Belvedere College have advanced to Leinster Schools Senior Cup quarter-finals, thanks to a late Michael Carmody winning try against Castleknock College at Energia Park.

The elements became the main factor in the fixture, as the breeze dominated the fast paced kicking style of the schools rugby. Castleknock will feel hard done by to lose the game with the final play, but Belvedere are deserved winners after a fantastic team performance

Trailing 10-7 at half time, both schools added tries in the second half of the intense tie, but the late effort by Belvedere sees them into the hat for the Quarter Finals.

In a frantic opening ten minutes, both teams looked to start on the front foot, getting close to either try line, it would be Castleknock to take the lead from a penalty, the big Number 8 Danny Ruane stepped up and slotted the kick, we don’t see many forwards taking the kicking duties, but he made it look easy for a 3-0 lead.

Castleknock were using the wind to their advantage early in the first half, pinning Belvedere back into their own half, attacks were limited but they made their mark after 22 minutes, as Senan Coakley crossed for their opening try, captain Jed Tormey adding the conversion to make it 7-3. 

Just five minutes later, Castleknock responded by pushing Belvedere back into their own half, from a lineout maul they drove toward the line, the forwards pushing extremely well resulting in Gavin Murphy O’Kane crossing for a try, Ruane converting a monster from the sideline for a three point lead 10-7.

Castleknock were weathering the storm better toward the end of the opening half, they looked to build on their try kicking to touch for another line out maul, but they failed to make any ground as they held firm to deny Belvedere another score, taking the 10-7 lead into the interval.

Belvedere now with the wind to their backs looked to push on after the restart, they looked to get territory but could not make use of a score, Tormey had a chance to kick to the posts for the equaliser, but his kick drifted wide.

After being pinned in their own half, a great run by Finn O’Connor saw them break into the Belvedere half, he offloaded to Darragh Enright on the wing, he sprinted clear to evade the tackles before crossing for their second try, after 52 minutes giving them a 15-7 lead after the conversion was short.

The maul looked to be an area both schools had focused on prior to kick off, Castleknock scored off one in the opening half and Belvedere managed to score from their own maul after 56 minutes, Coakley again getting over for the try, this time it was Andre Ryan who landed the conversion for a one point margain, 15-14 with time slowly running out in the tie.

Ryan had another attempt at the posts after 61 minutes, the centre kicking a long range penalty toward the posts, but his kick drifted left and wide, possession crucial for his school late on.

Tormey was next to setup to take a monster of a penalty from his one half, but the kick failed to reach the mark as Castleknock gathered and cleared their lines.

All was pressure was applied on Castleknock for the final few minutes, as Belvedere kept kicking for touch near their try line, with the final passage of play in the contest, it was Carmody who proved the winner as he popped up after coming off the bench, to cross for the game winning try.