Juniors Depart - Clongowes Wood College

Posted: 7th March 2016

Juniors Depart

CWC 15: St Michael’s 20.

Alas the Clongowes Juniors JUST came up short when falling to St Michael’s in a closely contested semi-final at Donnybrook yesterday. Unlike the previous round, the late try scored by Barry Dooley following a trademark break by full back John Maher was not sufficient to allow a determined Clongowes side that never said die to escape to victory on this occasion. Barry Murphy reports…

Clongowes Bow Out In Style

The Clongowes Juniors were defeated 20-15 by bitter rivals St. Michael’s College in the semi-finals of the Junior Cup on Sunday (6th March). Clongowes were slow to get going and found themselves 10-0 down after 20 minutes, having conceded two early tries as a result of leaving space out wide. Outhalf David Wilkinson and his blue opposite number traded penalties before half time for a 13-3 scoreline.

Inspirational words from the Troika of Mr Condron, Mr. O’Hara and Mr. O’Donoghue followed as Clongowes came out smelling complacency and blood. Ethan Noone’s intercept brought them up the pitch within striking distance and it was Noone himself who piled over for the score. Michael’s responded quickly, scoring a try of their own to lead 20-10 with 15 minutes left on the clock. Shortly afterwards Barry Dooley showed sharp intellect as well as hulking brute force as he tapped quickly from a penalty and crashed over.

Michael’s parked the proverbial bus seeking to close out the contest but it would not be without a few close shaves along the way. Most notably, gunslinger John Maher made a bursting escapade into the Michael’s 22 and would have scored were it not for a desperate tackle by the Michael’s full back. In the ended it felt more like being beaten by the clock than beaten by St. Michael’s, who advance to the final.

Barry Murphy (Rhetoric)

Clongowes: J Maher; C Grimes, T O’Brien, J Carroll (Captain), F Adams (C Joyce 17mins); D Wilkinson, H Arkwright: S Mo (C Doyle 30), H Lonergan (E Noone 30), R McMahon; T Coghlan (M Cruise O’Brien 59), G Dowling; T Power (E Boland 59), C Dowling, B Dooley.

MORE PICTURES FROM THE LENS OF MR DAVID NELSON

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