Leinster Boys Schools Senior Cup semi-final preview

The Bank of Ireland Leinster Rugby Boys Schools Senior Cup semi-finals will be played on Tuesday and Thursday, with a place in the final at Tallaght Stadium on St Patrick’s Day on the line.

Can champions Blackrock defend their crown? Are Terenure on course for the final? Or will Cistercian Roscrea and St Fintan’s ruin it for the traditionalists?

ST FINTAN’S HIGH SCHOOL v TERENURE COLLEGE

Tuesday, 4 March at Energia Park (KO: 3pm).

This has been one of those years for St Fintan’s High School. The rugby programme started in the Sutton school in 2001 — the same year Terenure captured their ninth Senior Cup.

Making the quarter-finals for the first time in their history was followed by making the semi-finals for the first time. This is double bonus territory.

Just as the pressure lifted for the epic quarter-final defeat of Castleknock (29-27), Head Coach Marc Kaveh can preach all about the skin-ripping bite of the underdog.

This exceptional St Fintan’s crop broke down barriers in making the Bank of Ireland Leinster Rugby Boys Schools Junior Cup semi-finals in 2022 with a host of familiar names.

Three years later, nine starters have progressed to the Senior team, while three more have moved up from the bench in speedy wing Tadg Young, centre Samuel O’Leary and openside flanker Brendan Dillon.

There is a free-flowing nature to their rugby, reflected in the ball skills of captain Rory O’Connor-O’Hehir and the carrying of Michael Bolger, Ponamu Palazzetti and Robert Harvey.

Half-backs Oisin Kelly and Ben Barnes have an instinct to attack, whether looking to release Young or full-back Rohan O’Shea.

Twelve-time champions Terenure College have to look all the way back to 2003 for their last title but Head Coach Sean Skehan has moulded a serious unit based on a super-physical defence and an adventurous attack.

It all starts with the heavy brigade of props Pearse Kelly and Adam Cooper — both capable of an offload — as well as second row Frank Maher and a well-balanced back row of Josh Mooney, Michael Smyth and captain Ben Blaney.

Terenure started with an edgy 18-15 win over a highly-touted Clongowes Wood College in the first round. It was the manner of their comeback from nine points down in the 56th minute which left a strong impression.

They never reached for the panic button. There was calm and control around navigating through the endgame. Once in front, Terenure’s discipline and accuracy in defence frustrated the Clane school. Perhaps, it was only right that it would end on a Cooper turnover.

In the quarter-finals, Terenure shut down the Wesley College dangermen and released their own players into open country on their way to a 35-7 win over a side who eliminated Belvedere College in the previous round.

Half-backs Jamie Coleman and Gareth Morgan kept it simple, recognising their roles as linkmen to more explosive options.

The centres Michael Kennedy and Alvaro Swords embrace contact. Full-back Geoff O’Sullivan has the acceleration to hit the line at top speed.

BLACKROCK COLLEGE v CISTERCIAN COLLEGE ROSCREA

Thursday, 6 March at Energia Park (KO: 3pm).

Blackrock’s second round clash was billed as a winner-takes-all tussle but it was comfortable enough in the end as they blew St Michael’s College away in a 29-13 win at Energia Park.

Blackrock made the quarter-final all about the gain line. If they could break it, all manner of attacking options would open up. Better again, if they could stop St Michael’s there or even further back, the phase game their rivals crave would be null and void.

That is exactly what happened.

At its most basic, rugby is about the will of one to stop another and only then can the beautiful game be let loose.

The manner of Blackrock’s performance against St Michael’s would spook all of those not built for toe-to-toe combat.

Captain Sam Bishti and loosehead Ben Guerin are strong props with a back-five collection of intense, aggressive players who know their roles inside out.

Albert Lindner is a whip-smart scrum-half, rifling passes out in front of Paddy Clancy, a facilitator and sure goal-kicker.

The strongest unit is probably to be found in the midfield where the long, rangy Bernard White’s timing onto the ball is perfect. At his side, the steely Johnny O’Sullivan has been a knife-through-butter on the ball, picking up a brace of tries in the quarter-final.

Some presume that quarter-final result clears the path for a Blackrock v Terenure final — a throwback to days gone by when they have met on nine occasions. But they must first pass a stern test in Cistercian College Roscrea if they are to go back-to-back.

When the Ireland U-19 squad was announced in October, Roscrea provided five players to Blackrock’s three in Bishti, O’Sullivan and back row Michael O’Sullivan.

Roscrea second row Joe Finn, loose forward Billy Hayes and centre Jack Deegan will have their eyes firmly focused on being Ireland starters.

On paper, Roscrea should match up better than St Michael’s given the presence of Finn, Hayes and a pair of Ireland U-18 squad members in tighthead prop Henry Maher and second row Jamie Walsh.

In addition, the centre combination of Deegan and Rob Carney, another of the Ireland U-19 stars, will relish the prospect of going up against White and O’Sullivan.

The odds favour Blackrock. But they did in 2015 when Roscrea had their number on the way to their only Leinster Senior Cup title to date. Ten years on, perhaps history could repeat itself.