Roscrea make history with Leinster Senior Cup over Blackrock
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11 February 2015; Kyle Dixon, Blackrock College, is tackled by Dan Trayers, Cistercian College Roscrea. Bank of Ireland Leinster Schools Senior Cup, 2nd Round, Blackrock College v Cistercian College Roscrea, Donnybrook Stadium, Donnybrook, Dublin. Picture credit: Cody Glenn / SPORTSFILE
11 February 2015; Sean Kilgallon, Cistercian College, celebrates after the game. Bank of Ireland Leinster Schools Senior Cup, 2nd Round, Blackrock College v Cistercian College Roscrea, Donnybrook Stadium, Donnybrook, Dublin. Picture credit: Cody Glenn / SPORTSFILE
11 February 2015; Steven Kilgallen, Blackrock College, is tackled by Keith Kavanagh, Cistercian College Roscrea. Bank of Ireland Leinster Schools Senior Cup, 2nd Round, Blackrock College v Cistercian College Roscrea, Donnybrook Stadium, Donnybrook, Dublin. Picture credit: Cody Glenn / SPORTSFILE
11 February 2015; Richie Mouatt, Blackrock College, is tackled by Brian Diffley, Cistercian College Roscrea. Bank of Ireland Leinster Schools Senior Cup, 2nd Round, Blackrock College v Cistercian College Roscrea, Donnybrook Stadium, Donnybrook, Dublin. Picture credit: Cody Glenn / SPORTSFILE
11 February 2015; Cistercian College Roscrea players, from left, Alan Tynan, Daniel Keane and Matty Keane celebrate after their team's first try. Bank of Ireland Leinster Schools Senior Cup, 2nd Round, Blackrock College v Cistercian College Roscrea, Donnybrook Stadium, Donnybrook, Dublin. Picture credit: Cody Glenn / SPORTSFILE
11 February 2015; Andrew Murphy, Blackrock College. Bank of Ireland Leinster Schools Senior Cup, 2nd Round, Blackrock College v Cistercian College Roscrea, Donnybrook Stadium, Donnybrook, Dublin. Picture credit: Cody Glenn / SPORTSFILE
11 February 2015; Steven Kilgallen, Blackrock College, is tackled by Keith Kavanagh, Cistercian College Roscrea. Bank of Ireland Leinster Schools Senior Cup, 2nd Round, Blackrock College v Cistercian College Roscrea, Donnybrook Stadium, Donnybrook, Dublin. Picture credit: Cody Glenn / SPORTSFILE
11 February 2015; Keith Kavanagh, Cistercian College Roscrea, is tackled by Patrick Patterson, Blackrock College. Bank of Ireland Leinster Schools Senior Cup, 2nd Round, Blackrock College v Cistercian College Roscrea, Donnybrook Stadium, Donnybrook, Dublin. Picture credit: Cody Glenn / SPORTSFILE
11 February 2015; Patrick Patterson, Blackrock College, is pursued by Keith Kavanaugh, Cistercian College Roscrea. Bank of Ireland Leinster Schools Senior Cup, 2nd Round, Blackrock College v Cistercian College Roscrea, Donnybrook Stadium, Donnybrook, Dublin. Picture credit: Cody Glenn / SPORTSFILE
11 February 2015; Daniel Keane, second from left, Cistercian College Roscrea, celebrates with teammate Kyle Cahir. Bank of Ireland Leinster Schools Senior Cup, 2nd Round, Blackrock College v Cistercian College Roscrea, Donnybrook Stadium, Donnybrook, Dublin. Picture credit: Cody Glenn / SPORTSFILE
11 February 2015; Tim Carroll, Cistercian College Roscrea, is tackled by Hugo Kean, Blackrock College. Bank of Ireland Leinster Schools Senior Cup, 2nd Round, Blackrock College v Cistercian College Roscrea, Donnybrook Stadium, Donnybrook, Dublin. Picture credit: Cody Glenn / SPORTSFILE
11 February 2015; Gavin Mullin, left, Blackrock College, is greeted by teammates Kyle Dixon, center, and James Fennelly, after scoring a first-half try. Bank of Ireland Leinster Schools Senior Cup, 2nd Round, Blackrock College v Cistercian College Roscrea, Donnybrook Stadium, Donnybrook, Dublin. Picture credit: Cody Glenn / SPORTSFILE
11 February 2015; Kyle Dixon, Blackrock College, in action against Tim Carroll, Cistercian College Roscrea. Bank of Ireland Leinster Schools Senior Cup, 2nd Round, Blackrock College v Cistercian College Roscrea, Donnybrook Stadium, Donnybrook, Dublin. Picture credit: Cody Glenn / SPORTSFILE
11 February 2015; Dan Trayers, Cistercian College Roscrea, advances the ball. Bank of Ireland Leinster Schools Senior Cup, 2nd Round, Blackrock College v Cistercian College Roscrea, Donnybrook Stadium, Donnybrook, Dublin. Picture credit: Cody Glenn / SPORTSFILE
11 February 2015; Vittorio Mantegazza, Blackrock College, is tackled by Dylan Murphy, left, and Liam Walsh, Cistercian College Roscrea. Bank of Ireland Leinster Schools Senior Cup, 2nd Round, Blackrock College v Cistercian College Roscrea, Donnybrook Stadium, Donnybrook, Dublin. Picture credit: Cody Glenn / SPORTSFILE
Roscrea
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There was a sense of déjà vu about this one right up until the tenth minute of injury-time.
You see two years ago Roscrea had Blackrock right where they wanted them in a vice-like grip and they couldn't finish it off.
They weren't able to close out their first ever Leinster Senior Cup win over the kingpins.
Well, it would be different this time. It took patience, perseverance and a large portion of composure for Roscrea to spend the last six minutes inside 'Rock's 22.
One mistake and it was all over. Once again.
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Instead, they exhausted all the will from 'Rock for tight-head prop Dylan Murphy to earn his place in immortality by landing the crushing final blow from no more than three metres to take them over the top of the champions.
It was no more than Roscrea deserved. Forget the inch-by-inch warfare they engaged in and recall the concentration and commitment to the cause that enabled flanker Matty Keane to put them ahead in the fifth minute.
From then, the script developed as written with captain Hugo Kean pounding over from close range and excellent centre Gavin Mullin carving up an exquisite try for wing James McGowan's conversions to make it 14-5 to the holders at half-time.
However, the sheer brilliance of number eight Dan Trayers drove Roscrea to unimaginable heights.
Scrum-half Keith Kavanagh's steepling up-and-under forced a spill and fly-half Alan Tynan miraculously plucked up the ball, held off a challenge and grounded the ball in the right corner to reduce the lead to four points in the 50th minute.
From there, they went blow-for-blow as Roscrea battled against the elegance of 'Rock's attack with a locked-down, body-sacrificing disregard for what the record books had told them.
They would not be denied. Trayers was the catalyst; Murphy the history maker.
Roscrea: T Carroll; S Kilgallon, R Wharton, T Foley (capt), D Keane; A Tynan, K Kavanagh; L Walsh, E Maher, D Murphy, F Wycherley, A Browne, S Meagher, M Keane, D Trayers.
Replacements: B Diffley for Keane 50 mins; K Cahir for Meagher 56 mins; P McKeon for Browne, J Murphy for Wharton both 68 mins.
Blackrock: S Kilgallen; T O'Brien, G Mullin, K Dixon, J McGowan; C Dean P Patterson; M Reidy, H Kean (capt), R Mouatt, D Mullane, V Mantegazza, R McMahon, J Fairley, C Doris.
Replacements: C Ryan for Mullane 14 mins; J Fennelly for Dean 30 mins; E Burns for Mouatt 55 mins; A Murphy for Fairley 62 mins.
Referee: S Gallagher, Leinster Branch.