Crosbie seals sweet revenge for Gerard's
St Gerard's 20
Cistercian Roscrea 18
Leinster Senior League Final
The St Gerard's team celebrate their victory in the Senior League Cup final against Cistercian College Roscrea yesterday at Donnybrook Stadium. Photo: Matt Browne / Sportsfile
The Eric Miller-coached St Gerard's exacted revenge by beating Roscrea in a repeat of the Schools Senior Cup semi-final in an absorbing decider at Donnybrook yesterday.
The winners had to do it the hard way too, going well behind to two early tries.
Roscrea captain Conor Finn touched down in the ninth minute, and then outstanding second-row Rory Moloney got over on 15 minutes
Out-half Bill Duggan converted one of the tries and added a penalty to stretch the Tipperary college's lead.
The turnaround was down to St Gerard's ability to make the most of the two gilt-edged opportunities that came their way and their out-half Steve Crosbie's 10-point contribution from placed balls.
The comeback began with two Crosbie penalties just before the break to leave it 15-6, with the benefit of a strong wind at their backs in the second period.
First, flanker David Symes sprinted over from a clever line-out.
Then scrum-half Conor O'Rourke showed an electric turn of speed to slash open the Roscrea defence and touch down.
Crosbie converted both to ensure Duggan's penalty was not enough to haul St Gerard's back.
ST GERARD'S -- D Simmonds; J Desmond, C Shiel, R Martin, S Smith; S Crosbie (capt), C O'Rourke; S King, R O'Brien, O O'Neill (D Murray 67), H Wojnar, J Prendergast (K Carroll 56), S Hackett-Delaney (J Roberts h-t), D Symes, J Conan.
CISTERCIAN COLLEGE, ROSCREA -- P O'Dwyer; C Brennan, S Layden, C Finn (capt), M Mellotte; B Duggan, G Gallagher; O Heffernan (G Fallon 35), D O'Dwyer (D Kirwin 58), C Farrell, A McGrath, R Moloney, A Henderson (R Enright-Mooney 62), E Quirke, C Moloney.
Ref -- B McNiece ( Leinster Branch).
Irish Independent
