Our own Blayze Molloy played a central role as Clongowes Wood won a hugely exciting Leinster Senior Cup fixture in a throbbing Energia Park on Monday morning.
The young Ballina made a huge impression in front of a dancing, singing crowd and got over for a crucial try to help his side into a second round meeting with St Michael’s.
The winners managed the early morning start the better, moving into Terenure territory and staying there until the breakthrough.
Centre Harry Roche-Nagle made a slicing break and, recognising the lack of options on either side, tickled a kick over the top for left-wing Dan Baugh to win the race to the grounding, Harry Mallon converting in the fourth minute.
Terenure refused to use the strong wind to escape their half and a lack of execution enabled Clongowes to crank up the pressure at the lineout.
Scrum-half Tom Murtagh was a menace on the fringes and, when they got close enough to establish the pick-and-go, It was time for Blayze, the big Ballina second-row, to squeeze over for Mallon to double the lead in the 13th minute.
Terenure had to wait until midway through the half for the first sniff of an opportunity and that came undone rather quickly.
They had to work out a foothold or the game could get away from them. They appeared to be aided by the harsh binning of Baugh for an indiscretion committed on ‘Nure’s 22. The one-boy disadvantage didn’t concern Clongowes, Mallon’s penalty hitting the right upright.
A ripping run by Terenure full-back Jim Kennedy did seem to provide energy and Clongowes lost Dermot Collins to the bin just as Baugh returned.
Still, the Clane school absorbed pressure in tight and out wide until a trusty trooper snagged a turnover penalty. Terenure’s indiscipline at the ruck allowed Mallon to strike a penalty from the left for 17-0 on half-time.
Whatever coach Sean Skehan said at the interval had the desired effect. Terenure immediately produced their first coherent, cohesive piece of play, replacement Harvey O’Leary taking a gap and full-back Kennedy careering over for Louis Moran to convert.

The restart didn’t travel the requisite 10 metres and unrecognisable ‘Nure came like a train, Mallon sluicing through for Moran to make it 17-14 in the 43rd minute.
Clongowes went to the comfort of their maul backed up by a snappy back
movement which almost led to another Baugh breakthrough. However, Terenure were clearly revived, showing transformed confidence in their handling to tease defenders out of position.
There was none more impactful than O’Leary, surging into the clear ahead of James McCormack’s slick finish in the 52nd minute. Remarkably, Terenure were in front and still there when Mallon narrowly missed a shot at goal.
Clongowes came again from a lovely one-two between captain Alex Kelly and Padraic Spillane to force another penalty for scrum-half Murtagh to recover the lead 20-19 in the 59th minute.
It was edge of the seat stuff as Terenure marched forward, Moran’s penalty coming back off the upright. One mistake. One piece of brilliance could seal it. Terenure pushed the pace and the ball in search of a hole. It never came.
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Clongowes Wood – Padraic Spillane; Brian McCarthy, Harry Roche-Nagle, Callum McDonald (Gavin Keane 52), Daniel Baugh; Harry Mallon, Tom Murtagh; James Wyse, Kosi Ugwueru (Max Doyle 66), Max Duggan (Alex Hemeryck 48), Blayze Molloy, Alex Kelly (Capt), Matthew Roche Nagle, Dermot Collins, Dan Daly.
Terenure College – Jim Kennedy; Paddy Curry, Daniel Martin, Rory King (Harvey O’Brien ht), James McCormack; Casper Lorin Gabriel (Thomas Costello 61), Louis Moran; Adam Cooper, Keith Byrne, Ólan Storey, Lochlann Wardick, Matthew Somerville (Capt), Ben Blaney, Carlos Montero Belard (Eamon Geraghty 60), Ben Nolan.

Referee – A Cole, Leinster Branch.