Fintan’s aim for cup glory

FIFTEEN years ago this newspaper published an article on a local schools blitz run by Suttonians RFC, inviting local, non-rugby playing schools. 

Among the teams on the day (in fact the winners!) was St Fintan’s High School, neighbour of the famous Northside rugby club, and better known for Gaelic games, basketball, athletics and more. 

Fast forward 15 years and the scenario has changed beyond belief. The two organisations remain neighbours, but out of that dark winter afternoon blitz has emerged a real force in schools rugby. 

Northside People have been delighted to observe the growth of the team from developing school all the way up. Junior and Senior League successes have appeared in our pages right up to our schools cup feature last year with captain Sean Cribbin and Irish international Jack Aungier appearing alongside Principal Mary Fox before the campaign began. 

So to this season and the public school from Sutton has qualified with distinction from the top league in the province and earned a place in the main Challenge Cup draw, predominately the preserve of private schools. It’s no less than St Fintan’s deserve and the Northside rugby community will be holding its breath in D4 or glued to their TV sets.  

On January 31 (3pm), EirSport will cover St Fintan’s as they take on seasoned campaigners Clongowes Wood College in the first televised game of 2017. It promises to be an epic clash of old versus new. The establishment v new kids on the block. Aristocrats v minnows. The bookies will favour the Clane school heavily, but lest not forget 2016 was the year of the underdog!

Not that the Fintan’s players are used to being underdogs. Drawing on successful sides at Suttonians and Clontarf too, a large number have played representative rugby with Leinster and Ireland. Beyond classy captain Cribbin and Jack ‘Danger’ Aungier, Darragh Kelly has also represented his country while former Leinster outhalf James McCourt, Fintan’s own Johnny Sexton, will firmly direct his team around the pitch with playmaker Frankie O’Dea supporting outside him. Veteran kamikaze Simon Feeney in the pack, brother of coach Andy, is one to watch too alongside the barrelling Declan Adamson and his good friend, monster prop Aziz Naser. 

Fintan’s seem to be peaking at the right time and will have nothing to fear. They’ve already won in many ways, attracting much support along the way, and certainly pressure to perform will be only on their fancied opponents. The team has earned the respect of the Leinster Schools community, but one suspects that alone won’t satisfy this special group.