Colaiste Chill Mhantain v St Ciaran’s Community School

December 19, 2016 9:46 am Elma Beirne

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The relatively new school, an amalgam of De La Salle and The Abbey, has its’ roots based in Wicklow rugby club where Josh van der Flier first took to a rugby ball.

The Seniors have been playing at the Development level for five of the last six years, winning it in 2014.

Their out-half Cal Connolly started that game with Cillian Ballety and Diarmuid Jameson-Whoriskey coming off the bench.

They played in the McMullen Cup last year, making the quarter final, and twelve of the squad are playing their first year of senior rugby, having played on last year’s junior team.

Hooker Mark Nicholson, prop Patrick Nixon, who has played for the Leinster and Ireland Youths this season and centre Luke Boyce drive their team.

It is difficult to asset with any great conviction the claims of either of the finalists given the random nature of the draw and the lack of pre-Cup form.

St Ciaran’s have been impressive to this point wiping the floor with all four of their victims to rack up 143 points for an average of 35 points.

Their main problem could be that they haven’t really had a test allied to the fact that they have lost one or two boys from a bruising quarter-final.

They haven’t had to dig deep for their rewards and the power of back row carriers number eight Conor Moran and flanker John Brogan set the standard physically.

Paths to the final:

First Round: CCM got walkover from St David’s, Greystones; St Ciaran’s beat Moyne CS 29-0.

Second round: CCM beat Presentation, Bagenalstown 45-5; St Ciaran’s beat Ratoath College 40-5.

Quarter-final: CCM beat Ardscoil na Trionoide 22-12; St Ciaran’s beat Colaiste Mhuire Dundalk 33-5.

Semi-final: CCM beat St Paul’s College, Raheny 30-5; St Ciaran’s beat Colaiste Choilm, Swords 41-7.

COLAISTE CHILL MHANTAIN (Possible):