Castleknock make their intentions clear from the off

Schools Rugby Castleknock College 30 CBC Monkstown 0 : Castleknock controlled this first-round tie from start to finish.

Their Irish under-19 pair, Tom Walsh and captain Brian Collins, led by example but they were ably supported throughout the field by the strongest outfit to represent the school in at least two decades.

Recapturing the cup for the first time since 1965 may be wishful thinking but it's going take an exceptional team to stop them. A young CBC Monkstown side simply had no response when Castleknock moved through the gears.

Walsh sent out an early warning sign by breaking four tackles before being hauled to earth just yards from the try line. CBC escaped the first onslaught as the big number eight was penalised for holding on.

A textbook opening try followed. A dart from hooker Conor Barry was gathered by Walsh, the excellent lifting of Leinster schools prop Ruaidhrí Murphy did not go unnoticed, and from the ensuing maul, Barry was at the tail to flop over the line.

Collins hit the upright with the conversion but he controlled the game's tempo with solid kicking down either flank. Outside him both wingers, Bryan McKeon and David Steacy, showed glimpses of their devastating pace.

The next try came by way of another Collins kick to the corner but it was more down to CBC panicking at the lineout. The height Walsh was able to reach made it difficult for CBC hooker Brian Clarke to find his targets but an underarm pop-pass five yards out proved disastrous. Dan O'Connor showed good awareness to intercept for a simple touchdown.

Collins readjusted his sights to nudge the ball over off the upright. Despite just 13 minutes on the clock, at 12-0 it was game over.

There was plenty more rugby on display but CBC missed a chance to regain any semblance of parity when centre Gary Foley was off target with two penalties.

In contrast, his opposite number Shane Kelly slotted a neat drop goal 10 minutes into the second half to add to an earlier Collins penalty.

The expected rout, however, took some time to follow due to the initially perfect Castleknock lineout going off kilter in three prime attacking positions.

Castleknock cut loose as the game entered its last five minutes with O'Connor claiming his second try after a rolling maul, while a minute from time McKeon raced outside the cover.

The quarter-final against St Mary's on February 19th pits the two most unerring place kickers in the competition, Collins and Neil Cowhey, in direct opposition.

SCORING SEQUENCE: 8 mins: C Barry try, 5-0; 13: D O'Connor try, 10-0; B Collins conv, 12-0; 28: B Collins pen, 15-0; 45: S Kelly drp gl, 18-0; 65: D O'Connor try, 23-0; B Collins conv, 25-0; 69: B McKeon try, 30-0.

CASTLEKNOCK COLLEGE: N O'Donoghue; B McKeon, S Kelly, R Greally, D Steacy; B Collins, D O'Connor; R Murphy, C Barry, E Boylan; D O'Riordan, D McDonald; M Sheerin, E Cummins, T Walsh. Replacements: D Louth for C Barry (temp, 40-43 mins), A Redmond for D McDonald (59 mins), T Delany for D Steacy (64 mins).

CBC MONKSTOWN: C Spillane; D Finnegan, G Foley, R Kohls, S Stephens; J McGann, A Quinn; J Cullinan, B Clarke, D Steyaert; R Fayne, D Kennedy; C O'Raghallaigh, S Grannell, P Grannell. Replacements: E McCarthy for C O'Raghallaigh (temp, 26-28 mins), P Whelan for J McGann (46 mins), S Boucher for S Grannell (55 mins), E McCarthy for B Clarke (62 mins).

Referee: A Rogan (ARLB).