The Williamstown school put their maul into gear almost immediately, not once, but twice.

The first time they moved the ball, Terenure out-half Mark Fabian stepped in to intercept and wing Luke Murnaghan took off down the right.

When the recycle came, centre Dominic Henry-Hayes poked the ball through on the floor to cause Patrick Patterson to come to the rescue.

‘Rock prop Giuseppe Coyne picked up a loose ball to set up a counter attack, number eight Cian Reilly pounding the yards up the left and fly-half Peter O’Reilly setting wing Tom Maher away for the opening try converted by O’Reilly in the seventh minute.

Leinster Schools Senior Cup

A charge by tight-head Thomas Clarkson from the restart triggered a lightening raid in which left wing David Heavey was called back from Ross Deegan’s forward pass.

‘Nure almost struck back when Mark Fabian’s show-and-go was undone by a pass not going to hand.

It was Patterson who swooped to conquer prop Adam Tuite, forcing a penalty which O’Reilly could not convert.

Terenure were finding holes in the middle, Henry-Hayes the latest to cut through without enough support.

It was being played at lightning speed, Patterson putting Tom Roche through a hole until the full-back lost his footing.

There was space on the right and Roche gave the final pass for Maher to touchdown again for 12-0 in the 21st minute.

Terenure were just about hanging on. They needed to strike back.

They found ground from Luke Murnaghan’s flying field in the air and moved with skill for fly-half Mark Fabian to connect with Adam La Grue, who’s inside pass was finished by left wing Zach Vaughan.

Fabian converted for 12-7 in the 29th minute.

They continued to play their way out of trouble through the hand, paying the price when a ball hit the floor. It took the intervention of ‘Nure captain Adam Melia to prevent a try just before the break.

Blackrock came out quick, Roche’s offload carrying too much heat for Maher to claim his hat-trick.

They were taken back for a penalty which O’Reilly could not make.

When Terenure did not lift the siege, the constant stream of runners bore down and Patterson nipped to the posts, Reilly to make it 19-7 in the 43rd minute.

The speed and line of running of La Grue was sensational and Fabian kicked in behind when there was nothing else on.

They were patient and waited for full-back Sam Dardis to split the cover with his footwork and David Heavey to tackle Murnaghan into touch.

Leinster Schools Senior Cup

‘Nure passed up certain points for a scrum, but were thwarted by their inaccuracy.

The bigger ‘Rock boys rumbled in the maul and pressured for a penalty which O’Reilly struck for 22-7 on the hour.

There was nearly a quick response until Andrew Murphy turned the ball over to relieve pressure.

‘Rock finished on the front-foot, their maul making it close for replacement Mark Phelan to squeeze in at the right corner.

Blackrock College 27 Terenure College 7

At Donnybrook – BLACKROCK COLLEGE 27 (T Maher 2 tries; P Patterson, M Phelan try each; P O’Reilly pen, 2 cons); TERENURE COLLEGE 7 (Z Vaughan try; M Fabian con).

Blackrock: Tom Roche; Tom Maher, James Moriarty, Ross Deegan, David Heavey; Peter O’Reilly, Patrick Patterson; Giuseppe Coyne, Stephen McLoughlin, Thomas Clarkson, Andrew Murphy, Charlie Ryan, John Fairley, Alan Francis, Cian Reilly (capt).

Replacements: Gavin Jones for Deegan 21 mins; Michael McGagh for Fairley, Sean Molony for McLoughlin 55 mins; Matthew Carroll for Ryan 56 mins; Carl Delaney for Coyne, Andrew Savage for Clarkson both 66 mins; Richard Fahy for Patterson and Mark Phelan for Maher both 67 mins.

Terenure: Sam Dardis; Luke Murnaghan, Adam La Grue, Dominic Henry-Hayes, Zach Vaughan; Mark Fabian, Mark Eaton; Adam Tuite, Harry O’Neill, Joe Kerins, John Quirke, Adam Melia (capt), Jack Cadell, Jack Cooke, Jack O’Hare.

Replacements: Levi Vaughan for Tuite, Rory McGrath for Quirke both ht; Bill O’Hora for Kerins 44 mins; George Morgan for Eaton 60 mins; Leo Fabre for Cooke 67 mins; Jack Boland for O’Neill, Ross McInnes for Murnaghan both 69 mins.

Referee: B McNiece, Leinster Branch