PREVIEW: BANK OF IRELAND LEINSTER SCHOOLS FR GODFREY JUNIOR CUP QUARTER-FINALS (to be played on Tuesday, January 19th).
Gorey CS v CBS Naas, Donnybrook 2.00pm
Naas CBS coach Patrick Maye has a few hard decisions to make ahead of their Bank of Ireland Fr Godfrey Cup quarter-final against Gorey Community School at Donnybrook
Eoin Duffy, Zak Hayes and Shane Doran are pushing to start due to the impact they made in the first round.
This is ironic as they were unsettled by the late withdrawal of three boys in their 17-nil win over Skerries.
Gorey are something of an unknown quantity on receipt of a bye in the first round.
They have made it through to the Duff Cup semi-final, yet to be played, by taking care of Salesian College and St Columba’s.
Mark Boyle, the younger brother of Leinster U19 number eight Paul, and their captain Sean Wafer, a forward, are their leaders in attitude.
Gorey (Possible): Cian Kenny; Alvaro Onieva, Mark Boyle, Greg Bolger, Flynn Donnelly; Mark Kehoe, Cormac Walsh; Cian Sullivan, Tommy Doyle, Pablo Onieva, Martin O’Loughlin, Nacho Farina, Alex Simpson, Sean Wafer, Jack Ryan.
Naas (Possible): Conor Kelly; Ben Noone, Andrew Whitaker, Jamie Osbourne, Cathal Humphreys; Adam Keating, Derry Lenihan; David Whitaker, James McGuiness, Sean Wall, Hugh Murray, Lorcan Mooney, Ryan Carter, Darragh O’Brien, Eoin Valentine.
St Fintan’s v High School, Donnybrook 4.00pm
Coach Glen Predy was content at the character and clarity shown by his boys to come from behind more than once in their 22-15 defeat of CUS last week.
Clearly, there is a strong bond among this bunch and they have capable players in captain Sam Donohoe, openside Shane Cox and centre Conor Hickey, their match winner in the first round.
In fact, they will enter the arena against High School, a collective which showed many of the same qualities in their 10-8 edging out of De La Salle Churchtown.
It all came down to the bravery of their defence as Salle’s much larger forwards battered at the door without ever opening it in the final minutes.
Out-half Cormac Dempsey-Lerchundi and flanker Rory Browne gave them the lift they needed to drive home their territorial advantage in the first three quarters.
They will be important again.
St Fintan’s: Alan Keogan; Eoin Dickson, Niall O’Halloran, Conor Hickey, Mark Jackson; Jack Usher, Liam Moloughney; Loughlin O Shea, Caolan Litchfield, Charlie Fearon, Thomas Bourke, Sam Donohoe (capt), Sean Cleary, Shane Cox, Aiden O Kane.
High School (Possible): Robert Whyte; James O’Connor, Harry O’Donnell, Sean Og Barnes, Hugh O’Donnell; Cormac Dempsey-Lerchundi, Finn Connelly; Dylan Keogh, Finn O’Sullivan, Matthew Kaye-Mellor, Naoise May, Milo Dixon, Rory Browne, Luan Rogers, Niall McDonnell.
Wesley College v The King’s Hospital, Seapoint RFC 2.00pm
Probable outright favourites King’s Hospital will fancy their chances of repeating the Leinster Schools Junior League success over Wesley in the Pool stage in this one.
But, that was way Back in October. A lot can happen in three months.
Captain William Hendy showed the most definable leadership of all with the first two tries in KH’s 38-12 victory over Newpark.
There was also a nice, cool-headed approach from Hendy when tempers flared up on one occasion.
Fly-half Matthew Farrell is a deceptive runner and centre Crain Adams looked the part in behind a battling pack of forwards.
Wesley won’t make too many changes on the back of their 21-7 win over St Patrick’s from Navan on the first day out with hooker Jamie Kavanagh their standard setter in terms of attitude.
If it is close, Wes’ out-half Harry Fanning is a fine goal-kicker and number eight Sam Illo sets a physical example.
Wesley (Possible): Zach McMullan; Jonathan Flynn, Henry O’Hagan, Leon Sutton, Jamie Metchette; Harry Fanning, Jamie Vard; Simon Jennings, Jamie Kavanagh (capt), Peter Costello, Niall Brady, Euan McKay, Jake Brownell, Ross Chandler, Sam Illo.
KH (Possible): Luke Gilmatrin; Tom Raben, Moyo Mobalaji, Craig Adams, Adam Bagnall; Matthew Farrell, Josh Morgan; Fred Davis, Tom Moloney, Luke Henry, Luke Corr, Yuri Sinev, William Hendy (capt), Conor Hensey, Stephen Walshe.
Dundalk Grammar v Templeogue College, Anglesea Road 2.00pm
The Grammar are having a great season, qualifying for the Duff Cup final already.
This is the equivalent to bonus territory, not that they will be overawed by the Fr Godfrey.
They have strike-power from centre David Murdock and full-back Flyn Kieran, who doubles up as an accurate goal-kicker.
The platform will be laid by a competitive set of forwards with openside Andrew Cox feisty on the floor and hooker Zac Coan and number eight Sean Fitzpatrick not inclined to take a backward step.
Templeogue will have the wind in their sails from the double scores 10-5 win over St Andrew’s, one that was not expected in most quarters.
Coach Philip Rigney will have leadership from forwards Cillian O’Neill, Cillian Goulding and Rory Dempsey-Brown, their captain, while centre Darragh Gibson sets the tone in defence.
Dundalk (Possible): Flyn Kieran; Thomas Clarke, David Murdock, Max McGloin, Dillon Dunne; Jack Connolly, Gerald Boylan; Tobi Akinseloyin, Zac Coan, Peter Kerley, David Nwambu, Jake Moran, Daniel Molloy, Andrew Cox, Sean Fitzpatrick.
Templeogue(Possible): Darragh Deegan; Kevin Elwood, Alec Leddy Sri-Uttha, Darragh Gibson, Josh McDonagh; Oisin Quinn, Daniel Ryan; Niall Harraghey, Henry Trace, Seán Spear, Grellan Lambert, Cillian O’Neill, Cillian Goulding, Ciaran Fleming, Rory Dempsey-Brown (capt).
