St Mary's complete epic comeback to make first Senior Cup final since 2008

ST MARY’S COLLEGE 17-10 TERENURE COLLEGE

An explosive second-half comeback at Energia Park on Tuesday afternoon earned St Mary’s College a place in the Bank of Ireland Leinster Rugby Boys Schools Senior Cup final for the first time since 2008.

There was a typically frenetic opening to the early skirmishes as muscle met muscle on the fringes.

Tommy Smyth lofted a ball for his chasers to recover, and Paul Neary looked more to gain ground through the boot.

Geoff O’Sullivan countered. Tommy Smyth’s chip behind was taken by his brother Mikey, who was whipped down by Josh Kelly, in the first significant moment of the game.

Terenure’s Gareth Morgan was unlucky to see his tumbling kick roll the wrong side of the corner flag.

From the next play, St Mary’s shifted the point of attack, and Kelly kicked the ball dead as well.

Out-half Morgan’s half break was accompanied by an offload, which just got away from flanker Ollie O’Leary.

Mikey Smyth was quickly into Andrew McGauran for Alvaro Swords to get over the ball for a penalty, which Morgan slotted to give Terenure a 3-0 lead in the 12th minute.

A pulverising burst by David Kenny and nice footwork by Christopher Maguire were encouraging signs for St Mary’s, Paul Neary coming up short on a penalty from 49 metres.

A monster kick by Tommy Smyth ended in a huge gain of ground, and a lineout, which was wiped out by Joe Christle’s poach penalty.

Daniel Tourish and Maguire combined on the right. The St Mary’s forwards got involved through the middle to force a penalty on the 22.

The choice was a lineout. Max Egan claimed Christle’s throw, and the hooker was still on the ball when it crossed the line. But, somehow, Terenure captain Josh Mooney came up with the ball.

The chip ball from Tommy Smyth to his brother Mikey was effective again, leading to a penalty which Morgan pumped inside the 22.

Mooney had a sliver of room on the short side. Christle was there again to wrestle away a penalty at the breakdown.

Tommy Smyth was asking questions all the time, a dummy and drive drawing in a high tackle. A quick tap by Morgan tested the St Mary’s defence, Niall Fallon spinning out of a tackle before cleaners went off their feet.

Another chip over the top by Tommy Smyth almost worked out for Swords. Luke McNiff threatened to break in behind.

The brothers Smyth went to work on the fringes. O’Sullivan grabbed a loose ball, spun and sprinted towards the corner.

Covered, the full-back flung the ball inside where Morgan was inches away from grounding it as the whistle sounded for the end of the half.

Morgan’s bravery in the air earned a penalty from Christle’s challenge early in the second half. A simple first-phase move allowed Niall Fallon to cut through a hole and elude the cover for a stunning try, converted by Morgan to put Terenure up 10-0 in the 38th minute.

St Mary’s were suddenly sweeping onto the front foot, wings Nicolas Sheehan and Maguire combining on the left.

A five-metre lineout led to a tryline stand in which the ball was moved left, Maguire and Josh Kelly handling well for Sheehan to scramble to the line to get St Mary’s on the scoreboard. Neary curled the conversion through to close the gap to 10-7 in the 45th minute.

The next platform was built on a penalty which Neary kicked down the touchlines to within 15 metres of the tryline. The maul travelled most of the way. Leo Zelman was shown a yellow card. The maul came again.

St Mary’s didn’t labour through the close carries, going right for Neary’s deflected kick to find full-back Kelly, who split the defence to go over for a vital try, converted by Neary to hand St Mary’s their first lead of the day at 14-10 in the 54th minute.

The momentum was truly with St Mary’s as Eoghan Brady was on the ball in a flash to force a penalty. Neary pointed for the posts once more and his shot sailed through the posts from 46 metres to put St Mary’s in control at 17-10 in the 58th minute.

Now, the onus was on Terenure to respond. Instead, Jack Fogarty launched a high ball that Morgan couldn’t hold. The sight of Mikey Smyth leaving the field with an injury was just another indication that the momentum had turned.

There was still just one score in it. But there was just no way through a steely blue line. Morgan tried a chip, which Kelly collected and hammered the other way.

A remarkable steal by Ollie O’Leary at a maul and Josh Mooney’s grab of Morgan’s chip led to a yellow card for Sheehan.

Terenure were running out of chances. St Mary’s were relentless in defence. Fogarty’s kick was lost by Ethan Balamash. Thomas Quigley hacked on the loose ball.

St Mary’s had possession and territory with one foot in the final. The first attempt to clear the ball to the stands was blocked by Swords.

The second wasn’t. Cheers erupted from the stands as St Mary’s booked their place in their first Senior Cup final since 2008. They will face Blackrock College, who defeated St Michael’s College yesterday, at Tallaght Stadium on St Patrick’s Day.

ST MARY’S COLLEGE: Josh Kelly; Christopher Maguire, Conor Cantwell, Daniel Tourish, Nicolas Sheehan; Paul Neary, Jack Fogarty; Thomas Quigley, Joseph Christle, David Kenny, Eoin Farrell, Max Egan, Eoghan Brady, Andrew McGauran, Sean Thornton.

Replacements: Rory Noonan for Thornton, James Whitty for Egan, both 54 mins.

Scorers: N Sheehan, J Kelly try each; P Neary pen, 2 cons.

TERENURE COLLEGE: Geoff O’Sullivan; Ethan Balamash, Niall Fallon, Alvaro Swords, Senan Gavin; Gareth Morgan, Tommy Smyth; Pearse Kelly, Leo Zelman, Rory O’Brien, Josh Mooney (Capt), Luke McNiff, Ollie O’Leary, Arran Boehm, Michael Smyth.

Replacements: Rowan Balamash for Zelman, Andrew Smyth for Gavin, both 54 mins; Oisin McEntee for Kelly 57 mins; Ray Meade for M Smyth 61 mins.

Scorers: N Fallon try; G Morgan pen, con.

Referee: R Jenkinson, Leinster Branch.