Junior A Schools Cup Final Match Report

Connacht Schools Junior Cup Final

Marist College                                    31

(Adam Peter Murphy, John Finnan, Myles Fallon tries; penalty try; Darragh Murray one pen, three cons) 

Sligo Grammar School                29

(Gavin Hewson, Kenneth Kalu, Aron Martin, Seán Cashell, Kelvin Kalu tries; Ollie Isherwood two cons).

Kevin Egan at Ballyhaunis RFC

The tiny margins that make all the difference in sport were in evidence again in Ballyhaunis this afternoon, where Marist College completed a Senior and Junior Schools Cup double by the narrowest of margins, the contest hinging on a late conversion from Ollie Isherwood that drifted a couple of yards the wrong side of the near post.

In a contest that was nothing like the tense and defensive 15-15 tie in Ballina a fortnight ago, the sharpness of the strike runners on both sides was in evidence. Sligo Grammar School also brought a powerful lineout maul to the table, while Marist had a little bit more power in the scrum, as well as Darragh Murray’s edge off the tee, nailing four of his five opportunities.

Isherwood was very impressive kicking from the hand and his ability to cover huge tracts of ground was a trump card, particularly the 50/22 that set up Aron Martin’s try early in the second half, but two conversions on five tries was no less significant.

Last time out there were very few opportunities for the talented backs on show to demonstrate their potency, but in the first ten minutes, it felt like Sligo Grammar full-back Kenneth Kalu had more metres gained than in the 60+ minutes of action in the drawn tie.

Marist didn’t heed the threat posed by the mercurial 15 after he ran back a couple of early kicks and at the third attempt he slalomed in for a score, hot on the heels of Gavin Hewson getting over at the end of a strong lineout maul.

Murray hit the target from a penalty in between to settle any Marist nerves and as they did on several occasions this afternoon, they leaned on their forward power to work their way back into the game.

Two attempts to drag down a Marist maul that was destined for the line led to referee Joe Gleeson awarding a penalty try after consultation with his officials, and by half-time Marist were 17-12 in front through Adam Peter Murphy’s close range try that came at the end of sustained pressure on the Sligo Grammar line.

That was the first of several times that the lead changed hands as what unfolded was a classic game of schools rugby that was full of attacking intent, with both teams throwing themselves into every phase.

Ollie Isherwood’s 50/22 kick early in the second half gave Grammar another lineout opportunity close to the Marist line and that led to Aron Martin scoring, but Marist showed great faith in their pack once again on their next attack, patiently working through the phases and stretching the Sligo Grammar defence, before eventually unleashing team captain John Finnan to explode through a gap and go under the posts from 30 metres out.

Babs Folorunso carried a platoon of Marist tacklers on his back as he took play up to the line and created the chance for Seán Cashell to barrel over, levelling at 24-24, albeit for less than 60 seconds. 

Myles Fallon took advantage to get behind his forward colleagues and crash over the line after Marist won the restart, with Murray splitting the posts from the left-hand side to push it out to a seven-point margin.

Sligo Grammar were never going to do anything other than empty themselves in search of salvation and they almost managed it too when Kelvin Kalu went over with three minutes remaining. The angle on the conversion was that bit too tricky, and in a game of inches, that made all the difference. 

 

MARIST COLLEGE: Pádraig O’Neill; Leandro Miranda, Conor Flynn, John Finnan, Rúairí O’Connor; Darragh Murray, Hugh Loftus; Michael Doolan, Callum McCormack, Peter Daniel Sunny; Aidan Costello, Jack McDonnell; Joseph McSharry, Myles Fallon, Adam Peter Murphy. 

Replacements: Brian Rourke for Costello (43), Fionn Cotton for McDonnell (48).

SLIGO GRAMMAR SCHOOL: Kenneth Kalu; Arnau Xirau-Oliver, Kelvin Kalu, Seán Cashell, Luke O’Connor; Ollie Isherwood, Matthew O’Grady; Sam Carnegie, Gavin Hewson, Evan Barrett O’Neill; Babs Folorunso, Eoghan Conboy; Max Wojtkowicz, Aron Martin, Theo Gately.    

Replacements: Ruben Clinch for Xirau-Oliver (24), Fintan Ryan for Conboy (40), Conboy for Ryan (45).

Referee: Joe Gleeson.