#4 Fineen Wycherley

Cistercians College Roscrea Leinster Schools Champions 2015

#4 Fineen Wycherley SCT 2015

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Roscrea survive late onslaught to earn second bite Cistercian Roscrea 8 Newbridge College 8 In the end it was probably just about the right result but Roscrea will certainly be the more relieved to have survived this tense, hardfought second semi-final at Donnybrook.

Had out-half Tim Murphy or left wing Colm Stapleton made the try line in the dying minutes following a almighty attacking surge, it would not have flattered Newbridge in the least.

In general, the Kildare school were the more balanced, more energetic and more adventurous of two hugely committed sides looking to take the penultimate step and with it a tilt at Belvedere in the St Patrick’s Day final.

Roscrea took up where they left off against Blackrock in the previous round, keeping Newbridge hemmed inside their own 22 in the opening quarter.

The Newbridge defence was heroic in that period with Tom O’Neill, Robert Buckley and Patrick Ryan prominent when keeping the much-vaunted Roscrea maul at bay.

Not alone did they succeed in defusing the surges of Liam Walsh, Dylan Maher, Aaron Browne, Dan Trayers and the rest but just five minutes in a magnificent Jake Howlett break saw the outside centre streak clear from deep inside his own half before finding skipper and fellow centre Jimmy O’Brien alongside in support for the latter to race in next to the posts for the game’s opening try.

Roscrea continued to apply the pressure but again, on only their second sortie into opposition territory, it was hugely influential Newbridge scrum-half Colm Doyle stretching the lead to eight by way of a well-struck penalty with 16 minutes gone.

Suddenly, Roscrea appeared rattled as Newbridge, with O’Brien, Doyle, Buckley and impressive hooker Conor Johnson leading the way, took that well-earned eight-point lead into the break.

It was imperative Roscrea registered the next score and they did when centre and captain Tim Foley landed a penalty from just to the left of the Newbridge posts.

Then 12 minutes into the second half following good lead-up play

by Trayers (a towering presence throughout), Alan Tynan and both props Walsh and Maher culminated in Keith Kavanagh (left) being the last to emerge from a final rumble at the corner. Foley was just short with the attempted conversion and from there to the end it was nip and tuck all the way.

Foley almost crossed in the same corner for Roscrea before Newbridge turned defence into attack, covering the length of the Donnybrook pitch for Murphy, and then Stapleton, to almost take it at the death.

So both schools live to fight again with Roscrea, we suspect, by far the happier.

Roscrea overcome weight of history against Blackrock 2015 the year of the underdog as south Dublin behemoth go the way

of St Michael’s Cistercians College Roscrea 17 Blackrock College 14 “We have to beat them once,” roared the elderly father (or grandfather), his thick country accent rising into the Donnybrook rafters as, this time, finally, Roscrea refuse to be held to ransom by the pillars of history and tradition.

“Right lads, last throw of the dice – all together now!”

He’s gone hoarse. His nerves, and those of all around him, are shot.

Blackrock, the dominant force in Leinster schools rugby since 1887, seemed a sure bet to capture their third successive title after Clongowes Wood lowered St Michael’s flag last Sunday.

But, clearly, form is irrelevant this season.

And so, to the moment rugby folk associated with Cistercians College in Roscrea will never forget. Nor should they.

Entrenching themselves close to Blackrock’s try line, they batter away with herculean performances from number eight Dan Trayers and prop Dylan Murphy. The others, well drilled to a man, follow in behind.

Thrice they crank the lineout maul into gear. Twice Blackrock repel them but when Hugo Kean makes the ultimate sacrifice – blatantly killing the ball in the hope that referee Seán Gallagher won’t sin-bin the team captain - the scales shift away from history and tradition.

Gallagher has had an honest game. He knows what he saw. Kean walks.

Those up from the Tipperary border town, which rubs off Offaly and Laois, roundly agree with the yellow card as Tim Foley, Roscrea’s multi-talented centre, nudges the ball into touch again.

Foley has missed four kicks at goal. None were easy but he will never forgive himself for such uncharacteristic inaccuracy should they lose.

That, in truth, is what has Blackrock clinging to this 14-10 lead, constructed by Gavin Mullin (son of Brendan) galloping clear on 31 minutes. A fit again James McGowan added the extras and at this juncture Blackrock are living up to their regal reputation.

What a try it was. A team littered with fourth and fifth years, under-16 Patrick Patterson raced clear before offloading to the best player on the field. That Blackrock flanker Roghan McMahon can lay claim to this title is some achievement (his phenomenal performance can only be compared to Richie McCaw). On McMahon carried ‘Rock’s flowing attack with Kyle Dixon rewarding Mullin’s sumptuous running line with a beautifully disguised pass.

Such pace and precision, leading 14-5 at half-time, Peter Smyth’s charges look nailed on for a 69th title.

Roscrea actually drew first blood when Matty Keane powered through a chink in Blackrock’s normally ironclad defensive wall.

Foley couldn’t find his range with that or three more shots off the kicking tee.

Keane, superb throughout, battered over to level matters on 15 minutes before McGowan eased them in front with the conversion.

But the game swayed on little moments. Trayers was rampant throughout, stopping Rock’s most dangerous attacker Steven Kilgallen with a ferocious tackle, while Murphy and Rob Wharton were rattling bones everywhere they went. They tracked the pristine surface like hunters possessed by the scent of a wounded animal.

Blackrock lock Dan Mullane was forced ashore with what looked concussion but the real damage came when Conor Dean’s shoulder denied the brilliant outhalf an arena made for his skills. The champions never recovered from the loss of Paul Dean’s son.

They did survive the sin-binning of McMahon, for a tip tackle, and even opened a decent lead.

Things changed with Alan Tynan’s sensational contribution in the 48th minute. The Roscrea outhalf launched the ball into the heavens, McGowan fumbled, Tynan gathered and took off. Kilgallen caught him but was fended away as Roscrea’s 10 slammed the ball down in the right corner.

Foley missed the conversation to ensure that another try was needed.

Next, Tynan heroically leapt over Leinster backrow Caelan Doris.

That confirmed the momentum shift as Blackrock slipped into survival mode; the Roscrea people sensed the chance, the once in a lifetime chance.

The monstrous teenagers on the field, however, are unaware of history, they just knew they have the south Dublin boys’ number.

“Right lads, last throw – all together now!”

Eoin Maher finds Trayers as a tiring seven-man Blackrock pack are unable to halt the flawless technique, low shoulders, rumbling leg drive.

Gallagher is in position to award the try as Murphy climbs to his feet with the ball. Coach Pieter Swanepoel discovers that time is up.

He tells his players as Foley, of course, puts the conversion square between the posts. Down comes the curtain.

Power prevailed with Smyth, Blackrock’s coach, giving the victors their due: “Better team won. It had to end sometime,” he says of an unbeaten run stretching back to 2012.

You lose the same way you win. Blackrock will come again but there’s no reason why 2015 can’t be the year Roscrea etches their name into these history books. It’s long overdue.

“I played and lost here to Brendan Mullin’s Blackrock team in 1982,” says one of many teary eyed pitch invaders. “We had never beaten them. Until now!

“That’s why it means so much.”

And always will.

Scoring sequence – 4 mins: M Keane try, 5-0; 15 mins: H Kean try, 5-5; J McGowan conv, 5-7; G Mullin try, 5-12; J McGowan conv, 5-14. Half-time. 47 mins: A Tynan try, 10-14; 70 mins: D Murphy try, 15-14; T Foley conv, 17-14

Cistercian College Roscrea 18 Belvedere College 11

Title number one. Cistercian College, Roscrea, they who dwell 250 yards inside the Offaly border with north Tipperary, powered their way to the Leinster Schools senior cup in front of a crowd of 7,950 at the RDS. It was deserved, if a little jittery, as this well coached band of brothers brought a three-year odyssey to its fitting conclusion.

For long stretches it looked like Belvedere’s cerebral decision makers, particularly scrumhalf Hugh O’Sullivan, would out-fox their notably bigger opponents.

The Navan teenager shredded Roscrea’s short side defence after just eight minutes to put winger Seán Long over. The execution was coldly accurate as number eight Tom de Jongh picked off a wheeling scrum, fed O’Sullivan who dashed between two defenders before a perfect left to right pass.

In a second half change by Belvedere coach Phil Werahiko, O’Sullivan ended up at fullback. This seemed like a tactical error, that is, until we saw what Gregory O’Kelly could do from the base.

Roscrea were all over the place in the opening half hour, making at least three uncharacteristic handling errors as everything seemed a little rushed. That was until outhalf Alan Tynan calmed matters when clipping the ball over Belvedere’s rushing defensive line to force a five-metre scrum.

Up stepped big Dan Trayers. A backrow cum lock destined to end up in a provincial academy, Trayers scooped from the scrum before powering through Max Kearney and Conor Jennings while dragging De Jongh over the line with him.

Just as he did against Newbridge in the semi-final replay.

Tim Foley had already landed a penalty and while he missed that two-pointer his 75 per cent conversion rate was a dramatic improvement from this year’s winning captain. It mattered.

Belvedere, however, squared matters by half-time with a Jennings penalty that seemed ridiculously harsh on Roscrea. There was at least three Belvedere players off their feet at the ruck but referee Dudley Phillips saw it differently from point-blank range.

Belvedere, rank outsiders this season, but with most of their players returning in 2016, sensed their rare opportunity. Flanker Jess Iredale made four rumbling carries around another Jennings penalty that put them 11-8 ahead.

That was when Roscrea, as a collective, refused to lose just their fourth ever final appearance. They are a well coached side by Pieter Swanepoel, maintaining an impressive shape under pressure which ensured their most damaging carriers – Trayers, props Liam Walsh and Dylan Murphy, Fineen Wycherley– took ball to the line to create space for the backs to exploit.

Also, Mattie Keane, their openside, had another huge game before injury forced him ashore.

Daniel Keane’s try on 47 minutes essentially settled the contest.

It came off a slick skip pass by Foley to the game’s outstanding runner, fullback Tim Carroll, who deftly drew the last Belvedere defender before putting his winger over.

Foley converted and added a penalty on 55 minutes.

That was the last score but it shouldn’t have been. With three minutes remaining Belvedere, brave to the end, broke clear via a careering O’Kelly. His offload went to ground but Kearney scooped it up and was mere inches from the whitewash when felled by Brian Diffley’s heroic hand trip.

The ball broke free. Scrum five Cistercians.

The only stain on this captivating contest was the heavy handed work of match stewards as Roscrea fans attempted to get on the field afterwards. Leinster argued they are tenants at the RDS and avoiding injury was their main aim. A few young men, trying to embrace friends as the Roscrea team ran towards them, will have bruises this morning though. It all felt avoidable but insurance premiums dictate that the pitch invasions are seemingly a thing of the past.

That and the always condescending Public Address announcer demanding the crowd heed his every word stuck in the craw.

But it won’t have a long-lasting impact on Roscrea’s rapid ascent to the top of Leinster schools rugby. Not that this an overnight success.

They reached the 2011 final, losing heavily to an excellent Clongowes Wood side, while survivors from the 2013 semi-final played key roles here.

Men like Carroll, Rob Wharton and of course Trayers. Without the big number eight Roscrea wouldn’t have beaten Blackrock or Belvedere. Every player contributed when squeezing past Newbridge.

All cup winners know it is the sum of the parts that always matters. Sure, Diffley was only playing because of injury to Simon Meagher.

The champions sang ‘Stand By Me’ on the pitch afterwards. Fitting.

SCORING SEQUENCE – 9 mins: S Long try, 0-5; 20 mins: T Foley pen, 5-3; 32 mins: D Trayers try, 5-8; 35 mins: C Jennings pen, 8-8.

Half-time. 45 mins: C Jennings pen, 8-11; 48 mins: D Keane try, 13-11; T Foley con, 15-11; 56 mins: T Foley pen, 18-11.

CISTERCIAN COLLEGE ROSCREA: T Carroll; D Keane, R Wharton, T Foley (capt), J Murphy; A Tynan, K Kavanagh; L Walsh, E Maher, D Murphy; F Wycherley, A Browne; S Meagher, M Keane, D Trayers.

Replacements: B Diffley for S Meagher (41 mins), P Gavin for A Browne (64 mins), K Cahir for M Keane (68 mins).

Trayers thrills as Roscrea seal final berth at second bite Roscrea 20 Newbridge 19 A dominant first-half performance was enough to book Roscrea’s

place in the decider for the first time since 2011 Seventy minutes couldn’t separate the two sides in last week’s drawn semi-final and up until the dying seconds of yesterday’s pulsating clash at Donnybrook, the identity of Belvedere College’s final opponents hung in the balance.

In truth, neither Cistercian College Roscrea or Newbridge College deserved to lose but ultimately a dominant first-half performance was enough to book Roscrea’s place in the decider for the first time since 2011.

Roscrea were very much under the cosh for the majority of a second half - in which they failed to score a single point - but their disciplined defence repelled the relentless Newbridge attack.

Roscrea captain Tim Foley got his side off to an ideal start with an early penalty but Conor Johnson replied with a stunning try when he linked with Robert Buckley after a break from the impressive Brian Larkin.

Rampant That sparked a brilliant response from Roscrea who scored three tries in a rampant 10-minute spell.

Mattie Keane cut open the Kildare school’s defence and when he collected a perfectly weighted return pass from Simon Meagher, he got over the whitewash and Foley converted.

Dan Trayers has been one of the standout players in the competition so far and the powerful No 8 found himself on the end of a well-worked rolling maul to dot down.

Joe Murphy’s try proved to be Roscrea’s last score of the afternoon but it was crucial.

There was still time left for Newbridge to hit back with their second try through their captain Jimmy O’Brien - another exciting prospect - to leave his side trailing 20-12 at the break.

Newbridge played with the strong wind in the second half and despite dominating territory, they couldn’t make it count on the scoreboard.

Ruairi Cleary had a try ruled out for a marginal forward pass but there was no doubt about Howlett’s try 10 minutes from time.

O’Brien added the extras to leave just a point between the teams.

Just like they did last week, Roscrea had to withstand a late Newbridge onslaught but this time they did so to book their place in the St Patrick’s Day final

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15. Tim Carroll 14.Daniel Keane 13. Rob Wharton 12. Tim Foley (C) 11. Joe Murphy 10. Alan Tynan 9. Keith Kavanagh 1. Liam Walsh

2. Eoghan Maher 3. Dylan Murphy 4. Fineen Wycherley 5. AAron Browne 6. Simon Meagher 7. Mattie Keane 8. Dan Trayers (vc) 16. Paddy McKeon

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17. Michael Jordan 18. John Teahan Bourke 19. Peter Gavin 20. Brian Diffley 21. Kyle Cahir 22. Sean Kilgallen 23. Philip O’Shea