Schools Rugby: Junior Cup wins for Belvedere and PBC

Belvedere College 20 St Gerard’s School 0

There was a lot to like about the way Belvedere exploited the chances that came their way in this Leinster Schools Junior Cup first round match at Donnybrook on Tuesday afternoon.

Sure, they dominated the ball at times and threatened the line with a myriad of runners, none more impressive than prop Johnny Bell and hooker Luan McGrath.

It was their go-forward in the close exchanges that opened up the corridors further out where John Meagher, David Hawkshaw and David Lacey took any space on offer.

From one such situation, Belvedere moved ahead as Lacey ignored wing Ethan Baxter, preferring to duck back inside to find outside centre David Sanfey on the charge to the line. Lacey converted in the tenth minute.

St Gerard’s had to find a way out of their own half. They were unable to sustain their launches forward with flanker Ethan Baxter lead the way.

It was a standout moment that doubled the lead. Centre David Hawkshaw handed off two defenders and executed a delightful soft overhead pass to put flanker Harry Beggy away for a quite stunning try, converted by Lacey for 14-0 in the 23rd minute.

Their only real issue was with referee David Williams as apparent back chat cost lock Mark Daly time in the bin without the concession of a score.

This was terminal to St Gerard’s scheme to comeback from an unlikely position and Lacey answered with penalties in the 42nd and 54th minutes.

Belvedere: D Lacey; C Mulvaney, D Sanfey, D Hawkshaw, S Barry; J Meagher, T Walsh; J Gleeson, L McGrath, J Bell, L McDermott, M Daly, J McComish, H Beggy (capt), R Byron. Replacements: M Puszczewicz for Meagher 24 mins – temp & 42 mins; P Lysaght for Walsh, G Hill for Barry both 54 mins; J Haughey for Beggy 56 mins; L Harmon for McGrath, N Griffin for Gleeson, J Crumlish for Sanfey all 57 mins; M Hynes for McComish 59 mins.

St Gerard's: M Fagan; P Redmond, O Haydock, C Foley, P Opperman; B Watson, J O'Caoimh; S McGrath, M Freeley, B Morris, D Ahern, A O'Reilly, C Byrne, E Baxter (capt), R Wilson. Replacements: A Forster for McGrath ht; I Phillips for O'Caoimh 54 mins; D Furey for Freeley, E Riordan for O'Reilly, H Curley for Byrne, D McGovern for Watson, D O'Brien for Foley, M O'Reilly for Redmond all 57 mins. Referee: D Williams, Leinster Branch.

PBC Cork 33 Castletroy College 10

Holders PBC scored five tries in a successful opening to the defence of their Munster Schools Junior Cup title in bright sunshine at the Mardyke on Tuesday.

Pres, who now have a home quarter-final, led 14-3 at the interval following tries from Louis Bruce and Sam O’Donovan, both converted by James Broderick with Cathal Carew landing a penalty for Castletroy.

Sean French, who came on for the second-half, scored two fine tries and another substitute, Billy Scannell, claimed their fifth near the end with Darragh Cullimore grabbing a consolation try deep in injury-time, converted by David Moloney, for the Limerick side.

PBC: L Bruce; R Howell, J Wren, S O'Donovan, A Calum-Healy; J Broderick, D Harrington; M Varnam, L Ryan, K Nugent; L Tarbatt, M McCarthy; D Hyland, C Browne, C Fitzgerald, captain. Replacements: B Scannell for Nugent and S French for Calum-Healy half-time, P Kennedy for O'Donovan injured and Dylan O'Callaghan for Tarbatt 45 mins, Darragh O'Callaghan for McCarthy and M Walsh for Broderick injured 55 mins, C Ryan-O'Donovan for Ryan and M Fitzgibbon for Varnam 57 mins.

Castletroy College: D Moloney; I McCarthy, P Clancy, C Cosgrave, M Kitt; C Carew, C Lyons; R Keaveney, E O'Shea, M Ryan; S Devitt, S Finucane; S Mulkern, D McCrann, C Bermingham, captain. Replacements: D Cullimore for O'Shea 40 mins, A Myers for Keaveney 45 mins, J Hogan for Finucane 52 mins, E Murphy for Carey injured 55 mins.