McCorry Cup Final – Old Belvedere 47 – 40 UCD

U20 McCorry Cup Final Match Report:

Old Belvedere RFC 47 – U.C.D. RFC 40

Saturday 25th April. Energia Park.

KO: 18:30

This was a pulsating final that kept the large crowd on the edge of their seats until the final whistle. Old Belvedere emerged as worthy winners, and the scoreline probably flattered UCD who scored 14 points in the last 5 minutes, while Belvo finished with 13 men on the pitch. The Old Belvedere supporters made their voices heard throughout the game as parents, siblings, grandparents, friends and fellow club members cheered their heroes on.

 

Sometimes you can just tell by the body language and the atmosphere in the dressing room that the result is going to go your way. The boys in Black & White were well prepped and laser-sharp from the off, but it was UCD who opened the scoring in the third minute. UCD shortened their line-out, and from a pre-rehearsed move launched their No.5 off a quick maul and into space. He made huge yardage before he was eventually hauled down metres from the Belvo try-line, but the Black & Whites defence was stretched. From a quick ruck, UCD moved the ball left and a huge skip pass hit their Full back to score in the corner. The conversion was good and UCD led 7 – 0.

 

In the seventh minute Old Belvedere opened their account. From a penalty advantage 5m out from the UCD tryline, No. 10 Daragh O’Dwyer (probably the best Out-half in the competition) launched a cross-field kick towards the Dodder. Left wing, Hugh Fitzgerald soared Michael Jordan-like to keep the ball in play and he batted the ball down to fleet-footed Full back Finn Kehoe, who jinked his way almost to the whitewash. After two carries and quick ball, influential Captain Calum McKinley spotted a gap at the edge of the ruck, and he crashed over for a try. O’Dwyer made the conversion to tie the game at 7 – 7.

 

In the 20th minute, Old Belvedere doubled their advantage after a relieving box kick from UCD was disrupted by the physical No.5 Jake McInerney. No.8 Harvey Leonard (who must have had 3 Weetabix for breakfast) reacted quickest and fly-kicked the ball towards the UCD goal-line. The ball bounced kindly for the back-rower and he scorched the UCD Out-half to win the race to the try line. O’Dwyer stroked the ball over the bar to give Belvo a 14 – 7 lead.

 

In the 29th minute, things got even better for the Black & Whites. Daragh O’Dwyer dinked a grubber kick towards silky right wing JP Breslin. It popped up perfectly for JP and he instantly offloaded to the flying Finn Kehoe, who sprinted over for a try. The UCD Full back didn’t appreciate the celebratory gesture, and he slid into Kehoe after the ball was grounded. The referee went to his pocket, and UCD were reduced to 14 men. O’Dwyer dispatched the conversion and Belvo led 21 – 7.

 

That indiscretion was very costly from UCD’s perspective. Old Belvedere were awarded a penalty on the half-way and O’Dwyer’s kick brought play to the UCD 22m line. Knowing UCD were down a man in the back-field, JP Breslin came off his wing and entered the attack. While his pass to No.15 Kehoe didn’t go to hand, some impressive soccer skills brought the ball under control. In turn he found the pacey left wing Hugh Fitzgerald who outsprinted the covering defence to dot down in the corner. Cool as you like, and from a similar position as his semi-final winning conversion, O’Dwyer knocked over the touchline kick to give Belvo a commanding 28 – 7 lead. It felt almost too good to be true!

 

UCD got back on the scoreboard on the stroke of half-time. Winning a penalty inside the Belvo half, the Students kicked to touch. The lineout was UCD’s strongest facet of play all afternoon, and from there they patiently recycled the ball and went through the phases before eventually moving the ball wide for their Right wing to score in the corner. The conversion was missed and the half ended with Old Belvedere holding a deserved 28 – 12 lead.

 

In the 45th minute, UCD struck again after the Black & Whites failed to control a defending line-out on the 5m line, and the pack eventually burrowed over for a try. The kick was good and brought the score to 28 – 19.

 

Things got even more worrying for Belvo’s supporters in the 56th minute. From a penalty, UCD kicked to just short of the Belvo ’22. After some strong carries from the pack in the middle of the field, UCD moved the ball wide and a huge skip-pass found their left wing in space who dived over to score in the corner with millimetres to spare. The kick from the touchline was accurate and Belvo’s lead had been whittled down to just 2 points; 28 – 26.

 

Everyone in Black & White bar the players were getting nervous – there was a feeling of déjà vu all over again – but the nerves were settled 9 minutes later when the abrasive No.6 Seán Killeen, moved to No.8 for the injured Harvey Leonard, picked from the base of the scrum and went blind. The determined No.9 Chris O’Connor (probably the best Scrum-half in the competition) was on his shoulder to receive the pass, and he torched the defence to score under the posts.

 

In the 68th minute, “finishing” centre Charlie McConnell spotted space in the backfield and struck an inch-perfect 50-22 after UCD had knocked the ball on. Belvo secured the line-out and a pull-back from McConnell standing at first receiver found Daragh O’Dwyer who flashed a long pass to No.15 Finn Kehoe who expertly drew his man before feeding lightening left wing Hugh Fitzgerald who sprinted in unopposed. The conversion was good to put Belvo into a 42 -26 lead.

 

UCD are the JP Fanagan Prem 1 champions for a good reason, and they hit back in the 76th minute after Old Belvedere had been reduced to 14 men for repeated infringements. UCD kicked to the Belvo ’22 and after several strong carries in open play they moved the ball wide for their centre to score to the left of the posts. The conversion was good and the scoreline moved to 42 – 33.

 

Two minutes later Belvo took advantage of another UCD knock-on. Playing with advantage, the physically imposing Charlie McConnell made a massive carry from his 10m line into the UCD ’22. The ball was recycled quickly and the razor-sharp No.9 Chris O’Connor decided to take matters into his own hands as he picked from the base of the ruck and burst past the remaining defenders to score. The conversion narrowly missed but the scoreboard now stood at 47 – 33 with only seconds remaining.

 

Incredibly, UCD managed to score again, but Belvo had been reduced to 13 men at this stage, and it was too little to late. The score finished 47 – 40 and the McCorry Cup was walked back to Ollie Campbell Park where the celebrations went on into the wee hours.

 

Man of the Match: No. 9 – Chris O’Connor (2 T).

 

 

Match report: Adam Mac Nulty