St Fintan’s triumph to win senior plate trophy 

ST FINTAN’S High School's Senior Cup Team (SCT) finished the season in style by capturing the Leinster Schools Senior Plate (Fr Hampson Cup) when overcoming a strong Presentation Bray side, 8-5 at Templeville Road.

In a game of two halves, the Sutton team dominated territory and possession in the first period, aided by the wind, but were only rewarded with one try from Niall O’Halloran.  

In their one attack into St Fintan’s territory Presentation Bray scored with a try in the corner from Jack McGrath after good forward work on the stroke of half time.

Presentation Bray dominated the exchanges in the second half but a spirited St Fintan’s defence kept them at bay with notable performances from Darragh Kelly and Michael McGiff. 

A rare foray deep into the Presentation Bray ‘22 with 10 minutes to go resulted in a penalty that Frankie O’Dea slotted over from out wide.  

In the final minutes the County Wicklow team laid siege to the Fintan’s line and turned down kickable penalties to go for the corner and the win. 

Several phases later and a turnover allowed St Fintan’s to clear their lines and see the game 

out resulting in the biggest win in the  school’s fledgling rugby life. 

Having overcome The Kings Hospital in the quarter final and then beating Castleknock College in the semi final, this marked a hugely impressive end to another successful rugby season for the newcomers to the top tier of Leinster schoolboy rugby.

St Fintan’s Head Coach and Director of rugby, Bru Amerlynck, who took over the reigns from Robert Forbes in the off season, said the win was just reward for the hard work the squad had put in to the season. 

He said it augurs well for next season as the school looks to return to the Senior Cup for a third successive time.