Clongowes Wood 19 Blackrock College 5: Any hopes of Blackrock College not only retaining their crown but making it a hat-trick of wins in the Leinster Schools Junior Cup were steamrolled by an outstanding Clongowes team led by their inspirational captain, Conor Gilsenan.
Three first-half tries courtesy of David Quirke, Nicolas McCarthy and Harry Burns left Rock facing an uphill battle after the break, and though they grabbed a late try it was mere consolation.
The winners' early dominance was rewarded when scrumhalf Conor McQuaid's pass found Quirke inside the 22 and the outhalf touched down, leaving Gilsenan with an easy conversion.
Bryan Grehan's fine run set up McCarthy to power his way over in the corner for the second try, Gilsenan calmly converting with a sublime kick from out on the touchline. And the win was virtually sealed on the stroke of half time when McCarthy fed Gareth Ó Suilleabháin, whose fine run from halfway set up Burns to touch down in the corner.
Blackrock persistence finally paid off when their lively winger Matty O'Dowd scored near the end.
CLONGOWES: G Ó Suilleabháin; H Burns, S MacAuley, C Joyce, O Ó Suilleabháin; D Quirke, C McQuaid; E Balfe, J Wallace, T Collis; C Gilsenan (capt), B Phelan; N McCarthy, B Grehan, D Kennedy. Replacements: E Byrne for Collis (49 mins), N Rhatigan for Grehan, B Byrne for Wallace (both 57 mins), J Coghlan for Balfe (59 mins), K McMullen for Burns, J Glynn for Conor McQuaid (both 60 mins).
BLACKROCK: J O'Doherty; M O'Dowd, S Barron (capt), M Roche, P Conlon; C McEllin, A Lloyd; J Murphy, D Hogan, C Maguire; G Thornbury, P Dargan; R Marsh, C McCrory, A Kelly. Replacements: J Pollard for Murphy (38 mins), P Beauchamp for Roche (46 mins), D Boyce for McCrory (51 mins), S Dunne for Lloyd (54 mins), J O'Hehir for Conor McEllin (56 mins).
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