A good start was better than half the battle for Wesley against St Patrick’s Classical School out in Ashbourne in the Bank of Ireland Fr Godfrey Cup first round on Tuesday.
Wesley built up almost an unassailable lead from three tries all punched in on the left as Jamie Metchette picked up a pair of tries and flanker Ross Chandler notched up the third.
Remarkably, fly-half Harry Fanning got his eye in from the first and managed to convert all three for a 21-point lead by the 25th minute, an obvious benefit from making use of the wind.
It was a long way back for St Pat’s. They gave it everything they had and tight-head Gary Faulkner gave them real hope from a try, converted by centre Rory Gordon, in the 41st minute.
They used the intelligence of fly-half Keelan Murphy to take them forward. They were on the verge of a second try in the 50th minute.
They were camped near the Wesley line, but were prevented from crossing by stern resistance, a knock-on and a strike against the head by hooker Jamie Kavanagh.
WESLEY COLLEGE 21 ST PATRICK’S, NAVAN 7
At Ashbourne RFC – Wesley College 21 (J Metchette 2 tries; R Chandler try; H Fanning 3 cons); St Patricks Classical School Navan 7 (G Faulkner try; R Gordon con).
Wesley: 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.
Replacements Used: Scott Doyle, Conor Bailey, Adam Campion.
St Patrick’s: Cian McBride; Colum Flynn, Larry Morgan, Rory Gordon, Matthew Reilly; Keelan Murphy (capt), Ruairi Searle; Jack Lynch, Jack Castles, Gary Faulkner, Adam McEvoy, Dermot Kelly, Christian McAuley, Evan Meegan, Shane Heffernan.
Replacements Used: Jack Smylie, Eoghan Gaffney, Rory Staunton.
At Sydney Parade – Templeogue College 10 (C Fleming, D Gibson try each); St Andrew’s College 5 (Z Ombima-McClatchie try).
