Coghlan turns tide for holders

CONOR GILSENAN’S Clongowes Wood College will be molten hot favourites to complete back-to-back Powerade Leinster Schools Senior titles for the first time in their history at the RDS on St Patrick’s Day.

St Michael’s had been seen as the greatest threat to the team who beat them in last year’s decider and they put up one hell of a fight before bowing out in yesterday’s Donnybrook semi-final.

Early on, it looked like it could be a ‘diamond’ day as St Michael’s full-back Cameron Diamond shot through for tries in the 19th and 35th minutes to first sling-shot them into a 5-3 lead and then to 12-10 in first-half injury-time.

Blindside Dan Leavy’s rocking hit on the restart forced a penalty which St Michael’s captain Luke McGrath pounded over from the left.

However, the intervention of Clongowes number eight Jordan Coghlan, the most influential player of the game, turned the tie in the 45th minute as he touched down for an unconverted try which tied the scores.

Within the space of three minutes, the contest was put to bed by the champions.

First, centre Conor Joyce withstood a hit to offload to Jamie Glynn, angling his run perfectly, to score in the 53rd minute.

Then, Coghlan brushed aside three tackles down the left touchline to go over for the clincher.

Clongowes full-back Harry Burns lunged in at the left corner for his side’s fifth try.

Dangerous St Michael’s right-wing Mark Corballis got his due reward for his efforts with a consolation try that will have done little to soften the blow of bowing out.

Scorers for Clongowes: J Coghlan 2 tries, H Burns, D Quirke, J Glynn try each, C Mahony pen, 3 cons.

Scorers for St Michael’s: C Diamond 2 tries, M Corballis try, L McGrath pen, con.

CLONGOWES WOOD: H Burns; G Murray, J Glynn, C Joyce, C Mahony; D Quirke, C McQuaid; G Frayne, B Byrne, E Byrne, B Phelan, T Byrne, N McCarthy, C Gilsenan (capt), J Coghlan.

Replacements: D Kennedy for McCarthy 29; P Timmins for Phelan 50; S Fromm for Mahony 67; T Collis for E Byrne 68.

ST MICHAEL’S: C Diamond; M Corballis, R O’Loughlin, R Kavanagh, C Kelleher; B Holland, L McGrath (capt); A Barr, J Headon, J Lawless, M O’Neill, D Lawler, D Leavy, A Murphy, C Daly.

Replacements: T O’Connell for Barr ht; B Butler for Holland 62; R O’Neill for Headon, R Byrne for McGrath both 67.

Referee: A Rogan (Leinster Branch).