Quinlan seals it for Bective

A BECTIVE try midway through the second half at Templeville Road resuscitated a wilting crowd and brought to life a game that threatened to become the kicking contest it was last Saturday when these two sides drew 15-15 in the first meeting of this Leinster senior cup semi-final.

Vinny Cunningham's optimistic loft which just failed to make touch, was gathered by the chasing left wing Ben Kealy well inside the 22. Support from centre Tom Quinlan and a quick delivery from Kealy sent Quinlan over for the first and only try of these two contests.

Despite the fact that there was 25 minutes left to play, Quinlan's score broke the mould of the match. Skerries could not break out of their tight game and reduce the 19-6 margin.

For the whole of the first half, penalties were exchanged by Kealy and the Skerries out-half Jim Dempsey. It was Dempsey who opened the scoring on nine minutes, before Kealy replied four minutes later.

As the game ebbed and surged pretty much equally, further penalties were exchanged. Dempsey took his side into the lead alter an offside before Kealy's best of the day from 40 metres again brought them level at 6-6 on 27 minutes.

Bective then added another for a 9-6 halftime lead, the same half-time score as on Saturday. And this game looked like going the same way.

When Kealy stretched the margin to 12-6 six minutes after the break it was of no serious concern as Skerries were generating enough kicks of their own to come back into contention. Dempsey's tally of two scores from five attempts was well below his best.

But Quinlan's final cut was deep.

Bective must now contemplate the immense presence of Lansdowne on their home pitch in Saturday's final.