A superb game management and kicking master class from centre Tim Foley helped Leinster Schools brush Northampton Saints aside in a 39-0 victory at Templeville Road yesterday…

The home side dominated the first half with Gonzaga’s Barry Goulding’s try on the quarter hour helping them to a 10-0 lead at the break. Jordan Larmour, Tim Carroll, Tom de Jongh and Alan Tynan added tries in the second-half with centre Tim Foley adding 10 points from the kicking tee. 

And it was the kicking of Foley that proved instrumental. On the rare occasion that Northampton broke inside the Leinster half, he relieved the pressure and his kicking from set-piece brought them deep inside the Saints’ half. Inside a minute his kicking relieving kick brought them midway into the Saints’ half and it was a sign of things to come. 

Leinster was lively in the opening 10 minutes with Larmour and Foley looking sharp but handling errors saw the game level. But they didn’t have to wait long as Goulding crossed in the right corner on 14 minutes. A superb Brian Egan turnover from on a Northampton Saints lineout on the left was quickly taken advantage of by Leinster with Carroll attacking down the right and his offload to Goulding saw the Gonzaga man to go over in the corner. Foley produced a brilliant conversion from the right touchline.

Minutes later, Foley kicked for the corner after crossing prevented Northampton from clearing from inside their 22, but Dorris knocked on to let the Saints’ off the hook. Northampton was punished again by the boot of Foley when they were offside in the lineout but another knock on saw stopped them in their tracks. On the stroke of half-time Saints’ John Hawkins was offside as he tackled scrum-half David Duggan on the back of a ruck and Foley effortlessly added the penalty from in front of the posts. 

Two minutes into the second half Foley turned provider again with a delicate chip over the top just beating the onrushing Carroll to the side-line. But he managed a 35 metre penalty when it was brought back for a penalty; 13-0 after 37 minutes. Despite all the pressure, Leinster were made wait 17 minutes into the half, when Lambour crossed and touched down under the posts. 

The St Andrews’ man should have been put clear minutes previously but Conor Dean held on with a 3-on-2 overlap on the left. But Dean left Lambour with the easiest of finishes. The period of pressure stemming from a brilliant tackle by Tim Carroll which led to a turn over five metres from the line. Foley added the conversion for a 20-0 lead. 

Leinster matched their attacking prowess with a solid defensive display twice holding up Northampton attacks metres of the line. On the hour Carroll intercepted a pass on his 22 and raced down the right touchline to put the result beyond doubt. There was still time for more as Leinster showed their class.

In the final minutes Tom de Jongh got over for a fourth try, reacting quickest when a Northampton lineout wasn’t gathered and Foley’s replacement Conor Jennings added the conversoin from wide right. There was still time for replacement Alan Tynan to add a fifth after another great run by Lambour. He lost the ball in contact and Tynan got in for a fifth try in added time as Leinster dominated to the end. The victory sets Leinster schools up nicely for a clash with Leinster clubs in Glongowes Wood on Sunday, 24th at 2pm.

Leinster squad:

15 Barry Goulding (Gonzaga)
14 Tim Carroll (Cistercian)
13 Jack Kelly ( St Michael’s College)
12 Tim Foley (Cistercian College)
11 Jordan Larmour (St Andrews)
10 Conor Dean (Blackrock)
9 David Duggan (St Michael’s College)

1 Rory Mulvihill (St Michael’s College)
2 Daniel McCaffrey (Belvedere College)
3 Richard Mouatt (Blackrock College)
4 Oisin Dowling (St Michael’s College)
5 Brian Egan (Belvedere College)
6 Caelan Dorris (Blackrock College)
7 Tom de Jongh (Belvedere)
8 Barry Fitzpatrick (St Michael’s College)

Replacements:

16 Conor Johnson (Newbridge) for McCaffrey, 17 Michael Sweeney (Belvedere) for Mouatt, 18 Martin Mulhall (Kilkenny), 19 Anu Awonusi (Kilkenny), 20 William Fay (CBC Monkstown) for Fitzpatrick on 58, 21 Hugh O’Sullivan (Belvedere) for Duggan on 56, 22 Conor Jennings (Belvedere) for Foley on 64), 23 Alan Tynan (Roscrea).

Northampton squad:
15 Will Stride
14 Cann Ives
13 Georgie Furbank
12 Freddie McKibbon
11 Owaen Collard
10 Paddy McDuell
9 Mike Morris

1 Luke Palmer
2 Freddie Dawson
3 Jake Byrne
4 Toby Trinder
5 John Hawkins
6 George Cox
7 Will Alman
8 James Pollard.