Tom O'Riordan and Alex Mullan star as Blackrock College power way into Leinster Senior Cup quarter-finals

Blackrock College 49 Pres Bray 5

Blackrock College's Tom O'Riordan offloads under pressure from Ross Mackey. Photo by: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Des Berry

January 30 2023 05:22 PM

Props Tom O'Riordan and Alex Mullan snatched a brace of tries as Blackrock powered their way into the Leinster Schools Senior Cup quarter-finals at Energia Park this afternoon.

The excess energy was burned off with a melee which resulted in Mark Walsh being binned for Blackrock.

Pres’s metronomic Jack Murphy aimed a shot at goal from inside his own half which rebounded off an upright.

However, Blackrock showed what they were capable of in their first serious incursion when loose-head O'Riordan crashed over for Oliver Coffey to convert.

A textbook lineout led to a surging maul where Tom Brigg using leg drive to smash through for Coffey's conversion to double the advantage in the 23rd minute.

An impressive collaborative effort was next on the list. The ball eventually moved left for Brigg to put Mikey Yarr in and Coffey converted for 21-0 in the 28th minute.

There was a glimpse of the potential of Pres's attack when they drove cohesively for Zach Kirby to ground the ball.

Nonetheless, Blackrock were not about to ease up, the forwards piling on the pressure for Andrew Quinn to go close and Mullan clinched the fourth, with Coffey adding the extras for 28-5 at the break.

The sight of captain Murphy being binned for batting down a pass was another body blow for Pres.

Soon, Brigg exploded off the back of a scrum for Mullan to score his second try, with Coffey again converting in the 45th minute.

Still, Pres did not cave in, Treacy, Ross Mackey and Billy Corrigan knocking down the carriers until Brigg's offload enabled O'Riordan to grab his double, Coffey converting for 42-5 in the 53rd minute.

Murphy returned to vary his distribution off limited ball only for Michael Colreavy to snatch a loose ball for the seventh try, converted by Harry Whelan this time.

Murphy's elegant chip over the top for Treacy to take the ball up was followed by another pinpoint kick for Dylan Henry.

It was creative and accurate only to be snuffed out by Gregg Barron in a show of Rock's defensive strength.

SCORERS – Blackrock: A Mullan, T O'Riordan 2 tries each; T Brigg, M Yarr, A Colreavy try each; O Coffey 6 cons; H Whelan con. Pres Bray: Z Kirby try.

BLACKROCK COLLEGE – A Quinn (D Moloney 37); J O’Sullivan, E Walsh, M Walsh, C Molony; H Whelan (P Clancy 57), O Coffey (Capt) (J Larkin 57); T O’Riordan (P Moore 56), M Yarr (G Barron 56), A Mullan (S Bishti 60); M Colreavy, D McGuire (T Butler 60); C Tonge, J Angulo (C Hodges 56), T Brigg.

PRESENTATION COLLEGE BRAY – D O’Sullivan; J McDonald (M Doyle 62), F Treacy, L Smith, D Henry; J Murphy (Capt), C Eddy (O Meade 54); C McGrath, F Brien (R O'Boyle), J McDonald; A Tighe (T Treacy 55), B Corrigan; R Mackey (C Bourke 64), Z Kirby, J Heally.

REF – R Jenkinson (Leinster)