A flashing finish from centre Sam Kennedy enabled Colaiste Bhride from Carnew, to capture the Leinster Schools Anne McInerney Senior Development Cup at Donnybrook yesterday.

There was a hectic opening to this one which culminated in Ardee prop Cyr Bakekolo crashing over in the left corner for a 5-0 lead in the third minute.
 
The chance to build on this grew when flanker Stanley Hadden was binned for an illegal tackle on Ardee lock Jack O’Reilly.
 
However, a low ball forward from Carnew fly-half Cian Hadden was too hot to handle for full-back Andrew Bingham.
 
They broke right off the scrum, lost it to Conor Hennessy’s clearance, but kept the ball long enough from full-back Robbie Brooks’ counter to earn a penalty which Cian Hadden slipped just wide of the left post.
 
The return of Hadden almost produced a try with his first carry and number eight Joseph Gardiner spilled the ball in the follow up.  
 
There was an interesting contrast in styles as Ardee thought nothing of running their way out of trouble and Carnew countered this with a more direct approach.
 
Hadden was playing like a boy possessed and his soccer skills almost created a try when the flanker burst clear from halfway.
 
They were on the verge of a breakthrough when prop Bakekolo came up with a vital turnover. 
 
For the second time, Cian Hadden punted a penalty to touch five metres from the line where Eoin Sullivan intercepted the throw.
 
The light rain put a stress on handling, the knock-ons taking the wind out of the sails of both schools.
 
A real gem of a grubber by Cian Hadden trickled tantalisingly close to the corner flag where wing Cian Barnes made the tackle and lock David Bailey pounced on the loose ball to make it 5-all in the 27th minute.    
 
CB were working their way into good positions by keeping the ball better. This caused the concession of metres and penalties, the latest leading to a dangerous surge by number eight Joseph Gardiner.  
 
This was answered by a counter-thrust by Bakekolo and a movement left which included a tackle by Colaiste Bhride centre Daniel Sawyer which was deemed worthy of a yellow card. 
 
Carnew were down to fourteen again and Ardee fly-half Hennessy took advantage with a cross-field kick exposing a narrow defence. Wing Joe Mulholland was closed down to signal the end of the half. 
 
The educated left foot of Ardee’s Hennessy was a force for good gains, despite an off-target penalty and the hard carrying of CB prop Mark Hoare, their captain leading by example.
 
Hennessy was able to put his previous miss out of his mind to put Ardee 8-5 ahead in the 43rd minute.
 
Full-back Brookes had to be sharp to deal with another Hennessy teaser and centre Kennedy completed the getaway.
 
A storming burst from Bakekolo put Ardee in behind and centre Lorcan Malone’s chip was just tamed by Carnew replacement Henry Kennedy. 
 
It took a simple spill deep into the Carnew 22 to prompt a breakout in which the ball was hacked on three times for Henry Kennedy to pick and place the ball for a try which Hadden converted for 12-8 in the 51st minute. 
 
Soon after, it would have been a hammer blow had centre Kennedy managed to get away from wing Cian Taaffe. The tackle was made.  
 
Carnew were turning the screw through front-foot defence and Brooks countering into space.
 
The old one-two made all the difference when captain Hoare took up the hard yards and Kennedy the quick ones for a fine finish on the right to make it a two-score game.
 
At Donnybrook – COLAISTE BHRIDE, CARNEW 17 (S Kennedy, H Kennedy, D Bailey try each; C Hadden con); ARDEE CS 8 (C Bakekolo try; C Hennessy pen).
 
Colaiste Bhride: Robbie Brooks; Cian Barnes, Sam Kennedy, Daniel Sawyer, Warner Figueras; Cian Hadden, Seamus Tomkins; Mark Hoare (Capt), Andy Kinsella, Dylan Sawyer, David Bailey, Keith Fanning, Jim Sharry, Stanley Hadden, Joseph Gardiner.
 
Replacements: Henry Kennedy for Figueras 37 mins; PJ Barnes for Kinsella 41 mins; James Rothwell for C Hadden 64 mins.
 
Ardee: Andrew Bingham; Joseph Mulholland, Lorcan Malone, James Conlon (Capt), Cian Taaffe; Conor Hennessy, Conor Gillespie; Cyr Bakekolo, Cillian O’Neill, Tadgh Callan, Jack O’Reilly, John Commins, Eoin Sullivan, Liam Devitt, Conor Watters.
 
Replacements: Danny Morse for Taaffe, Nathan Murphy for O’Reilly both 56 mins; Robert Durnin for Callan 61 mins; Colm Murphy for Gillespie, Jake Finlay for Devitt both 67 mins.
 
Referee: Kevin Beggs, Leinster  Branch.