Advertisement
Rory Gaffney tries to bring down Gonzaga's Harry O'Grady. Gary Carr/INPHO

Holders Roscrea dominate Gonzaga to book Leinster SCT semi spot

The Offaly side ran four tries in Donnybrook this afternoon.

Cistercian College Roscrea 27

Gonzaga College 17

HOLDERS CISTERCIAN COLLEGE Roscrea set up a Leinster Schools Senior Cup semi-final with Clongowes Wood after a dominating 27-17 victory over Gonzaga College.

Roscrea dominated the game throughout, opening the scoring after four minutes in a sizzling early contest through Alan Tynan’s penalty from underneath the posts, Dylan Murphy having been fouled in Roscrea’s first attack.

Gonzaga didn’t sit back and were level on the scoreboard two minutes later, out-half Micheál O’Kennedy slotting a penalty between the posts.

Three minutes later, Gonzaga were in for the game’s first try, crossing the pitch from left to right, Adam Browne delivering a sweet sidestep to land the opening try.

O’Kennedy added the conversion, after a lengthy break due to Roscrea out-half Rory Gaffney receiving treatment on the pitch and being unable to continue.

The enforced switch of Alan Tynan to out-half for Roscrea paid dividends for the Offaly men, Tynan central to a number of their plays.

The scores were level again on 23 minutes, the result of a penalty try converted by Tynan, Roscrea having loitered on the Gonzaga line.

Roscrea were in control, a strong last-ditch tackle by Gonzaga’s Thomas Costello preventing a 31st-minute try via Jack Canning after Brian Diffley’s cute lay-off.

Roscrea led 15-10 at half-time with a richly deserved try a minute before the break, prop Michael Milne bursting over the line after further pressure.

They picked up right from where they left off after the restart, Gonzaga failing to make any gains into the opposition territory.

Second-half substitute Jack Culligan grabbed Roscrea’s first try of the second period three minutes after making his introduction, lunging his long frame over the Gonzaga line.

Conor Kelly added the conversion to give the Offaly college a 12-point lead, having switched their kicker after Tynan had missed a first-half penalty and conversion.

The Ross continued to dominate in every area of the pitch, Gonzaga failing to contest the lineout in any purposeful manner.

Roscrea finally added to their tally on 62 minutes, Joe Murphy going into the corner after Gonzaga were stretched, Tynan providing the lay-off for Murphy’s try.

This came just after Murphy and captain Simon Meagher were both held up on the line in two separate plays as Roscrea searched for that third try.

Gonzaga scrum-half Rob Kelly sprinted from halfway for a breakaway try with four minutes left, but it couldn’t paper over the dominance of Roscrea’s display.

Scorers for Roscrea: Tries: Milne, Penalty Try, Culligan, Murphy; Conversions: Tynan, Kelly; Penalty: Tynan.

Scorers for Gonzaga: Tries: Browne, Kelly; Conversions: O’Kennedy, James; Penalty: O’Kennedy

CC Roscrea: Alan Tynan , Daniel Keane, Philip O’Shea (Ben Hyland 43), Sam Hastings, Joe Murphy, Rory Gaffney (Conor Kelly 14), Keith Kavanagh (Darragh Treacy 67), Michael Mine (Finbarr Crowley 67), Eoghan Maher (Cathal Walsh 67), Dylan Murphy, Fineen Wycherley, Aaron Murphy, Brian Diffley, Jack Canning (Jack Culligan 43), Simon Meagher

Replacements not used: Ryan Lomas, Aaron Brown.

Gonzaga College: Sean Galvin, David Lynch (Alex Caslin 51), Harry Brennan, Barry Goulding (Frank McHugh 70), Adam Browne, Micheal O’Kennedy, Rob Kelly, Fiachra Keane (Simon Clear 55), Alex McEvoy, Evin Coyle, Shane Dempsey (Harry O’Grady 9) Enda Ryder, Conor Farrell, Jack MacNamara, Thomas Costello

Replacements not used: Rory O’Donnell, Conor MacMahon, Oran James, Jack Mulcahy.

Referee: Gary Glennon

Leinster SCT semi-final draw

  • Clongowes Wood v CC Roscrea
  • Blackrock College/Belvedere College v St. Michaels

QUIZ: Can you recognise these players from Ireland-France 90s rugby games?

Author
View 6 comments
Close
6 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Eoghan O'Sullivan
    Favourite Eoghan O'Sullivan
    Report
    Feb 11th 2016, 8:39 PM

    Roscrea town is in Tipperary but Cistercian College Roscrea is just inside Offaly. Roscrea is the closest town to the school, hence the name.

    48
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Dooley
    Favourite David Dooley
    Report
    Feb 11th 2016, 10:21 PM

    Finally someone who understands

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brian Les
    Favourite Brian Les
    Report
    Feb 11th 2016, 11:01 PM

    My auld one could throw a stone from the front gate into tipp

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Darren Collins
    Favourite Darren Collins
    Report
    Feb 11th 2016, 11:22 PM

    I love how much Roscrea have come on in the last few years. Great to have a fresh face in Leinster schools rugby.

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Donnacadh Hurley
    Favourite Donnacadh Hurley
    Report
    Feb 11th 2016, 8:30 PM

    Roscrea is in Offaly?

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute gary sheehan
    Favourite gary sheehan
    Report
    Feb 11th 2016, 8:35 PM

    But roscrea school is in tip. Inception

    3
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.