School's rugby/Kilkenny College 11 Cistercian, Roscrea 7:A try five minutes from time gave Kilkenny College a victory their territorial dominance deserved in Portlaoise yesterday. Ben Braithwaite was the hero, taking a pass from secondrow Jason McAssey before touching down in the corner.
Kilkenny turned over at the break leading 6-0. Craig Ronaldson's two penalties were scant reflection of their dominance and it looked as if they would pay for their profligacy when Roscrea secondrow Joe Moran touched down under the posts. David Clarke added the conversion.
The winners, however, camped inside their opponents' half. Kieran McArdle and Mitchel D'Alton were prominent with ball in hand, but it looked like their efforts would be all for nought, especially when Nevil Copeland's well-struck drop goal attempt struck an upright.
After another prolonged foray inside the Roscrea 22, they worked a two-on-one situation on the short side and Braithwaite finished with aplomb.
KILKENNY COLLEGE:N Copeland; C Masterson, S Yates, G Ryhnart, B Braithwaite; C Ronaldson, S Hemmingway; K McArdle, G Dunne, G Beattie; J McAssey, W Carter; M D'Alton, B Horan (capt), T Dukelow. Replacements:K Dagge for Dunne; A Jacob for Yates.
CISTERCIAN COLLEGE ROSCREA:T O'Halloran; C Pardy, J Verling, D Clarke, C Ó Coileán; D Joyce, D Kavanagh; N Harney (capt), J Shanahan, L Hyland; J Moran, D Glynn; S Dixon, J Connolly, S Hennessy. Replacements: K O'Riordan for Kavanagh; J Hayes for Dixon.
Referee: R Doyle
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