Belvedere College 10 St Michael's College 0 The game-breaking instincts of David Hawkshaw tore the heart out of St Michael's to make Belvedere the first into the last four of the Leinster Junior Cup at Donnybrook.
The outhalf had to bide his time to turn this one as St Michael's applied all the early pressure with number eight Scott Penny charging around like a bull and half-backs Desmond McCarthy and Jay Barron controlling everything.
The problem was the breakthrough never came their way and the closest they got to scoreboard superiority came from one of Penney’s rumbles which earned a penalty. Centre David Ryan lined it up in testing conditions and just pulled it left of the uprights.
It took Belvedere a full 10 minutes to leave their own half and it came from Hawkshaw's tumbling kick into the corner which was taken care of by wing Jack Eustace.
The Northsiders were on the receiving end for the most part. St Michael’s must have through their time would come. It didn’t and they were hit with a sucker punch.
Belvedere had to rely on Hawkshaw’s two offloads, the first a side-door slider, the second off his back as he fell to ground to open up space to the left for lock Luke McDermott to duck inside the last defender for a 5-0 lead in the 28th minute.
St Michael’s must have struggled with the fact they had played all the rugby and still trailed. The balance of play evened out, thereafter, as St Michael’s did not seem to adjust to the wind and rain that slanted down.
Belvedere’s powerful maul began to find traction. From one such surge, centre Cailean Mulvaney cut back to hit the inside shoulder and Hawkshaw muscled his way to the line to seal it in the 52nd minute.
From there on, St Michael’s did everything they could to make it interesting. Ryan scooted down the left and flanker Donal McMahon stormed forward.
They sat on possession no more than five metres out without ever managing to pierce a steely Belvedere rearguard action. Belvedere: J O'Grady; D Lacey, D Sanfey, C Mulvaney, S Barry; D Hawkshaw, T Walsh; J Gleeson, L McGrath, J Bell, L McDermott, M Daly, J McComish, H Beggy (capt), R Byron. Replacements: N Griffin for McComish 43 mins; L Harmon for McDermott, M Puszczewicz for Lacey both 56 mins. St Michael's: R Kelly; B McCormack, E Haran, D Ryan (capt), J Eustace; J Barron, D McCarthy; L Quill, C Hennessy, C Tracy, R Baird, J Booth, D MacMahon, I Walsh, S Penny. Replacements: O McKenna for Kelly 38 mins; T Doyle for Eustace 52 mins; B Gannon for Quill 53 mins; D Moran for Barron 56 mins. Referee: B Montayne, Leinster Branch.
