Leinster Rugby vs DHL Stormers

A maul made in heaven surged to the
line where Mikey Wall miraculously
did enough to force a fumble from
Mikey Yarr, soon followed by Charlie
Molony being held up over the line by
Wilson.
This desperate defence couldn’t go on,
Luke Kritzinger blowing through Finn
O’Neill and captain Coffey taking a high
hit before turning it into the lead points for
10-7 in the 25th minute.
Jody Browne’s refusal to go to ground
bought time for Gonzaga to make their
play, Tom Wyley’s footwork expiring a
soft shoulder.
The pressure produced a penalty and,
quick as a flash, McMahon tapped and
took the ball in between Brigg and Tom
O’Riordan for the fly-half to also add the
extras for the lead in the 27th minute.
McMahon was at it again, seeing
the space in behind, to trouble
O’Shaughnessy with a glorious grubber.
The chase from JP Breslin was Olympian,
Luke McLaughlin popping the ball up for
McMahon to have the presence of mind
to veer inwards, making his conversion a
formality for 21-10 at the break.
Blackrock had first shot at making an
impact, Tom Wyley coraling Kritzinger for
the concession of a penalty which was
used to put Gonzaga in a bind.
Again, the momentum from phase play
was just too much for a soaking defence,
Tom O’Riordan grounding the ball for
Coffey to convert.
And then. A thing of beauty. A rehearsed
move from a scrum, involving McMahon
and McLaughlin, culminated in the
final pass for Breslin to do the honours,
McMahon striking the conversion in the
43rd minute.
Blackrock were on the ropes. They
needed a reaction. They got it. Full-back
Molony smuggled the restart and the
big boys did their duty, tight-head Alex
Mullan having the leg drive to claim the
try, Coffey converting for 28-24 in the
45th minute.
The ball was flying around, every pass
greeted with the anticipation of something
wonderful or wicked happening, the
frenzied crowd rising and reseating
accordingly.
The brutal carrying of the forwards, led
by Brigg, opened the door for Coffey to
put Mullan in for his second seven-pointer
to grab the lead in the 55th minute.
It was Gonzaga ‘s turn to chase. James
O’Dwyer came into the game. Centres
Aidan O’Flanagan and Browne cut lines.
Eoghan Walsh stole the ball on the floor.
Wilson was held up over the whitewash.
They kept their nerve, however,
McMahon marshalling an attack to put
Patrick Masterson through a hole and
O’Dwyer slipped the ball to Tom Wyley
for a try, converted by McMahon, that
will live long in the memory.
Scorers: Gonzaga – S McMahon 2 tries,
5 cons; T Wyley, H McLaughlin. JP Breslin
try each.
Blackrock – A Mullan 2 tries; T Brigg, T
O’Riordan, try each; O Coffey pen, 4
cons.
Gonzaga College: Hugo McLaughlin; JP
Breslin, Aidan O’Flanagan (Samuel Inglis
68), Jody Browne, Mikey Wall (Patrick
Masterson 58); Stephen McMahon,
Tom Brophy (James O’Dwyer 57); Finn
O’Neill (Patrick O’Brien 66), Luke
McLaughlin, Adam McVerry (Jamie Shiel
58), Jamie Kennedy, Tom Wyley, Charlie
Kennedy (Morgan Tyrrell 57), Gavin
O’Grady, Paul Wilson (Capt).
Blackrock College: Charlie Molony;
James O’Sullivan, Luke Kritzinger, Mark
Walsh (Andrew Quinn 47), Eoghan
Walsh; Conor O’Shaughnessy (Harry
Whelan 68), Oliver Coffey (Capt), Tom
O’Riordan, Mikey Yarr, Alex Mullan,
Michael Colreavy, Tommy Butler, Conor
Tonge (Conall Hodges 49), Jack Angulo
Tom Brigg (Donnacha McGuire 65).
Referee: P Reidy, Leinster Branch.
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