BELVEDERE COLLEGE 19 CISTERCIAN COLLEGE ROSCREA 14

The forward power of Belvedere was decisive in this Bank of Ireland Leinster Schools Junior Cup quarter-final at Energia Park on Thursday afternoon.

Really, this could have gone either way in a contest of contrasting styles. A  big barge from prop Henry Maher put Roscrea on the front-foot until a forward pass meant full-back William McEntire’s run was cut short.

Their hooker Oscar Doody gathered in a turnover and left-wing Sean Stone almost torched the cover in a bright start.

A tap penalty put Maher close and Ruben Flynn closer still. The flanker was unable to ground the ball, handing Belvo’ a goal-line exit strategy.

The Dubliners slowly moved into the game with the benefit of a high tackle which took them to a 5-metre lineout and a 5-metre scrum where the Roscrea back row was waiting for huge Harry Goslin.

The lack of clarity around how to move the ball led to mistakes on both sides. Roscrea malfunctioned at the lineout, making up for it with courageous maul defence.

Just when they appeared to survive the pressure, a decision was made to move the ball behind their own line.

It broke down and wing David Barr was on the spot to touch down for Johnny Garrihy to convert in the 21st minute.

No doubt, Roscrea were far happier in moving the ball into space than at the set-piece, Pablo Pascaul threatening and Doody getting over without getting the ball down.

Their number eight James Millar shot off the back of a scrum and out-half Ronan Sullivan was held up for a turnover.

All the while, Belvedere was inclined to look to the lineout and a slower, driving game where Goslin, captain Alex Clarke and hooker Lorcan Butler took the ball up.

The frantic, scrappy nature of the game continued in the second period.

Roscrea’s enterprise was nullified by Belvo’s pragmatism which resulted in a try by Goslin from short range, Garrihy connecting from the conversion for 14-0 in the 36th minute.

From nowhere, Alejandro Kinsella-Garcia grabbed a turnover and stole 20 metres, the Roscrea captain’s offload compromised by a tackle off the ball for referee Paul O’Connor to award a penalty try.

Back-to-back penalties enabled Belvedere to crank up the pressure, Barr breaking forward and left-wing Rory O’Farrell finishing a fine attack for 19-7 in the 48th minute.

Henry Maher, Millar and Kinsella-Garcia did what they could to engineer a bounce back, but the excellent Clarke was always around the ball to carry or cause a turnover.

A quickly taken lineout to the front was driven on by Millar and tight-head Maher had the strength to make the line, out-half Ronan Sullivan converting from the touchline in the 56th minute.

It was all hands on deck from there, Belvedere just about holding on in a welter of excitement.

Scorers – Belvedere College – H Goslin, D Barr, R O’Farrell try each; J Garrihy 2 cons. Roscrea – H Maher try; Pen try; R Sullivan con.

Belvedere – Jack Craig-Coghlan; David Barr, Dylan Lord, Paul Dunne, Rory O’Farrell; Johnny Garrihy, Charlie Callaghan (Charles Dowse 57); Conor Quinn (Eugene Isong 56), Lorcan Butler, Ryan Grant, James Travers (Oisin Folan 59), Shaun Mitchell, Billy Ball (Marcus McCarthy 56), Alex Clarke (Capt), Harry Goslin.

Roscrea – William McEntire; Eamon O’Sullivan (Ruairc Fay 56), Pablo Pascaul, Harry Finlay, Sean Stone (Luke Murphy 59); Ronan Sullivan, Aaron Maloney (Tristan Punch 59); Fionn Hogan (Lukis De Cleir 59) , Oscar Doody, Henry Maher, Culann Kehoe (Cian Daly 59), Jacobo Serna  (George Dwyer 59),, Ruben Flynn (Denny O’Hara 56), Alejandro Kinsella-Garcia (Capt, Jack Doris 59), James Millar.

Referee – P O’Connor, Leinster Branch.