BELVEDERE BOOKED THEIR spot in the semi-finals of the Leinster Schools Senior Cup after beating Blackrock in a game that will live long in the memory of those who witnessed it in Donnybrook this afternoon.
Belvedere's David Hawkshaw celebrates at the final whistle. Gary Carr / INPHO
Gary Carr / INPHO / INPHO
The match provided the near-capacity crowd with 64 points, 9 tries and one nail-biting finish in a breathless encounter.
Belvedere will only have 10 days to recover as they come up against St Michael’s in the semi-final on 3 March.
Belvedere opened the scoring after just four minutes when good play out wide saw Conor Jennings cross the line to give the northsiders a 5-0 lead.
Blackrock’s response was quick and impactful. Hugo Burke grounded the ball after Blackrock’s maul proved too much to handle for the Belvedere defence.
A superb conversion from the touchline by James McGowan saw Blackrock leading 7-5 with 12 minutes on the clock.
Belvedere's Caelan Doris tackled by Hugh O'Sullivan of Belvedere Gary Carr / INPHO
Gary Carr / INPHO / INPHO
The pace of the game was relentless and an excellent Conor Jennings penalty restored Belvedere’s lead. Both sides continued trying to carve out openings with the ball in-hand and the slick passing nearly paid off but for some crunching tackles.
Blackrock were next to cross the line when Conor Dean, whose penalty in the original match secured the replay, showed he had just as much physical power as mental strength by shrugging off several Belvedere defenders for the game’s third try.
Another McGowan conversion gave Blackrock a six-point lead.
Belvedere’s Senan McNulty was sent to the sin bin for what looked like a late tackle and at this stage it looked like Blackrock may run away with the quarter-final as Burke crossed the line again.
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Blackrock's Patrick Patterson tackled by Max Kearney and Paraic Cagney of Belvedere Gary Carr / INPHO
Gary Carr / INPHO / INPHO
Despite another sweet connection from McGowan the conversion was missed to leave the score 19-8. Belevedere with a man down knew they couldn’t afford Blackrock to extend their lead any further and another penalty reduced the gap to eight.
Things were to get better for Belvo after a superb cross-field pass allowed Peter Maher to touch the ball down in the corner. Jennings scored the conversion as McNulty returned to the field.
Conor Jennings kicks a conversion for Belvedere College Gary Carr / INPHO
Gary Carr / INPHO / INPHO
The gap was just one, 19-18, but Belvedere felt like they had the momentum. The allotted time for the first-half had elapsed but both sides refused to kick the ball into touch, to the detriment of Blackrock.
James McGowan kicked the ball straight to Belvedere’s Hugh O’Sullivan and the full-back charged his way through the Blackrock defence before offloading to Peter Maher, who grounded the ball after powering past two Blackrock defenders.
Jennings missed the conversion but Blackrock would have been kicking themselves for going in 23-19 behind at half-time.
Blackrock's Charlie Ryan with Brian Egan of Belvedere Gary Carr / INPHO
Gary Carr / INPHO / INPHO
Just three minutes into the second-half, Blackrock re-took the lead when Belvedere once again had no answer to Blackrock’s powerful maul and Hugo Burke was the beneficiary for the third time.
The superb kicking display continued and McGowan extended the lead to three. Belvedere were not prepared to lie down and they were in again 10 minutes later.
Tom De Jongh’s strength circumvented the tackles of five Blackrock defenders to charge himself to the line. A simple conversion followed and the gap was four, 30-26.
Tom De Jongh scores a try for Belvedere College Gary Carr / INPHO
Gary Carr / INPHO / INPHO
Blackrock were unable to respond and with 12 minutes remaining, the influential David Hawkshaw crossed the line for to put Belvedere 35-26 up with 10 minutes on the clock after the conversion was missed.
Blackrock won a penalty almost immediately and McGowan reduced the gap to just six points. With less than five minutes remaining Blackrock knew a converted try would book their place in the semi-final.
Blackrock's James McGowan gets past David Hawkshaw of Belvedere Gary Carr / INPHO
Gary Carr / INPHO / INPHO
When they were awarded yet another penalty, they opted to go for touch instead of a kick at goal, but they failed to significantly threaten Belvedere’s line in that period of play.
Belvedere managed the final couple minutes admirably in their own 22 which cued scenes of joy and despair at the final whistle.
A game fitting for the final, both players can leave the field as heroes. Belvedere will only have 10 days to recover as they come up against St Michael’s in the semi-final on the 3rd of March.
Belvedere's David Hawkshaw celebrates at the final whistle Gary Carr / INPHO
Gary Carr / INPHO / INPHO
Belvedere College scorers: Tries: Peter Maher x2, Conor Jennings,Tom De Jongh, David Hawkshaw Conversion: Conor Jennings x2 Penalties: Conor Jennings x2
Blackrock College scorers: Tries: Hugo Burke x3, Conor Dean Conversion: James McGowan x3 Penalties: James McGowan
Belvedere College
Hugh O’Sullivan
James McKeown
Conor Jennings
Hugh Sexton
Peter Maher
David Hawkshaw
Paraic Cagney
Daniel McCaffrey
Cian Galvin
Conor Walsh
Hugh Fenlon
Brian Egan (Captain)
Senan McNulty
Max Kearney
Tom De Jongh
Replacements: Sam Osborne, Cillian Molloy, Jesse Iredale, James Kenny, Jake
Robinson, Ryan Byron, Fergus Flood, Fiachra Smith.
Blackrock College
James McGowan
Patrick Patterson
Gavin Mullin
Liam Turner
Conor Kelly
Conor Dean
Luke Gaffney
Emmet Burns
Stephen McLoughlin
Richie Mouatt
Colm O’Flaherty
Charlie Ryan
Richard Dunne,
Hugo Burke
Caelan Doris (Captain).
Replacements: Hugh Egleston, Charlie Connolly, Giuseppe Coyne, Jack Gardiner, John Fairley, Paul Cullen, Jack Ringrose, Ferdia Power.
Referee: Dermot Blake
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Nine tries shared out as Belvedere see off Blackrock in Leinster schools rugby classic
Belvedere College 35
Blackrock College 29
BELVEDERE BOOKED THEIR spot in the semi-finals of the Leinster Schools Senior Cup after beating Blackrock in a game that will live long in the memory of those who witnessed it in Donnybrook this afternoon.
The match provided the near-capacity crowd with 64 points, 9 tries and one nail-biting finish in a breathless encounter.
Belvedere will only have 10 days to recover as they come up against St Michael’s in the semi-final on 3 March.
Belvedere opened the scoring after just four minutes when good play out wide saw Conor Jennings cross the line to give the northsiders a 5-0 lead.
Blackrock’s response was quick and impactful. Hugo Burke grounded the ball after Blackrock’s maul proved too much to handle for the Belvedere defence.
A superb conversion from the touchline by James McGowan saw Blackrock leading 7-5 with 12 minutes on the clock.
The pace of the game was relentless and an excellent Conor Jennings penalty restored Belvedere’s lead. Both sides continued trying to carve out openings with the ball in-hand and the slick passing nearly paid off but for some crunching tackles.
Blackrock were next to cross the line when Conor Dean, whose penalty in the original match secured the replay, showed he had just as much physical power as mental strength by shrugging off several Belvedere defenders for the game’s third try.
Another McGowan conversion gave Blackrock a six-point lead.
Belvedere’s Senan McNulty was sent to the sin bin for what looked like a late tackle and at this stage it looked like Blackrock may run away with the quarter-final as Burke crossed the line again.
Despite another sweet connection from McGowan the conversion was missed to leave the score 19-8. Belevedere with a man down knew they couldn’t afford Blackrock to extend their lead any further and another penalty reduced the gap to eight.
Things were to get better for Belvo after a superb cross-field pass allowed Peter Maher to touch the ball down in the corner. Jennings scored the conversion as McNulty returned to the field.
The gap was just one, 19-18, but Belvedere felt like they had the momentum. The allotted time for the first-half had elapsed but both sides refused to kick the ball into touch, to the detriment of Blackrock.
James McGowan kicked the ball straight to Belvedere’s Hugh O’Sullivan and the full-back charged his way through the Blackrock defence before offloading to Peter Maher, who grounded the ball after powering past two Blackrock defenders.
Jennings missed the conversion but Blackrock would have been kicking themselves for going in 23-19 behind at half-time.
Just three minutes into the second-half, Blackrock re-took the lead when Belvedere once again had no answer to Blackrock’s powerful maul and Hugo Burke was the beneficiary for the third time.
The superb kicking display continued and McGowan extended the lead to three. Belvedere were not prepared to lie down and they were in again 10 minutes later.
Tom De Jongh’s strength circumvented the tackles of five Blackrock defenders to charge himself to the line. A simple conversion followed and the gap was four, 30-26.
Blackrock were unable to respond and with 12 minutes remaining, the influential David Hawkshaw crossed the line for to put Belvedere 35-26 up with 10 minutes on the clock after the conversion was missed.
Blackrock won a penalty almost immediately and McGowan reduced the gap to just six points. With less than five minutes remaining Blackrock knew a converted try would book their place in the semi-final.
When they were awarded yet another penalty, they opted to go for touch instead of a kick at goal, but they failed to significantly threaten Belvedere’s line in that period of play.
Belvedere managed the final couple minutes admirably in their own 22 which cued scenes of joy and despair at the final whistle.
A game fitting for the final, both players can leave the field as heroes. Belvedere will only have 10 days to recover as they come up against St Michael’s in the semi-final on the 3rd of March.
Belvedere College
Hugh O’Sullivan
James McKeown
Conor Jennings
Hugh Sexton
Peter Maher
David Hawkshaw
Paraic Cagney
Daniel McCaffrey
Cian Galvin
Conor Walsh
Hugh Fenlon
Brian Egan (Captain)
Senan McNulty
Max Kearney
Tom De Jongh
Replacements: Sam Osborne, Cillian Molloy, Jesse Iredale, James Kenny, Jake
Robinson, Ryan Byron, Fergus Flood, Fiachra Smith.
Blackrock College
James McGowan
Patrick Patterson
Gavin Mullin
Liam Turner
Conor Kelly
Conor Dean
Luke Gaffney
Emmet Burns
Stephen McLoughlin
Richie Mouatt
Colm O’Flaherty
Charlie Ryan
Richard Dunne,
Hugo Burke
Caelan Doris (Captain).
Replacements: Hugh Egleston, Charlie Connolly, Giuseppe Coyne, Jack Gardiner, John Fairley, Paul Cullen, Jack Ringrose, Ferdia Power.
Referee: Dermot Blake
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Belvedere Blackrock Leinster Schools Rugby Try Thriller