St. Mary’s College are back at Lansdowne Road less than a year after their AIB League Division Two final defeat to UL Bohemians – and they have done it the hard way.
…John McWeeney of St. Marys College R.F.C…
St. Mary’s College are back at Lansdowne Road less than a year after their AIB League Division Two final defeat to UL Bohemians – and they have done it the hard way.
It has been no mean feat for Peter Smyth’s side to progress through to the inaugural AIB Cup decider. Along the way, they have beaten Greystones (39-14), arch rivals Terenure College (35-21) and Garryowen (23-14) – all away from home.
Each time, they have fielded their strongest possible line-up and it shows the esteem with which Mary’s hold the competition in. The Templeville Road club has a rich cup pedigree, but Smyth’s men have had only a six-day turnaround from their Leddin Finance Leinster Senior Cup final loss (23-16) at the hands of Clontarf last Sunday.
John McWeeney, with his full concentration on club rugby after a fine 68-cap career as a winger with Leinster, captains the side.
Mary’s half backs Jonathan Sexton, who earned his Ireland Under-21 spurs during the recent Six Nations, and John Kilbride have been in impressive form. Out-half Sexton, who has also been capped by Leinster in the Celtic League this season, has taken over the kicking mantle from vice-captain Barry Lynn, scoring 105 points in the League to date.
Lively scrum half Kilbride has three Cup tries to his name – including a precious brace against Nure in the quarter-final.
For a club that claimed the IRFU Centenary Club Championship in 1975 and last won the Division One crown in 1999/2000, when current Toulouse lock Trevor Brennan was captain, it seems fitting that the 2006 vintage could recall the glory days on Saturday afternoon.
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