Blackrock pack hold off spirited effort

Blackrock College 20 St Michael’s College 13

Blackrock had to overcome the loss of the influential James Power in the 29th minute, who was stretchered off into an ambulance. Fortunately, his injuries are not thought to be as bad as originally feared.

The break in the game disrupted the momentum St Michael's had gradually built, thanks to some wonderful line-out work from Eric Sherlock and Tyrone McKilleen. However, they had only two Andrew Cumiskey penalties to show for their first half effort.

Cumiskey was the driving force behind the second half comeback. As well as some intelligent kicking to touch, he released Conor Cleary with an incisive reverse pass for a try. Cumiskey converted Cleary's try and with 20 minutes left and Michael's trailing 17-13, a slight upset looked on the cards.

With 12 minutes left, Cumiskey broke free from a maul and burst 40 yards but was grounded by two Blackrock forwards.

Blackrock were 12-0 up after only 13 minutes and although Cumiskey would later redeem himself, he made a mistake that led to Blackrock's first try.

In the sixth minute, he attempted to kick to touch, but Power charged him down, grabbed the ball and, drawing two Michael's defenders, passed the ball to Moran, who touched down in the corner.

Although Sherlock and McKilleen were ruling the line-outs, Michael's weren't as sharp in other areas, and in the 12th minute, Power's trickery cleared a path for Vasya Artemiev to go over in the corner. Artemieve added a second try before the break, running 40 yards past two tackles, and Blackrock led 17-6 at half-time.

It looked like Blackrock took their foot off the pedal in the second half, but in their first meaningful attack after the break, the ball was carefully worked out to Ian Madigan, who split the posts with a superb dropkick.

With just nine minutes remaining and a disheartening score line, the Michael's players refused to give in.

In a pulsating finale they threw themselves at the Blackrock line relentlessly, producing an effort that deserved a draw at the very least. Many Blackrock supporters paused to heave a massive sigh of relief at the end. They escaped, and they knew it and have their pack to thank for it.

BLACKROCK COLLEGE: L Fitzgerald, N Morris, F Moran, J Power, V Artemiev; I Madigan, D Moore; C Culleton, E Mullan, E O'Cuilleanian, P Ryan, B Crawley, Z Farvivarz, M Lynch, D O'Reilly(capt) Subs R Keaveny for Power (29 mins), B Johnston for Moore (46 mins)

ST MICHAEL'S COLLEGE: M Twomey; P Brophy, P Burke, C Cleary, F Kearney; A Cummiskey, D Ronan; D Mahony, R O'Hanrahan, R Burke Flynn; E Sherlock, R O' Connor; T McKillen, R Reilly, K Sheahan (capt) Referee: Ken Henley-Willis (IRFU)

A try each from number eight Stephen Boyle and Ireland U19 centre Max Rantz-McDonald helped Mount Temple to a 12-10 win over St Andrew's College in the Leinster Schools Vinnie Murray Senior Cup semi-final at Templeville Road yesterday, though St Andrew's almost snatched victory with two late drop goal attempts and a tricky injury-time penalty that went wide.