Schools Cups 2014

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Thought both number 8s and Cleary were the standouts, seriously impressed with all three. Power very good too, some beautiful touches.

Great game. Some brilliant skills in such tough conditions. Clongowes were outstanding in defence for that first half an hour. Don't know how they kept Rock out and it was great that their heads didn't drop after the two tries in quick succession and then they played the conditions brilliantly at the start of the second half. Thought they were really unlucky that the wind died down a bit because they had Rock seriously rattled and used the wind much better.

Very impressed by the ref as well. Very clear in his instructions and the game flowed nicely. I know one of the Clongowes' tries was dodgy but he couldn't see the replay when it went to the TMO.

[offshorerules]

All good news for Leinster.

[goreyguy]

Cleary is impressive alright, has played 10,12 and 13 for Leinster under-age teams, not sure where his future lies though. Probably at 12.
Timoney is small for a pro 8, maybe he moves to 7. Hard to know really.

[Darce]

Cleary is impressive alright, has played 10,12 and 13 for Leinster under-age teams, not sure where his future lies though. Probably at 12.
Timoney is small for a pro 8, maybe he moves to 7. Hard to know really.

He's still got 2/3 years growth left in him. Don't think height is a big issue for an 8. SOB would be a fine number 8 and he's not very tall at all

[goreyguy]

Cleary is impressive alright, has played 10,12 and 13 for Leinster under-age teams, not sure where his future lies though. Probably at 12.
Timoney is small for a pro 8, maybe he moves to 7. Hard to know really.

He's still got 2/3 years growth left in him. Don't think height is a big issue for an 8. SOB would be a fine number 8 and he's not very tall at all

He is 19 this year(Leinster under-19), he is 6'2 at the most. Not every player is SOB. Actually very very few players have that explosive power at that size.
There is a reason why long term Jordi Murphy is considered a 7 by Schmidt, it's because top level number 8's are usually 6'3+ and 108kg+
Look at Heaslip and Conan and even Coghlan before he moved to centre.
Look at Read, Picamoles and Harinordoquy.
Only Islanders like Faletau and Vunipola are playing 8 but they are much heavier/explosive players.
He is perfectly big enough now for schools rugby but even ireland under-20 he will be small for a number 8. Lorcan Dow fits the mold better and started at 8 for Ireland under-19 this season.
Now granted he could grow in the next year or I could be wrong and he will make it at 8 but he reminds me of Shane Jennings a bit, terrific 8 in schools that will convert to a 7 in the pro game.
Not trying to be critical of the kid, he has been a terrific player for Blackrock.

[hugonaut]

Cleary is impressive alright, has played 10,12 and 13 for Leinster under-age teams, not sure where his future lies though. Probably at 12.

Just got to watch most of that match this evening, an enjoyable final. Cleary is a super player alright, a natural rugby player.

I remember seeing him a couple of times for Leinster Schools last season with Dardis, Brewer, Ross Byrne et al when himself and Brewer switched between centre positions throughout the match – Brewer was nominally the 12 and Cleary the 13, but they mixed it up as inside/outside on an almost play-by-play basis and gave their opponents fits. A lot of that was because they were individually just more talented than the guys they were up against, but there was a lot of variety in how they played.

Didn't really see him as a No10 until the final there, very impressed. All the bustling physicality and self-confidence still there, but the invention, passing skills and the leadership he exuded stood out. Good players and good performances on both sides [that Blackrock No13 was greased lightning] but of all the lads on the pitch who you'd want on your team, I'd have picked him hands down.

[goreyguy]

Holy Ghost schools side
1. Eric O'Sullivan(Templeogue)
2. Hugo Kean(Blackrock)
3. Jeremy Loughman(Blackrock)
4. Hugo Diepman(Marys)
5. James Ryan(Michaels)
6. Conor Corcoran(Marys)
7. Alex Penny(Michaels)
8. Nick Timoney(Blackrock)
9. David Duggan(Michaels)
10. Matthew Gilsenan(Michaels)
11. Terry Kennedy(Marys)
12. Oisin O'Meara(Michaels)
13. Jack Power(Blackrock)
14. Kevin O'Connor(Templeogue)
15. Joey Carberry(Blackrock)
16. Jordan Finnegan(Marys)
17. Conor Whelan(Marys)
18. Harry Redmond(Michaels)
19. David Rohan(Templeogue)
20. Conor Oliver(Blackrock)
21. Matthew Timmons(Templeogue)
22. Ben Hoey(Marys)
23. Adam Leavy(Michaels)

Jesuit schools side
1. Cormac Marrey(Belvo)
2. John Molony(Clongowes)
3. Barry Lysaght(Belvo)
4. Conor Gleeson(Clongowes)
5. James Doyle(Belvo)
6. Will Connors(Clongowes)
7. Joshua Pim(Clongowes)
8. Stephen McVeigh(Clongowes)
9. Rowan Osborne(Clongowes)
10. Conor Jennings(Belvo)
11. Cian O'Donoghue(Clongowes)
12. Adam Marks(Gonzaga)
13. Colm Mulcahy(Clongowes)
14. Ciaran Clifford(Belvo)
15. Alan Hughes(Clongowes)
16. Jack Hutchinson(Belvo)
17. Nicolas Rinklin(Clongowes)
18. Eoghan Byrne(Gonzaga)
19. Jake Kennedy(Clongowes)
20. Rory Litchfield(Blevo)
21. Nick Peters(Gonzaga)
22. Kevin O'Connor(Gonzaga)

[All Blacks nil]

Holy Ghost schools side
1. Eric O'Sullivan(Templeogue)
2. Hugo Kean(Blackrock)
3. Jeremy Loughman(Blackrock)
4. Hugo Diepman(Marys)
5. James Ryan(Michaels)
6. Conor Corcoran(Marys)
7. Alex Penny(Michaels)
8. Nick Timoney(Blackrock)
9. David Duggan(Michaels)
10. Matthew Gilsenan(Michaels)
11. Terry Kennedy(Marys)
12. Oisin O'Meara(Michaels)
13. Jack Power(Blackrock)
14. Kevin O'Connor(Templeogue)
15. Joey Carberry(Blackrock)
16. Jordan Finnegan(Marys)
17. Conor Whelan(Marys)
18. Harry Redmond(Michaels)
19. David Rohan(Templeogue)
20. Conor Oliver(Blackrock)
21. Matthew Timmons(Templeogue)
22. Ben Hoey(Marys)
23. Adam Leavy(Michaels)

Jesuit schools side
1. Cormac Marrey(Belvo)
2. John Molony(Clongowes)
3. Barry Lysaght(Belvo)
4. Conor Gleeson(Clongowes)
5. James Doyle(Belvo)
6. Will Connors(Clongowes)
7. Joshua Pim(Clongowes)
8. Stephen McVeigh(Clongowes)
9. Rowan Osborne(Clongowes)
10. Conor Jennings(Belvo)
11. Cian O'Donoghue(Clongowes)
12. Adam Marks(Gonzaga)
13. Colm Mulcahy(Clongowes)
14. Ciaran Clifford(Belvo)
15. Alan Hughes(Clongowes)
16. Jack Hutchinson(Belvo)
17. Nicolas Rinklin(Clongowes)
18. Eoghan Byrne(Gonzaga)
19. Jake Kennedy(Clongowes)
20. Rory Litchfield(Blevo)
21. Nick Peters(Gonzaga)
22. Kevin O'Connor(Gonzaga)

Pity a few Crescent lads couldn't have been included in the Jesuit squad. From a fundraising point of view it would have widened the net and it would have been an interesting exercise from a rugby point of view.

By the way Jack Power seriously impressed me on the little I saw of the LSSC

Is Terry Kennedy (11) on the Holy Ghost side anything to the former St Mary's' and Irish winger of the same name?

[goreyguy]

James Ryan is in 5th year. Slightly large "kid"

[simonno6]

Holy Ghost schools side
1. Eric O'Sullivan(Templeogue)
2. Hugo Kean(Blackrock)
3. Jeremy Loughman(Blackrock)
4. Hugo Diepman(Marys)
5. James Ryan(Michaels)
6. Conor Corcoran(Marys)
7. Alex Penny(Michaels)
8. Nick Timoney(Blackrock)
9. David Duggan(Michaels)
10. Matthew Gilsenan(Michaels)
11. Terry Kennedy(Marys)
12. Oisin O'Meara(Michaels)
13. Jack Power(Blackrock)
14. Kevin O'Connor(Templeogue)
15. Joey Carberry(Blackrock)
16. Jordan Finnegan(Marys)
17. Conor Whelan(Marys)
18. Harry Redmond(Michaels)
19. David Rohan(Templeogue)
20. Conor Oliver(Blackrock)
21. Matthew Timmons(Templeogue)
22. Ben Hoey(Marys)
23. Adam Leavy(Michaels)

Jesuit schools side
1. Cormac Marrey(Belvo)
2. John Molony(Clongowes)
3. Barry Lysaght(Belvo)
4. Conor Gleeson(Clongowes)
5. James Doyle(Belvo)
6. Will Connors(Clongowes)
7. Joshua Pim(Clongowes)
8. Stephen McVeigh(Clongowes)
9. Rowan Osborne(Clongowes)
10. Conor Jennings(Belvo)
11. Cian O'Donoghue(Clongowes)
12. Adam Marks(Gonzaga)
13. Colm Mulcahy(Clongowes)
14. Ciaran Clifford(Belvo)
15. Alan Hughes(Clongowes)
16. Jack Hutchinson(Belvo)
17. Nicolas Rinklin(Clongowes)
18. Eoghan Byrne(Gonzaga)
19. Jake Kennedy(Clongowes)
20. Rory Litchfield(Blevo)
21. Nick Peters(Gonzaga)
22. Kevin O'Connor(Gonzaga)

Jaysus they didn't exactly go the proportional representation route!! Only one Zaga man starting! I remember the last time they played this game the Jesuits lined out with 5 starters from each school!!

[goreyguy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6AueMK ... 6ApqvV_MPA

[offshorerules]

The mighty St Conleth's doing very well in all competitions this year. Gerry will be delighted.

[hugonaut]

Decent 2010-10 win for the U18 Schools today against Georgia over in Poland.

There was a stream of it which the IRFU Twitter account referred to, caught a bit of it over lunch. The lad Ryan is some player.

[Dave Cahill]

Decent 2010-10 win for the U18 Schools today against Georgia over in Poland.

There was a stream of it which the IRFU Twitter account referred to, caught a bit of it over lunch. The lad Ryan is some player.

Yeah, it looked shaky until we passed the 1500 point mark

[hugonaut]

Decent 2010-10 win for the U18 Schools today against Georgia over in Poland.

There was a stream of it which the IRFU Twitter account referred to, caught a bit of it over lunch. The lad Ryan is some player.

Yeah, it looked shaky until we passed the 1500 point mark

My heart was in my mouth until we got the 214th try.

[goreyguy]

15. Jack Power (Blackrock College/Leinster)
14. Jordan Larmour (St. Andrew's College/Leinster)
13. Colm Mulcahy (Clongowes Wood College/Leinster)
12. Matthew Gilsenan (St. Michael's College/Leinster)
11. Jacob Stockdale (Wallace High School/Ulster)
10. Jimmy O'Brien (Newbridge College/Leinster)
9. Rowan Osborne (Clongowes Wood College/Leinster)
1. Andrew Porter (St. Andrew's College/Leinster)
2. John Molony (Clongowes Wood College/Leinster)
3. Conan O'Donnell (Summerhill College/Connacht)
4. James Ryan (St. Michael's College/Leinster) (capt)
5. Sean O'Connor (Rockwell College/Munster)
6. Will Connors (Clongowes Wood College/Leinster)
7. Johnny Guy (St. Andrew's College/Leinster)
8. Max Deegan (St. Michael's Collge/Leinster)
Replacements:
16. Conor McIlmurray (Campbell College/Ulster)
17. Hugo Kean (Blackrock College/Leinster)
18. Conor Kenny (Garbally College/Connacht)
19. Peter Claffey (Garbally College/Connacht)
20. Greg Jones (St. Andrew's College/Leinster)
21. David Duggan (St. Michael's College/Leinster)
22. Paul Kiernan (Presentation Brothers Cork/Munster)
23. Oisin O'Meara (St. Michael's College/Leinster)
24. Alan McMahon (Rockwell College/Munster)
25. Calvin Nash (Crescent College Comprehensive/Munster)

[cormac]

Ireland beat France 24-11 in the U-18 championships. They play England in the final on Saturday.

[goreyguy]

Watched it, Ireland were magnificent in defense and took their chances when they appeared.
James Ryan was immense.

[dropkick]

Watched it, Ireland were magnificent in defense and took their chances when they appeared.
James Ryan was immense.

Ryan looks good alright. Very strong, and quick for a tall player. Jack Power has been the pick of the backs over the 2 games. Both props and the Irish number 8 also had good games.

France had the bigger players and the majority of possession but Ireland were technically well ahead and ran out deserving winners. It was windy there so not ideal conditions but Ireland took theirtries well.

Its good to see these games online. Only negative was the camera work, which was awful.

[offshorerules]

Do you have a link for the final?