BELVEDERE COLLEGE had it all too easy in today’s Leinster Schools Senior Cup first round clash with Gonzaga College.
Belvo ran in five tries en route to a 32-5 victory at Donnybrook, with the outcome settled just four minutes into the second half.
However, the bulk of the damage was done in a 15-minute spell before the interval, when tries from Tom De Jongh, James McKeown and Hughie O’Sullivan sent Belvedere in at half time with a 19-0 lead.
Gonzaga needed a positive opening to the second period to have any hope of making it a contest, but the matter was settled shortly after the restart when Sean Long crossed for another Belvo try.
Barry Goulding pulled one back for Gonzaga, but a second try from Hughie O’Sullivan wrapped up the win for Belvedere College, who were also aided by seven points from the boot of Conor Jennings.
In Munster, defending champions Crescent College secured home advantage for their quarter-final after grinding out a 10-0 win against CBC in tough conditions at Tom Clifford Park.
Conditions were also far from ideal at Thomond Park, where Árdscoil Rís were 21-13 winners against St Munchin’s. At the Mardyke, having led 13-0 at half time, Rockwell withstood a second-half comeback from PBC to hold out for a 16-14 win.
Rockwell will host St Munchin’s in the quarter-finals, PBC will travel to face Castletroy, Árdscoil Rís will entertain CBC and Crescent will have home advantage against Glenstal Abbey.
