Maurice Hickey Michaels SCT16 proof#2

Leinster Schools Senior Cup 2016

St. Michael’s College SCT gpfoto

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14-man Michael’s flex muscles to coast past Andrew’s in heated derby

Three tries handed the two-time winners a passage through to the quarter-finals.

Jan 26th 2016,

St Andrew’s College 7 St Michael’s College 25

FOR A SIGNIFICANT chunk of this heated contest, there was persuasive evidence to suggest St Andrew’s had enough about them to spring the competition’s first shock of 2016.

But St Michael’s, even with 14 men following the first-half dismissal of Oisin Dowling, flexed their considerable muscle to lay down a marker as they advanced through to the quarter-finals of the Leinster Schools Senior Cup. The game sparked into life after 17 minutes when Dowling, an Ireland U18 international, was shown red by referee Brian Montayne after the officials spent several minutes deliberating the outcome of an off-the-ball scuffle.

Andrew’s centre Peter Sullivan was sent to the sin-bin for his involvement but the sense of injustice only ignited Michael’s as they ran in two tries before the break.

With a firm stranglehold on proceedings, the two-time winners extended their advantage through Barry Fitzpatrick’s boot shortly after the break.

Jordan Larmour’s try gave Andrew’s hope but even with a numerical advantage left themselves with too much work to do as Michael’s closed out the game to book their place in Friday’s draw.

The Ailesbury Road school didn’t look as convincing in the first period when their indiscipline could have cost them dearly.

On this occasion, however, Andrew’s, who have enjoyed a resurgence in the last few years, weren’t able to make them pay as their promising season was cut short at the first hurdle.

Michael’s buckled under the favourite’s tag twelve months ago but weren’t prepared to stumble this time around as they clicked into gear after an opening quarter riddled with mistakes.

Up until Jake Kelly’s opening try, Andrew’s had stood firm in defence but the pressure eventually told as the Michael’s captain stormed in under the posts.

The crucial score came minutes before half-time as out-half

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Ian O’Kelly forced his way over in the corner to stamp his side’s authority on the game.

Andrew’s, to their credit, kept going and produced a spirited response as the hugely impressive Larmour dotted down after a period of sustained pressure from the Booterstown outfit.

But it was too little, too late as Dan O’Donovan’s late intercept try sealed the win for Michael’s and a passage through to the next round.

St Andrews’s scorers: Tries: Jordan Larmour Penalties: Conversions: Peter Sullivan St Michael’s scorers: Tries: Jack Kelly, Ian O’Kelly, Dan O’Donovan Penalties: Barry Fitzpatrick, Harry Byrne Conversions: Barry Fitzpatrick, Harry Byrne St Andrew’s College: 15. Joe McDonagh, 14. Dougie Burns (Reece Jordan 63), 13. Jordan Larmour (captain), 12. Peter Sullivan, 11. Stephen Keane, 10. Sean Ballance, 9. Adam Larmour; 1. Rian O’Flaherty, 2. Harry McCarthy (Nick Judge 55), 3. David Wilson, 4. Ben Ryan, 5. Will Holland (Dagan Morris 31), 6. Harry O’Byrne-Cullinane, 7. Ben Nolke (Rory Simmington 61), 8. Zola Henry.

Replacements not used: 17. Jack O’Brien, 19. Ben Crowley, 20. Andrew Vincent, 23. James Meier.

St Michael’s College: 15. Jack Kelly (captain), 14. Jeff O’Loughlin (Dan O’Donovan 50), 13. James Hickey, 12.

David Ryan (Harry Byrne 38), 11. Michael Heaney (Michael Roche 63), 10. Ian O’Kelly, 9. Tomas Killeen (Peter O’Beirne 38); 1. Ronan Kelleher (Milo O’Donahoe 60), 2. Stephen Judge (Max Kennedy 60), 3. Samuel Griffin (Luke Duffy 60), 4, Ryan Baird, 5. Jack Duane (Andrew Courtney 54), 6. Oisin Dowling, 7. Scott Penny, 8. Barry Fitzpatrick.

Referee: Brian Montayne (IRFU).

Jack Kelly leads St Michael’s into semi-finals

Fullback the star performer as St Michael’s cut loose at Donnybrook Mon, Feb 8, 2016, 17:19 Updated: Mon, Feb 8, 2016, 17:55

Jack Kelly of S. Michaels’ runs in their fourth try of the game.

St Michael’s College 29 Terenure College 14 The anticipation of the first Bank of Ireland Leinster Schools Senior Cup quarter-final was over almost as soon as the game begun as St Michael’s four-try blitz had Terenure reeling at Donnybrook on Monday.

The game was as good as gone for ‘Nure when they slumped out to a 24-point deficit on the back of beautifully constructed back play.

It was all predicated on a ball winning machine from a number of rangy athletic forwards, like Oisin Dowling, freed to play from a red card in the first round, Jack Dunne and Ryan Baird, backed up by the powerful running of Barry Fitzpatrick and grafting flanker Scott Penny, who always had his nose in the dirt.

The platform was there right from the initial meaty exchanges. The question of how St Michael’s would use their possession was soon answered when Jack Kelly’s angle onto the ball was supplemented by an arcing break that was a thing of beauty.

This was matched by Fitzpatrick’s simply designed one-two with his left wing Christopher Carey for the number eight glide away to the left corner.

Centre Ian O’Kelly’s muscular burst was completed by a laboured grounding for referee Brian MacNiece to calmly take his time in coming to a decision. It was try time again.

Terenure were in a spin and Kelly irresistibly came again to make profit out of a nice variation on the trademark Leinster wrap-around using outhalf Harry Byrne as a decoy rather than the link man.

Byrne converted the third and fourth to have Terenure staring down the barrel of a humiliation.

They had to find something of note from somewhere to keep St Michael’s in check.

Flanker Conor O’Sullivan cut a fine line and lock Adam Melia took up a handy position to drive low to the posts for scrumhalf Mark Fabian’s extras to make it 24-7 at the break.

The strong, gusting wind in Terenure’s sails meant they would have front-foot ball. They just couldn’t do enough with it.

They opted for the boot to get inside the 22. It was fine for position. But, not much else came out of it despite the decent work by centre Stevie Barry and scrumhalf Mark Fabian.

St Michael’s were comfortable keeping the ball in hand and Fitzpatrick was central in sending centre James Hickey speeding into the right corner.

There ensued a never-say-die approach to the gain line as ‘Nure captain Jack Dignam drove new standards.

His back row colleague O’Sullivan kept getting off the floor for work and prop Jack Boyden’s outstretched hand claimed a second try in the final quarter.

From there, there was urgency from Terenure without the finesse to dress it up. Left wing Zak Vaughan looked the part.

Jacob Henry-Hayes offered to carry in a losing cause.

St Michael’s were content to play down the clock, though they lost Byrne to injury in what could be a blow for the semi-final.

St Michael’s: J Kelly (capt); M Heaney, J Hickey, I O’Kelly, C Carey; H Byrne, T Killeen; R Kelleher, S Judge, S Griffin, R Baird, J Dunne, O Dowling, S Penny, B Fitzpatrick. Replacements: J O’Loughlin for Carey 39 mins; D Ryan for Byrne, M O’Donohoe for Griffin both 43 mins; P O’Beirne for Killeen 52 mins; M Kennedy for Judge, L Duffy for Kelleher, A Courtney for Dunne all 62 mins.

Terenure: J Murphy; C Collins, S Barry, T O’Donoghue, Z Vaughan; M Kirwan, M Fabian; J Boyden, J Henry-Hayes, S Collins, R Byrne, A Melia, J Clarkin, C O’Sullivan, J Dignam (capt). Replacements: J O’Hare for Byrne 4 mins; J Cadell for Clarkin 33 mins; A la Grue for Kirwan, C Ashmore for C Collins both 47 mins; S Patchell for S Collins 50 mins; C Cahill for Fabian 57 mins; H O’Neill for Henry-Hayes, R McGrath for Melia both 62 mins.

Referee: B MacNiece, Leinster Branch.

Hat-trick hero McKeown gives Belvo another shot at glory Belvedere 36 St Michael’s 22 Tony Ward Published 04/03/2016 | 02:30

4 Belvedere and St Michael’s players battle for possession during their Leinster School Senior Cup semi-final yesterday.

For the second year running it will be a black and white final as Belvedere vindicated their status as favourites when deservedly getting the better of St Michael’s at Donnybrook yesterday.

The Great Denmark Street school will now meet Roscrea in a repeat of the 2015 decider.

While in the end it took a couple of opportunist tries, with Michael’s chasing the game, to seal the deal, Belvo again appeared the most complete unit in the competition.

It would be wrong to suggest there are no stand-out individuals but certainly the many and varied components equal the sum of the parts, and for that Phil Werahiko and his coaching staff deserve immense credit.

Michael’s sensibly put width on the ball in attempting to set the classy Jack Kelly free, but in truth despite an end-to-end second half, Belvo always looked in control.

That is no slight on Michael’s in attack but a reflection of the quality and strength in depth of Belvo.

They went ahead in the tenth minute, when the dangerous James McKeown took a clever inside ball, slicing through the Michael’s defence before trading passes with Hugh O’Sullivan in a race to the line. Conor Jennings converted.

Harry Byrne and Jennings exchanged penalties before the livewire Paraic Cagney crossed for a try in the 24th minute, with Jennings again adding the extras with authority for a 17-3 lead.

The ten minutes that followed proved the match-determining spell with Belvo establishing a huge psychological advantage when defending their line relentlessly in the vital lead-in to the break.

Michael’s were playing well and with adventure, yet Belvo held them at bay until the break, and then asserted their dominance on the resumption.

Left wing Jeff O’Loughlin pulled off a try saving tackle on Jennings after a David Hawkshaw break five mins into the second half but the respite was short-lived as Jennings’ superb attacking line cut through the Michael’s defence for McKeown to cross again in the corner.

At 22-3 it was time for the Ailesbury Road school to throw caution to the wind, and they fought back valiantly, with Kelly and No 8 Barry Fitzpatrick crossing for tries. Byrne converting one to narrow the gap to 22-15.

Michael’s were right back in it, but a long-range intercept try from O’Sullivan took the wind out of their sails.

They responded with a score from workaholic lock Jack Dunne, but another intercept try, this time by McKeown (for his hat trick) with Jennings again converting - secured victory for Belvo.

Belvedere - H O’Sullivan; J McKeown, C Jennings, H Sexton, P Maher; D Hawkshaw, P Cagney (F Flood); D McCaffrey (C Molloy), C Galvin (S Osborne), C Wynne-Walsh; H Fenlon (J Robinson), B Egan (Captain); S McNulty (F Smith), M Kearney (J Iredale), T De Jongh.

St Michael’s - J Kelly (Captain); M Heaney, J Hickey, I O’Kelly (D Ryan), J O’Loughlin (D O’Donovan); H Byrne, T Killeen (P O’Beirne); R Kelleher (M Kennedy), S Judge (L Duffy), S Griffin (M O’Donahoe); R Baird (A Courtney), J Dunne; O Dowling, S Penny (M Roche), B Fitzpatrick.

Ref - J Carvill (Leinster Referees).

Irish Independent

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St Michael’s College 15. Jack Kelly, 14. Michael Heaney, 13. James Hickey, 12.Ian O’Kelly, 11 Jeff O’ Loughlin, 10. Harry Byrne, 9. Tomas Killeen, 1. Ronan Kelleher, 2. Stephen Judge, 3. Sam Griffin, 4. Ryan Baird, 5. Jack Dunne, 6. Oisin Dowling, 7. Scott Penny, 8. Barry Fitzpatrick David Ryan, Dan O’ Donovan, Peter O’ Beirne , Milo O’ Donohoe, Luke Duffy, Max Kennedy, Michael Roche, Andrew Courtney

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