Rugby

St Gerard’s too strong for St Fintan’s despite slow start

Leinster League winners concede an early try before comfortably justifying favouritism

Ethan Baxter in action during St Gerard’s win over St Fintan’s. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho

Thu Feb 1 2018 - 18:07

St Gerard’s 23 St Fintan’s Sutton 7

St Gerard’s recovered from a shaky start to make the Leinster Schools Senior Cup quarter-finals at Donnybrook on Thursday.

The winners of the Leinster League, Gerard’s were down as strong favourites to make the last eight.

They were given a sharp shock early on as St Fintan’s set the tone with big hits in midfield and centre Darragh Kelly sped over in the left corner.

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It got even better for the Sutton school when out-half Frank O’Dea landed an unlikely conversion from the touchline.

This wasn’t so much a wake-up call as a reminder of how nothing can be taken for granted.

St Gerard’s started to move with greater authority, St Fintan’s full-back Daniel Callan scrambling to shunt wing Morgan Freeley into touch.

It was an omen for what was to come as St Gerard’s captain Ethan Baxter showed the way with a textbook block and gather of the loose ball for a try, converted by centre Oliver Haydock.

The binning of the influential Kelly for a high tackle was the invitation for St Gerard’s to take control.

They owned the ball to test out a willing and watertight St Fintan’s defence.

The extra man told when number eight Rory Wilson plunged over in the 32nd minute.

This was compounded by the loss of both lock David Lally and his replacement Conor Hickey either side of the break.

Baxter, outhalf David O’Brien and centre Cormac Foley combined to force a penalty for Haydock to make it 15-7 in the 40th minute.

Despite St Fintan’s best efforts, St Gerard’s applied pressure, and, when the Sutton boys tried to counter from deep, a lack of discipline cost them three more points to Haydock in the 50th minute.

St Fintan’s still had a lot to offer with Kelly at the heart of their better moments.

However, St Gerard’s harvested a try from left wing Freeley on the end of good work by O’Caoimh, replacement Marc Finn and full-back Max O’Reilly in the 65th minute.

Scorers: St Gerard's - E Baxter, R Wilson, M Freeley try each; O Haydock 2 pens, con; St Fintan's - D Kelly try; F O'Dea con.

St Gerard's: M O'Reilly; P Opperman, O Haydock, C Foley, M Freeley; D O'Brien, J O'Caoimh; A O'Reilly, R Byrne, D Carroll, D Ahern, D McGovern, C Byrne, E Baxter (capt), R Wilson. Replacements: T Cahill-Hannigan for McGovern 55 mins; I Phillips for R Byrne 60 mins, temp; M Finn for O'Brien 62 mins; B Watson for C Byrne 65 mins; J Kennedy for Haydock, I Phillips for R Byrne both 67 mins; J Dempsey for O'Reilly, L Concannon for Carroll both 68 mins.

St Fintan's: D Callen; N O'Halloran, D Kelly, M McGiff, S Boyle; F O'Dea, J Ussher; A Kenny, K Hickey, M Fitzpatrick-Kelly, D Lally, S Donohue (capt), S Cox, C Graham A O'Kane. Replacements: C Hickey for Lally 31 mins; R McCormack for Fitzpatrick-Kelly 32 mins, temp; R McCormack for Hickey 36 mins; C Fearon for Kenny, T Bourke for McCormack, A Keogan for O'Halloran all 65 mins; A Kelly for Fitzpatrick-Kelly, E Dickson for Boyle, S O'Connor for Ussher all 67 mins.

Referee: J Carvill, Leinster Branch.

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