SCHOOLS RUGBY LEINSTER SENIOR CUP: Terenure College 43 Castleknock College 5: ALL CREDIT to Terenure; Robert Duke's team enhanced their status as potential winners of this far-reaching competition without revealing any blatant weakness.
Now that the quarter-final line-up for the Leinster Schools’ Senior Cup has been completed, it is time for serious reflection.
On the evidence of the past week, schools rugby is in great shape even if it remains a closed shop. The feeling remains that if this competition were to adopt Champions League-style group stages, as opposed to the winner-takes-all format, Irish rugby would be better served. Player development would be enhanced and the lesser lights would be given greater scope to improve.
The issue was supposed to be raised at last year’s Leinster schools agm, but it seems traditional values die hard.
Next for Terenure is Clongowes Wood College on February 10th, and the Jesuit rugby nursery will retain genuine aspirations of extending Terenure’s six-year wait for an 11th title. That is the lifecycle of a secondary student, so it can be constituted as a drought in an institution with such a wealthy sporting history.
For sure, this is the best team Terenure have produced since the David Cazabon-led class of 2003.
The opposition proved rather brittle, but from Duke’s towering control of the lineout to outhalf James Thornton’s calm distribution to a backline geared for speed, they have the cut of a fine team.
Thornton, the son of coach Des, is one of those rare, languid outhalfs who can effortlessly find space for others to exploit.
Within seven minutes, a training ground move initiated by Thornton saw winger Henry Moore dashing clear. It took the same amount of time before Dominic O’Dowd exposed a pillar-less ruck to crash over for the second try.
But from run-up to strike, Thornton takes an age to complete his conversions, and the Castleknock chargers almost punished this easily-rectified, flaw.
When fullback James O’Donoghue waltzed through, untouched, for the third try, any chances of a competitive contest were shelved. O’Donoghue ran a straight line onto a flat Thornton pass, but the defence was fooled by the dummy runs of both centres either side of their outhalf. Again, straight off the training paddock.
An even better move was unearthed just before half-time when hooker Stephen Reid did a quick one-two with Duke at the lineout before taking off down the left wing. As the cover closed, Reid flipped inside for number eight Eoin Joyce to gallop to the line.
The 26-point half-time margin ensured a disjointed second act with mass use of replacements. Openside flanker Ciarán Shanhan was smartly trailing the play on 45 minutes and duly profited from a neat Duke reverse pass for the fifth try, while Reid was on the end of some impressive continuity for the sixth.
O’Dowd managed to upstage centre partner Ross Williamson, who featured in last year’s side, with a second touchdown to complete the rout.
Others to impress included Duke’s locking partner Cathal Deans, Shanahan and Williamson, but it should be reiterated that they were not asked any serious questions.
Castleknock did have some honest performers in tighthead prop Martin Moore and lock Daire Hehegan, while injured centre Conor Woodgate had a late, yet immediate impact off the bench. Their reward finally came in injury time when winger Daniel King squeezed over.
However, Clongowes, almost dumped out by Newbridge last week, will not fall for any lineout tricks or decoy runners. Terenure will have to get down in the muck.
Survive that and they may well become unstoppable.
SCORING SEQUENCE – 6 mins: H Moore try, 5-0; 15: D O'Dowd try, J Thornton conv, 12-0; 32: J O'Donoghue try, Thornton conv, 19-0; 36: E Joyce try, Thornton conv, 26-0. Half-time. 45: C Shanahan try, 31-0; 48: S Reid try, 36-0; 51: D O'Dowd try, O'Donoghue conv, 43-0; 70: D King try, 43-5.
TERENURE COLLEGE: J O'Donoghue; C Kelly, R Williamson, D O'Dowd, H Moore; J Thornton, K O'Neill; P McCormack, S Reid, R Burnock; R Duke (capt), C Deans; S Doherty, C Shanahan, E Joyce. Replacements: G O'Doherty for C Deans, B Mooney for R Burnock (both 46 mins), N Casey for K O'Neill. M Hyland for J Thornton (both 50 mins), A Byrne for S Reid (51 mins).
CASTLEKNOCK COLLEGE: F Toolan; D King, J Taylor, C O'Riordan, S Lacey; R Jones, C Toolan; P Reilly, A Sweeney, M Moore; D O'Driscoll, D Hehegan; J O'Shea, S Hafford, J O'Brien. Replacements: M Connolly for C O'Riordan, M Reilly for A Sweeney (both h-t), G Barry for S Hafford, C Woodgate for J Taylor (both 46 mins), R McGuinness for S Lacey, C McCrossan for P Reilly (both 59 mins), N Cullen for J O'Brien (69 mins).
Referee: A Rolland(ARLB).
