Clongowes maul their way to victory

Schools' Rugby/Clongowes Wood 12 Blackrock 9:They've won nothing yet but the coaching staff down in Clongowes Wood will take immense satisfaction from a 24-hour period when they removed their age-old rivals from both the Junior and Senior Cups. A double worth savouring, it was done the traditional way as an unstoppable maul, from five metres anyway, eventually separated the teams in this gripping tussle.

Perhaps Blackrock's best chance went abegging last Sunday when, leading 10-7 and camped in the opposing 22 entering injury time, an unfortunate sequence of events allowed a Ciarán Wade penalty to force a replay.

The 65-times champions held a slender 9-5 lead again yesterday with the finishing line in sight but Clongowes, joint pre-competition favourites, dug that little bit deeper.

Hooker Tim O'Mahony claimed the game's only tries but really, they were collective scores, belonging to an airtight lineout and technically brilliant maul.

The Blackrock pack - led by Michael Cawley and ably supported by flanker Jordi Murphy - knew what was coming. Former Leinster hooker Peter Smyth (a cup winner in 1995 and '96) put a plan in place to counteract the Clongowes shunt and the clearing-out at the breakdown was vastly improved but as limbs grew weary, the purple and white jerseys began to dominate.

We'll deal with the seminal second touchdown first. Blackrock's excellent outhalf Lorcan O'Daly - a supreme tactical kicker who so nearly guided his team through - knocked on in his own 22. The ensuing scrum was delayed for almost 10 minutes after an injury to Blackrock scrumhalf Alan MacGinty that required extensive treatment.

In the interim Irish schools prop Denis Buckley was introduced, ensuring a fresh Blackrock frontrow as David Hillery was brought on earlier.

It wasn't enough as Clongowes upped the physical ante with centre Daragh Cullen, making the game's only pure line break, hauled down just short of the line. That wave was repelled but the assault was now relentless and captain Jack O'Connell spurned a kickable, albeit difficult, penalty opportunity, opting instead for a lineout five metres out.

O'Mahony threw assuredly to William Courtney before hitting the rear of the van that slow- marched over the line. Wade supplied another inspirational moment as he landed the touchline conversion to leave Blackrock with a decision entering the last nine minutes. Get into drop-goal range or go for the win.

Staying true to the style adopted all season, Blackrock moved it wide; primarily through Brendan Macken and Andrew Conway (we have another two years of this gifted fullback). Anything to get away from the relentless attentions of O'Connell, number eight James Lochrin, Robert Timlin and the other Clongowes forwards.

Leinster winger Gavin Greene was the guy Blackrock wanted in space but his reputation didn't intimidate William Quirke whose shuddering man and ball tackle was all the more remarkable given he was in the game mere seconds. This is just one example of the many heroic defensive contributions.

Clongowes played smarter rugby. There were times, especially during the third quarter, when a Blackrock try looked inevitable, only for an obstructing defender's hand to concede the penalty and three points instead.

Two of O'Daly's three penalties were direct results of infringements that would be certain sinbinning offences in the senior game. His third came after centre Shane Kennedy failed to release.

Clongowes' move on to a semi-final date against Belvedere on February 24th, with a final against CBC Monkstown, who must beat St Mary's, looking the increasingly likely outcome.

Stop the Clongowes maul and they are beatable. Succumb to its power and they will be champions. Belvedere are bigger than this young Blackrock outfit.

SCORING SEQUENCE:22 mins: T O'Mahony try, 5-0; 25: C O'Daly pen, 5-3. Half-time. 47: C O'Daly pen, 5-6; 58: C O'Daly pen, 5-9; 60: T O'Mahony try, 10-9; C Wade conv, 12-9.

CLONGOWES WOOD COLLEGE:L Smyth; G Mullen, D Cullen, S Kennedy, N McNamara; C Wade, M McLoughlin; J O'Connell (capt), T O'Mahony, M Collis; W Courtney, N Delahanty; R Timlin, W Larkin, J Lochrin. Replacements: G Hoban for N Delahanty, A Hoban for W Larkin (both 56 mins), W Quirke for N McNamara (66 mins).

BLACKROCK COLLEGE:A Conway; G Greene, B Macken, C Rhatigan, A Philpott; L O'Daly, A MacGinty; A Lyons, S Lambe, S Schuster; K O'Riordan, M Cawley (capt); B Kelly, J Murphy, T Parsons. Replacements: D Hillery for S Schuster (48 mins), D Fawsitt for B Kelly (52-54 mins), P O'Shea for A MacGinty, D Buckley for A Lyons (both 61 mins).

Referee: K Beggs(ARLB).