almost breached the line.
On the stroke of half-time, St Michael's right wing Brophy, following a magnificent run, crossed for the only try of the game from close-in, largely against the run of play, for an 8-3 lead.
St Michael's probed the corners and kept Gonzaga turning in a sensible second-half ploy, and last year's losing finalists could not generate enough quality ball to threaten the St Michael's defence.
SCORERS: St Michael's College - P Brophy try; C McMahon pen. Gonzaga College - S Gahan pen.
ST MICHAEL'S COLLEGE: K Mason; P Brophy, N Reid, C Clancy (capt), M O'Malley; C McMahon, F Meeghan; P Mallon, J Daniels, A Pollard, I Leonard, S Tallon, S Mahoney, A Byrne, R Reilly. Replacements: R Pratt for Meeghan (half-time); C O'Sullivan for Mahoney (56 mins).
GONZAGA COLLEGE: S Ryan; C Coughlan, D O'Cofaigh, R Byrne, M Appleby; S Gahan, M Healy; A O'Rourke, R Hanlon, E O'Keeffe, I McGreal, I Mays, K Hussey, B Walsh, D O'Sullivan. Replacements: I Eustace for O'Rourke, J Caslin for McGreal (both 44 mins).
Referee: M Gargan (Leinster Branch).
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