#6 Will Conners

Clongowes Wood College SCT 2014 Bicentenary year.

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Oliver tour de force drives Blackrock to retain crown Blackrock 22 Clongowes 17 Tony Ward – Published 17 March 2014 02:30 AM To Blackrock the cup and with it a record extending to a 68th title, but to Clongowes a lion’s share of the plaudits for making this another final to remember.

It was slow to get going, but once it did we were treated to precisely what we expected – another riveting rip-roaring contest in which the marginally better team on the day, but most complete in the competition overall, eventually emerged victorious.

The Williamstown school started with the advantage of what seemed a significant wind in the early stages and immediately set up camp deep in Clongowes territory.

But despite ‘Rock dominating field position for most of the opening half hour, the purple and white’s control at picking, popping and driving close to the fringe of scrum, ruck and maul– with Rowan Osborne the catalyst – kept the eventual victors at bay.

SENSIBLE Simple and sensible tactics from Clongowes almost saw them make it through to the break without conceding a point, despite having their line crossed twice in the opening quarter.

First, following a Sean Kearns kick to the corner and a Conor Oliver line-out take and drive, the referee deemed the ball to have been held up with Oliver (the game’s outstanding individual) at the heart of this and most everything ‘Rock tried for the rest of the afternoon.

And then in the 12th minute Tristan Brady, Kearns and Jack Power (another to leave his stamp all over this final) seemed to have paved the way for Zach O’Hagan to cross for the opening try in the corner, but referee Gary Conway rightly referred to the TMO who deemed the final pass forward.

Clongowes appeared caught in a vicelike grip, but their superb scrambling and scavenging defence, plus Fergal Cleary’s sensible use of the grubber, ensured the frustration built even further for the defending champions. Then, in the blink of an eye, two brilliant Blackrock tries.

The first came on the half-hour mark when another Kearns’ kick to the corner and attempted follow-up maul was repelled, only for the livewire Oliver to steal away almost unnoticed up the blindside for a cleverly executed opening try. Kearns converted from close to the touchline and within minutes added a second. In a pre-rehearsed move, Power shifted from the right side of the field to left following a scrum in midfield and it was his side-step and timely offload to the supporting Hugo Keenan that presented the opportunity for the latter’s twinkling footwork to see him in. This left them with a hard-earned 14-point lead.

Then, within a minute, on a very rare sortie into ‘Rock territory Alan Hughes slotted a penalty from close to the 10-metre line for a very welcome psychological boost for Clongowes going in at the break.

No sooner had the game resumed than the influential Cleary (following another discussion with the TMO) was awarded his side’s opening try to the right of the posts. Hughes converted and, at 14-10, it was game on.

In the 52nd minute it got even better still for Clongowes when James Lappin, Hughes, Cillian Burke and Cian O’Donoghue interchanged passes for the latter to race in. Hughes again converted for a three-point lead (17-14), having trailed by 14 just a minute before half-time.

But cometh the hour in a cracking contest and following a Kearns penalty in the 56th minute to level it up, Nick Timoney was accredited the touchdown following another athletic Oliver line-out take and driving maul.

But there was still one huge contribution to be made by the ‘Rock defence, when, on their own line in the final minute, again it was the irrepressible Oliver competing for possession and in the process completing a final cup-sealing act.

The perfect 10 from 10 record in finals between the schools was complete

and the ‘Rock reaction at the final whistle said it all.

Blackrock – J Carberry; Z O’Hagan, J Power, I Kinsley, H Keenan; S Kearns, T Brady; D Fitzpatrick, H Keane, J Loughman; D O’Connor, J Dwan; C Dorris, C Oliver, N Timoney (capt).

Clongowes – A Hughes; J Lappin (D Kiely 60), C Mulcahy, C Burke, C O’Donoghue; F Cleary (capt), R Osborne; N Rinklin, J Molony, J Inglis (D O’Leary 58) ; C Gleeson, J Kennedy; W Connors, J Pim, S McVeigh.

Ref – G Conway (Leinster RR)

McVeigh leads Clongowes past dogged St Andrew’s Clongowes 27 St Andrew’s 12 Tony Ward – Published 05 March 2014 02:30 AM To Clongowes the spoils and with it a place in the St Patrick’s Day showdown, but to St Andrew’s a lion’s share of the praise for a rivetting match at Donnybrook.

Unquestionably the stronger side playing the more compact, better controlled rugby deservedly won their way through, but far from rolling over, the Booterstown school provided a searching examination of a Clongowes group with clear cup-winning intention.

And with holders Blackrock next up, the sheer physicality of this semi-final will certainly stand to the Clane school.

In Stephen McVeigh they had a real forward leader. The No 8 imposed himself on the game more than anyone else. Wherever he went the rest followed, with flanker Josh Pim particularly conspicuous when hoovering up any loose ball. To that add the conviction with which skipper Fergal Cleary pulled the strings, allied to Cian O’Donoghue’s finishing, and the key pieces are clearly in place.

Skipper Greg Jones led from the front for St Andrew’s but it was lock Jonny Guy who really caught the eye, while out-half Jack Balbirnie shone and right-wing Jordan Larmour, on limited opportunity, again looked the emerging talent he assuredly is.

SOLITARY The first quarter was spent almost entirely in St Andrew’s territory but a solitary Alan Hughes penalty in the 14th minute was all the purple and whites had to show for such domination.

The score of the half went to St Andrew’s – and what a try it was. It came in the 24th minute. After a quick line-out throw to full-back Andrew Fogarty caught Clongowes lapsing, Larmour and Fogarty interchanged passes in a sweeping run culminating in the full-back crossing. Balbirnie converted as the blue and whites led 7-3 at the break.

Clongowes coach Noel McNamara certainly got his half-time message across, as second-half tries from Pim (38 mins), O’Donoghue (62) and McVeigh (71) sealed a place in the final, with Hughes converting all three and adding a 47th-minute penalty.

To their credit, St Andrew’s finished with the type of resilience they had shown all game when, fittingly, the outstanding Guy forced his way over for his side’s second try deep into injury-time.

It may have been too little far too late but this St Andrew’s group did themselves and their school proud.

O’Donoghue magic crushes Belvo hopes Leinster Schools Senior Cup - Clongowes 26 Belvedere 14 Tony Ward – Published 10 February 2014 02:30 AM Clongowes took the bragging rights – and a place in the last four – following

a highly entertaining encounter with great rivals Belvedere at Donnybrook.

The Great Denmark Street school started well but good work from Daniel O’Leary when charging down an attempted kick on the halfway line saw fellow forward Conor Gleeson galloping for the corner.

From the resultant ruck just metres short, outstanding skipper Fergal Cleary released Cillian Burke and the centre drew the last defender before releasing full-back Alan Hughes for the opening try.

The same player added the extras and then followed with a penalty to give his side a 10-0 lead after 10 minutes.

Belvo struck back four minutes later. Hooker Jack Hutchinson was the last to emerge from a sea of bodies over the Clongowes’ line after an impressively orchestrated maul. Conor Jennings converted to narrow the gap to three.

But this is an impressive Clongowes unit and they quickly stepped on the gas.

Hughes again stretched the lead with a penalty in the 25th minute. That and a smartly taken Joshua Pim try seven minutes later gave them an 18-7 lead at the break.

Almost immediately upon the restart Hughes, with another penalty, stretched the lead to 14 (21-7), but with Jennings probing the touchline well, a slick Adam Foy pass following a well-worked ploy off the tail of the line-out saw the inspirational Ciaran Clifford crossing for Belvo. Jennings converted, and at 21-14 with 20 minutes still to go, it was game on.

But it took a piece of Cian O’Donoghue magic to seal the deal as he slalomed in from the blind on the ‘22’, and taking a clever inside pass at full tilt, cut the Belvo defence apart.

It was a stunning line-break and wrapped up the match. Belvo’ gave it their all to the final whistle, but victory and with it a place in the semi-finals ultimately went where it was most deserved. On this impressive evidence, it’s going to take a very good side to beat Clongowes.

Classy O’Donoghue on the double as Clongowes send Kilkenny packing Clongowes Wood 34 Kilkenny College 15 Published 30 January 2014 02:30 AM Ireland Schools coach Noel McNamara’s Clongowes Wood had to shake off the biting cold and their own inaccuracies to overcome Kilkenny at NUIM Maynooth.

It was a stop-start affair, with wing James Lappin’s third-minute try putting the Clane school in front.

Kilkenny made their own luck from a Clongowes ‘22’ for centre Dylan Kelso to snatch a try, captain Craig Miller converting for 7-5.

Clongowes produced the best try of the game from wing Cian O’Donoghue, but Miller hit back with a penalty to make it 12-10.

The binning of Clongowes captain Fergal Cleary could have been a way back into the lead for Kilkenny; instead, Cleary returned without a point conceded before Alan Hughes kicked a penalty and No 8 Mark Jones pounced for a try to make it 20-10 at half-time.

O’Donoghue’s strength in the tackle and Cleary’s eye for space created the opening for lock Jake Kennedy to go over after the break and O’Donoghue scored a fifth try late on ahead of Jason Melbourne’s fine consolation.

Autographs

Clongowes Wood College Bicentenary year.

On Wednesday May, 18th 1814, young Master James McLornan from the Glens of Antrim made the long journey south to the plains of Kildare and the newly established Jesuit school, just north of Clane. There he was met and welcomed by Fr Peter Kenney SJ, Rector of the fledgling Jesuit community, who escorted him through the doors of the castle and into the pages of history as the first student to enrol in the newly founded Clongowes Wood College.

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