Blackrock College 10

St Michael’s College 16

Sean Farrell reports from Donnybrook

BRIMMING WITH INTENSE physicality, high skill levels and immense drama from start to finish. This match was well worth the wait.

Illness forced this Leinster Schools Senior Cup quarter-final to be postponed a fortnight ago, but neither side looked the slightest bit under the weather as they went toe to toe for 7o minutes.

St Michael’s won out to set up a semi-final clash with Belvedere thanks to a dynamic attack that went about its business with slick precision.

While Jack Guinane and John Fish were immense in the St Michael’s pack, centre Chris Cosgrave led the high standards in the back-line, providing a lightning-quick outside option on top of nerveless goal-kicking capped by a sublime 62nd-minute strike.

Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO

Though they trailed 13-0 at half-time, Blackrock did not balk the task of reeling in the deficit and did their best to set up a grandstand finish thanks to Scott Barron’s late try.

Michael’s had to bide their time before putting their stamp on the game as their fierce rivals in Dublin 4 mounted concerted early pressure with captain Sean O’Brien and second row Mark Morrissey to the fore.

The solid hits kept coming from Emmet MacMahon’s men, however, and despite a shaky first turn with the ball and an attacking line-out malfunction, they scored on their second visit to opposition territory.

Stephen Woods rose to claim a nerve-settling clean line-out and a powerful run of pick-and-drives took Michael’s within 10 metres before a penalty was awarded.

Cosgrave slotted his shot between the sticks despite the derision from the stands. But his next act cut ‘Rock wide open. The 13, who played out-half in the last round, broke outside his opposite number Ronan McGoldrick and powered from his own half to the Blackrock 22.

He passed inside to Robert Gilsenan in support, but the sky blue and white jerseys had scrambled well in defence and managed to slow up the move and force a knock-on in the phases that followed.

Michael’s forward pack ensured the territory would not be wasted. Led by Jack Boyle and Fionn Finlay they won the scrum against the head to force an attacking set-piece. And from there the heavy hitters went to work again. While the backs fanned out in the hope of a loose play, Finlay and Hickey made big carries under the posts and lock Fish planted the ball against the pads to earn the score.

Despite their early onslaught, Blackrock found themselves 10 points adrift and the deficit would extend out to 13-0 by the half-time interval. Their best chance of the first period came thanks to Chris Rolland.

The fullback pounced on a bouncing ball kicked his way and scythed through the fractured defence. Niall Comerford was on his fullback’s shoulder and stormed through towards the Michael’s 22, stopped only by a desperate diving ankle tap from his opposite number Andrew Smith.