Details

Date Time Competition Season
9 March 2023 3:00 pm Leinster Schools Senior Cup 2022/23

Match Report

Blackrock College See Out Dramatic Late Encounter With St Michael’s

Second half tries from Mikey Yarr and Conor Tonge, booked a St. Patrick’s Day Final decider for Blackrock College as they edged past St. Michael’s in a dramatic semi final in Energia Park.

Yarr and Tongue laid the foundations but a try from Patrick Wood in the final ten minutes almost brought the house down, as Michael’s made it just a three point game, but Blackrock showed why they are champions and held out in those final nervy minutes.

Awful weather conditions impacted the tie, plenty of greasy ball and a swirling breeze did not make it any easier, St Michael’s had snatched a 7-3 lead at the break with a try from Jules Fenelon the final act of the opening half, but Rock showed their try scoring fortune in the second as an Oliver Coffey penalty served as the difference.

Michael’s looked more likely to draw first blood early on, they put serious pressure on the Blackrock defence their forwards putting pressure on to snipe from close range, but a blast of the referee’s whistle signalled a penalty for Blackrock and the relief and joy was expressed by their players as they could clear their lines.

Once they dealt with that early wave of pressure that clearance kick from the penalty brought them into an attacking zone once they ran the phases, anther penalty was signalled but this one was within a scoring range for Oliver Coffey as the scrum half pointed to the posts and made no mistake in adding the first points to the board in the 14th minute.

The game was free flowing but scores came at a premium in the opening half, with both teams locked in a physical battle that saw each trying to out think the other, both came close but turnovers saw the opposite defence able to clear.

Despite both attacking well it looked like we would remain at 3-0 going into the break, however a great St Michael’s lineout and a few phases later saw Mark Canniffe offload to Wilhelm de Klerk, fast hands saw him play in Jules Fenelon, he spotted a gap in the defence and he made no mistakes in cutting through as Blackrock were exposed on the left flank, for their opening try, the centre also converting the try, right on the stroke of half time it changed the dynamic of the team talks as Michael’s had a 7-3 margin at the break.

Four minutes into the second half Blackrock hit back, they had early intent and pushed Michael’s back, after winning a penalty on the Michael’s 22, they opted for touch, Mikey Yarr with a perfect delivery allowed a strong rolling maul to form, Yarr went to the back and his drive spearheaded their charge toward the line and as they went over Yarr touched down for their opening try, a perfect move finished off by Coffey’s conversion as Blackrock went back ahead by three.

Momentum was with Blackrock after that try, Riain Coogan went to the bin for an illegal tackle, and another penalty saw them kick for touch once more, not as close to goal but again they set the wheel in motion, Coffey the architect looking for the right pass, they ran the play and an offload wide saw James O’Sullivan run down the alright wing but he knocked it forward as he dove for the line.

Pressure remained and despite Michael’s clearing Blackrock came back and used the extra man advantage to cause severe pressure, their forwarded did the heavy lifting, drive after drive the Michael’s men on their knees trying to hold out as long as it took to try and stop them, but the pressure failed to ease and Conor Tonge made the killer move as he dove over for their second try, Coffey converting as the current holders made it a ten point margin on the 50th minute.

The game as a contest was far from over, Rock found themselves having to defend and after kicking into the Michael’s half on the hour mark, would find themselves conceding a try, David Lucey gathered the kick and played out from the back, releasing Cannife to race down the left wing, he would be tackled but in support was Patrick Wood.

Wood kept the chase going and offloaded inside to Chris O’Connor, he would also be wrapped up in a tackle but managed to offload in time for Wood to touch down in the corner, a huge try and the conversion from Fenelon was even greater, from the touchline into a swirling breeze, he nailed it and with eight minutes left it was a three point game.

Drama would of course happen late on, Michael’s sending a deep penalty aiming for touch but Blackrock gathered, however they failed to keep onto possession and needed to find touch, Michael’s won the lineout and were in last chance saloon, they kept on the attack and played their phases well but an error at the breakdown saw Blackrock victorious.

St. Michael’s College

15David Lucey Full-Back
14Larry Kirkham Winger
13Jules Fenelon Centre 35'
35+1', 62'
12Mark Canniffe Centre
11Patrick Wood Winger 61'
10Wilhelm de Klerk Fly-Half
9James Sherwin 21 Scrum-Half
1Ben Howard Prop
2Tom Stewart 16 Hooker
3Riain Coogan Prop 45'
4David Walsh Lock
5Michael O’Reilly Lock
6James White Flanker
7Rory Brown Flanker
8Sam Corrigan No. 8
16Tom Begley 2 Hooker
17Edward McLaughlin Prop
18Duinn Maguire Prop
19Frazer McKenna Flanker
20Billy O’Donohoe Flanker
21Chris O’Connor 9 Scrum-Half
22Ethan Black Centre
23Charles Foley Winger

Blackrock College

15Charlie Molony Full-Back
14James O’Sullivan Winger
13Luke Kritzinger Centre
12Mark Walsh Centre
11Eoghan Walsh Winger
10Conor O’Shaughnessy Fly-Half
9Oliver Coffey Scrum-Half 40', 50'
14'
1Tom O’Riordan Prop
2Mikey Yarr Hooker 39'
3Alex Mullan Prop
4Michael Colreavy Lock
5Tommy Butler Lock
6Conor Tonge Flanker 49'
7Jack Angulo Flanker
8Tom Brigg 20 No. 8
16Greg Barron Hooker
17Patrick Moore Prop
18Ciaran Patchell
19Donnacha McGuire Lock
20Conall Hodges 8 Flanker
21Jack Larkin Scrum-Half
22Harry Whelan Fly-Half
23Andrew Quinn Full-Back

Past Meetings

(Round 1)
25 - 20
Leinster Schools Senior Cup
Energia Park

Blackrock College v St. Michael's College

Ground

Energia Park
Energia Park, Donnybrook Road, Pembroke West B ED, Dublin, County Dublin, Leinster, D04 T8X2, Ireland

Diarmuid Kearney is a freelance Sports Journalist based in Co Kerry. He has more than 5 years experience covering domestic and international soccer for different media organisations, while also working for local and national print and digital organisations covering GAA.