LEINSTER SCHOOLS SENIOR CUP/St Michael's College 15 St Gerard's School 6:FOR THOSE still unaware, defence remains the cornerstone of a successful rugby team.
Territory comes next, followed by the ability to ruthlessly gather tries, as St Michael’s did yesterday, from clean possession.
All this ensured the epic journey of St Gerard’s – beating Terenure and Blackrock en route – was always going to end in tears. There was no way through the light blue blitz. St Gerard’s, in turn, were rocked to their core by three winger tries at critical moments.
The Bray school had done their homework and sought to contain the playmaking excellence of outhalf Cathal Marsh, while their eager midfield refused to allow Ireland under-19 centre Alex Kelly the oxygen to work his magic. And still, Kelly makes offloading in traffic look like child’s play.
Marsh had a nightmare with placed balls – zero from six, albeit only one easy attempt – but he was still responsible for putting the final nail in the St Gerard’s coffin after 48 minutes, just as St Gerard’s desperately sought a foothold in St Michael’s territory.
As St Gerard’s pressed, their marquee player, aptly named Jack Conan, barrelled off a scrum handing off opposite number eight Paddy Dix to set up an attacking platform.
The well-organised St Michael’s line arrived up in its usual arc around conductor-in-chief Steve Crosbie, forcing the outhalf to put in a speculative grubber that fullback Cormac Diamond, not for the first time, safely gathered.
Marsh put his kicking woes behind him to jink past three men before a delightful pass sent Mark Corballis into open field. The right winger sprinted to the corner flag for his second, and St Michael’s third, try to make it 15-6.
Game over.
St Gerard’s needed a perfect day but the cruel loss of captain and scrumhalf Robbie Glynn to an ankle break in the quarter-final victory over holders Blackrock denied them a key component.
St Michael’s have the physique and technical excellence that allows them to survive even when their kicker is having an off day. Anyway, Marsh will always create chances for those outside, or inside, him.
The excellent all-rounder Kelly could not tear through the middle yesterday, mainly due to Rian O’Loughlin breaking even with his more celebrated opposite number, but Kelly’s defence was superb. Just ask St Gerard’s fullback Josh Glynn, who was nearly cut in half, not once but twice, by second-half rib-crushers. It was a credit to the captain’s heart that he carried on.
The kick-off delivered fireworks as St Gerard’s lock Finn Boylan dazed Paddy Dix. Christian McAlinden followed it up by dumping Marsh.
And yet the opening try, on seven minutes, quelled this underdog spirit. An unforced error presented St Michael’s with an attacking scrum. Dix picked and fed scrumhalf Luke McGrath down the short side and he gave Corballis a look on the outside. Poor defence was a factor, along with a trip (possibly accidental) on St Gerard’s winger Jett Desmond, in allowing Corballis touch down.
The response was immediate but St Gerard’s were denied an easy three points by a questionable decision. They won a penalty from the restart due to obstruction. Josh Glynn’s strike came off the upright and was knocked on by McGrath but Dix caught the ball in an offside position.
The decision was a St Gerard’s scrum under the posts. Six phases later the defensive brick wall saw a Dix punt bring play back over halfway. We suspect St Michael’s openside Christopher Kenna was involved in this and a few other turnovers but, like his captain Emmet MacMahon, they were hard to identify under all those bodies.
Glynn eventually opened his account on 23 minutes after the now trademark half-break and offload combination of the Crosbie brothers, Steve and Jody, made the initial thrust.
St Michael’s came again, immediately, but industrious lock Shane O’Connor was somehow held up over the line. Still, for all St Gerard’s courage, St Michael’s technical superiority was always going to prevail. A perfect flat pass by Dix saw David Egan sprint down the left blindside for the second try on 31 minutes.
The 3,500 strong crowd were warming to the contest and St Gerard’s didn’t disappoint with O’Loughlin bursting clear but a three on two overlap was intercepted by the retreating Corballis.
At least Glynn gave them another three points before the interval but there was no way past vigilant young men like MacMahon, Daniel Leavy, Kelly and Diamond.
So, no breakthrough from the little school but some great memories. Instead, a repeat of the 2007 final against Clongowes comes next. Too tight to call just yet.
Scoring sequence – 7 mins: M Corballis try, 5-0; 23 mins: J Glynn pen, 5-3; 31 mins: D Egan try, 10-3; 36 mins: J Glynn pen, 10-6. half-time. 48 mins: M Corballis try, 15-6.
ST MICHAEL’S COLLEGE: C Diamond; M Corballis, A Kelly, M Craig, D Egan; C Marsh, L McGrath; K Duffy, F Barry, D Reynolds; S O’Connor, E MacMahon (capt); D Leavy, C Kenna, P Dix. Replacements: S McGarry for C Kenna (51 mins), N Van Der Laan for D Egan (56 mins), K Jones for L McGrath (64 mins), S Hogan for S O’Connor (66 mins), W Browne for D Reynolds, A Murphy for D Leavy (both 70 mins).
ST GERARD’S SCHOOL: J Glynn (capt); D Simmonds, R O’Loughlin, J Crosbie, J Desmond; S Crosbie, C O’Rourke; C McAlinden, C Hayde, C Lyons; F Boylan, R Maxwell; S Hackett-Delaney, S King, J Conan. Replacements: A Carroll for J Desmond, A Lynch for C McAlinden (both 51 mins), A Botwell for F Boylan (56 mins).
Referee: D Philips (ARLB).
