Wednesday, March 17, 2010
THE game took place all of 10 years ago but Rockwell’s defeat that day still pains Denis Leamy.
The occasion was the Munster Schools Senior Cup final at Musgrave Park between CBC and Rockwell. Well into the second half, Rockwell were well ahead and apparently in control but Christians came back with two late tries that turned the game and left the Tipperary boys and their supporters in a state of numbed shock.
"It is one game I don’t like to dwell on," says Leamy. "Rockwell had been in the doldrums at the time, I think it was 15 years since we had won the cup. We had won the junior in ‘97 and were making a bit of a name for ourselves and were well fancied to do well in the senior final in 2000.
"We thought we had them beaten and well beaten at one stage. I think we were leading by 10 points but they came back in the last 10 minutes and managed to get a couple of tries. I think the score was 26-19 and they won convincingly enough in the end except we had done everything right to win it and just didn’t have the know-how to close out a game. There was no way we should have lost."
That was a bitter disappointment for Rockwell and not least the former students of the famed Cashel academy who invariably turn up in large numbers whenever ‘Rock’ reach the final.
"To get to a final and waste the chance was very disappointing but at least they went on to win it the year after when they beat St Munchin’s in the final," he recalled.
"The thing that struck me on going to Rockwell for the first time and walking down the main hall was the pictures of all the senior cup teams. The tradition hits you straight away and how much rugby meant to the school.
"My brother Kevin is coaching the team this year and has been telling me all year that they were quietly confident. I didn’t watch them play until November against Blackrock and I have to say I wasn’t exactly overwhelmed with their performance.
"However, I saw them in the first round of the cup against St Munchin’s and the improvement in two months was frightening. They had great structure to their game and the lineout was a big thing for them. They have a couple of players like JJ Hanrahan at 10 who can direct a game. He didn’t have one of his better games against Castletroy but if he performs, Rockwell will go close to winning."
As ever, tradition means a huge amount to all old Rockwell boys and Leamy will be among the blue and white contingent this afternoon enthusiastically cheering the side on against PBC. Before that, though, he was meeting up with old schoolmates for a reunion in Limerick last night.
"They’re coming out of the woodwork all over," he enthuses. "I’ll get a great kick out of it. I still have a soft spot for the place. With my brother involved, I have a connection with the team again. There are three Leamy boys, Kevin, Eric and myself and we all went to the college but there isn’t a senior cup medal in our house."
Leamy, who is recovering from a cruciate knee injury, has played 43 times for his country and is a two-time Heineken Cup winner with Munster. He is unlikely to play again until next season. "I was on crutches for eight weeks and the knee wasted away so I am working that back up," he said.
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