A crushing, crashing try by Roscrea prop Dylan Murphy 10 minutes into injury-time caused a sensational shock against Blackrock in the Bank of Ireland Leinster Schools Senior Cup quarter-final at Donnybrook on Wednesday.
The underdogs needed a confidence building beginning. Their full-back Tim Carroll gave them just that by angling a kick into the corner which full-back Stephen Kilgallen launched into touch on his 22.
The side entry of Hugo Kean into their maul meant the concession of a penalty for captain Tim Foley to get underneath his penalty and fall short. It didn’t work out too badly as Conor Dean had to clear to touch.
Roscrea looked to the maul again with number eight Dan Trayers in control at the back of it. Tim Carroll, prop Dylan Murphy, scrum-half Keith Kavanagh, hooker Eoin Maher, Trayers, Fineen Wycherely and Tim Carroll all came straight and hard for Matty Keane to blast over for a shock opening try for 5-0 in the sixth minute.
Roscrea flanker Simon Meagher devoured the restart. They went long and Blackrock saw that as a chance to counter. Trayers nailed prop Michael Reidy and Keane forced a penalty on Reidy on the floor. Foley’s shot flew just beneath the crossbar.
Blackrock had to wait until the 15th minute to make their first visit into the Roscrea half and scrum-half Patrick Patterson made the initial ground before Gavin Mullin surged and lost his feet.
The Dubliners came in waves. Trayers put his shoulder into a carrier and wing Daniel Keane shunted full-back Kilgallen into touch. Ros’ cleared up their lineout.
But, a loose clearance allowed ‘Rock to move into space for Mullin to threaten, flanker John Fairley to take serious yards and captain Kean to make the line.
Left wing James McGowan’s conversion glanced in off the upright for 7-5 in the 19th minute against the run of play.
Roscrea had to respond quickly. Full-back Carroll got up a head of steam. Trayers was there to truck it up and Simon Meagher was the target of a dump tackle that saw McMahon yellow carded.
The helter skelter exchanges continued with ‘Rock looking to stretch the game and Roscrea trying to contain them, their wing Daniel Keane using his side-step well and ‘Rock number eight Caelan Doris getting double-teamed in the tackle as he threatened through the middle.
It all changed when Patterson spun away from the base of a scrum deep inside his half and centre Mullin took a sweet line to split the defence for a second try.
McGowan added two on top to make it 14-5 deep into injury-time.
Another loose clearance invited a deadly Blackrock into attack. It took a super-human effort from Trayers to single-handedly hold up Kilgallen to force a turnover scrum.
The territory game was going Blackrock’s way. Prop Murphy’s side entry handed them a penalty. McGowan went for the corner. McMahon was held up over the line.
The heave happened and that man Trayers broke clear for Roscrea to hold out and their hooker Eoin Maher was pinged for a forward pass when the ball came back off a ‘Rock hand.
The Williamstown school moved with menace every time they went wide. Full-back Kilgallen was taken down by Robert Wharton.
Out of nothing, a steepling kick from Foley was spilled by McGowan and out-half Alan Tynan showed exemplary hands and pace to find the corner flag from 40 metres for 14-10 in the 50th minute.
Then, Tynan took a garryowen from Kavanagh at full tilt to earn a penalty when there was no release in the tackle, but couldn’t make it pay.
Roscrea were winning the battle of the breakdown. They found a lineout-maul to their liking and moved the ball away for Foley to drive it up and Trayers to get within five metres before the ball was nudged forward.
Blackrock struggled for a steady scrum and a short clearance to touch. Roscrea could not connect out of touch. They never went away from their lineout.
Trayers looked to have made it, but was held up. He came again. This time Rock captain Kean was carded for killing the ball. The penalties kept on coming.
Eventually, Trayers took in their umpteenth lineout and tight-head prop Murphy got on the ball to crash over in the tenth minute of injury-time for Foley’s conversion to close out a remarkable feat.
CISTERCIAN COLLEGE, ROSCREA 17 BLACKROCK COLLEGE 14
At Donnybrook – Cistercian College, Roscrea 17 (M Keane, D Murphy, A Tynan try each; T Foley con); Blackrock College 14 (G Mullin, H Kean try each; J McGowan 2 cons).
Roscrea: T Carroll; S Kilgallon, R Wharton, T Foley (capt), D Keane; A Tynan, K Kavanagh; L Walsh, E Maher, D Murphy, F Wycherley, A Browne, S Meagher, M Keane, D Trayers.
Replacements: B Diffley for Keane 50 mins; K Cahir for Meagher 56 mins; P McKeon for Browne, J Murphy for Wharton both 68 mins.
Blackrock: S Kilgallen; T O’Brien, G Mullin, K Dixon, J McGowan; C Dean P Patterson; M Reidy, H Kean (capt), R Mouatt, D Mullane, V Mantegazza, R McMahon, J Fairley, C Doris.
Replacements: C Ryan for Mullane 14 mins; J Fennelly for Dean 30 mins; E Burns for Mouatt 55 mins; A Murphy for Fairley 62 mins.
Referee: S Gallagher, Leinster Branch.
