Terenure take cracking encounter but Blackrock can hold heads high

LEINSTER SCHOOLS SENIOR CUP FIRST ROUND/Terenure College 17 Blackrock College 15:DESPITE WHAT legendary schools outhalf Ross O'Carroll-Kelly would have you believe, this wasn't quite a clash of civilisations, although we did witness a cracking encounter between age-old rivals only divided by clearly demarcated county council boundaries. Terenure prevailed with more than a little help from their Kiwi bloodlines.

Leinster coach Joe Schmidt’s son Tim made an impressive cameo at scrumhalf, while Harrison Brewer, son of former All Black flanker Mike, contributed three times in the build-up to the game’s definitive score.

Blackrock’s resilience in the face of patently superior opposition ensures they can hold their heads high this morning. They forced Terenure to earn this scalp with performances from last year’s Junior Cup-winning forwards Nick Timoney and Oliver Jager boding well for the future.

Others also stood up, and they had to, as Blackrock lost scrumhalf and place-kicker Jack O’Carroll to a dead leg at half-time. Terenure had problems of their own that needed solving. Captain and number eight Niall Lalor also failed to return after the interval, while they survived a nervy end game with 14 men due to Tiernan Creagh’s sin-binning.

It’s also worth noting that had Terenure lost yesterday there would have been just cause for complaint. Unless, that is, the rules of American football have been transferred to rugby – a try can only be awarded for downward pressure, not a slam dunk.

But survive they did, mainly due to well taken try by David Doyle – ironically, Lalor’s replacement – with 13 minutes remaining.

Schmidt’s snappy service from the breakdown, combined with an increased appetite by their big ball-carriers brought them into ’Rock territory. Still, they needed a moment of individual brilliance to breech the wall of blue and white defenders. Cue Brewer, switched this season from backrow to centre, knifing through midfield. He was back on his feet for another charge moments later, keeping the attack alive with a Sonny Bill Williams offload before a third carry saw him held up inches shy of the line.

When it was recycled, Doyle made it over wide on the left. Fullback Billy Dardis nailed the difficult conversion to make it a seven-point contest.

Blackrock reduced arrears to just two points when centre Harry Heavey, now operating at scrumhalf, cleverly directed play down the shortside, where Shane McDonald dived in at the corner. The try was awarded but it didn’t look a first cousin of a legitimate grounding.

That was how the game went, Terenure would strike only for Blackrock to counter.

Colin Jones, who forms an intimidating centre partnership with Brewer, showed good awareness to dummy the last defender, before riding a cover tackle to cross for the opening try on 24 minutes.

’Rock responded immediately, winning a penalty for Terenure players going off their feet – a constant feature – but ignored the shot at goal for an attacking lineout. After a carry by representative lock Gavin Thornbury, flanker Paddy Hinkson squeezed through the ruck. O’Connell’s conversion gave them a 10-7 lead.

A penalty by Terenure outhalf Stephen O’Neill levelled matters up at the break, 10-all.

To the final throes. Blackrock had barely entered enemy territory in the second half yet they too can feel aggrieved about the penalty conceded at the death when Fergal Bolger was adjudged to have illegally cleared Schmidt out at the breakdown.

Terenure opted to scrum down before kicking the ball dead.Next up is a quarter-final against Gonzaga College back at Donnybrook on February 23rd.

TERENURE COLLEGE: B Dardis; F Bagnall, H Brewer, C Jones, T O’Brien; S O’Neill, C Weakliam; S Borza, A Roche, T Creagh; R Somerville, M Murphy; N O’Sullivan, P Thornton, N Lalor (capt). Replacements: D Hynes for A Roche, D Doyle for N Lalor (both half-time), P Smith for C Jones (47-49 mins), A Somerville for R Somerville (59 mins), T Schmidt for C Weakliam, P Smith for T O’Brien (both 55 mins), C Treiner for N O’Sullivan (69 mins).

BLACKROCK COLLEGE: K O’Leary (capt); C McMahon, H Heavey, P Robb, C Dodd; G Tynan, J O’Carroll; C Kilcoyne, F Bolger, O Jager; J Burke, G Thornbury; P Hinkson, D O’Flynn, N Timoney. Replacements: D Murphy for J O’Carroll (half-time), S McDonald for C Dodd (55 mins), S Coughlan for P Hinkson (59 mins).

Referee: K Beggs (ARLB).