Seapoint Sizzle In Junior Cup Win
Dublin club Seapoint lived up to their billing as pre-tournament favourites by easing out to a 47-15 win over Coleraine in Saturday’s AIB Junior Cup final at Dubarry Park.
AIB JUNIOR CUP FINAL: Saturday, April 14
SEAPOINT 47 COLERAINE 15, Dubarry Park
Scorers: Seapoint: Tries: Ben Focas 2, Carl de Chenu, Aaron Dundon, Felix Jones 2; Cons: Brian Keegan 4; Pens: Brian Keegan 2; Drop: Brian Keegan
Coleraine: Tries: Colin McNay, Denis Taylor, Nigel Hall
AIB Junior Cup Final Picture Gallery
A sun-splashed Dubarry Park saw Seapoint secure the AIB Junior Cup title today with a comfortable 47-15 defeat of Coleraine.
The Dubliners were well on control, leading 25-5 at half-time with Kiwi flanker Ben Focas bagging two tries and winger Carl de Chenu also off the mark.
Colin McNay scored Coleraine’s first half try and although Denis Taylor and Nigel Hall also touched down for the Ulster men, Seapoint were just too strong.
Second half tries from Aaron Dundon and Ireland U-20 star Felix Jones (2) saw Seapoint seal the win. Focas was deservedly named AIB man of the match.
Seapoint’s swift and slick attack saw them carve open Coleraine at times with Focas and Jones the players to stand out.
Focas, who scored four tries on the way to the final, got his opening score this afternoon after nine minutes. It was the Dublin side’s first real attack after they survived an initial onslaught from the Derry men.
McNay managed to reply for Coleraine but scores from Focas again and de Chenu established a solid-looking lead for Seapoint, whose out-half Brian Keegan slammed over two conversions, a penalty and a drop goal in the opening period.
Coleraine dearly needed the first score of the second half but front rower Dundon had other ideas when he barged through for a Seapoint try, just two minutes after the restart.
Jones, who was part of the Irish U-20s’ Grand Slam-winning side this season, then showed sublime skills when splitting the Derry side’s defence for a 45th-minute try at the posts which Keegan converted.
Coleraine displayed their battling qualities with a pair of tries in reply, Taylor peeling off on 52 minutes and then the hard-working Hall getting in wide on the right, eleven minutes later.
But they could not add further to their tally and Seapoint cruised to success with Keegan kicking a penalty before converting another smashing Jones try in added time for a clear cut win.
SEAPOINT: F Jones; C de Chenu, A McCleane, S Gill, S Brady; B Keegan, C Weinnmann; S Hughes, A Dundon, J Frame, M Barrett, D Doyle, S Walsh, B Focas, J Walsh (capt).
Replacements used: JP Finlay for Barrett, C Byrne for Weinmann, J Kirwan for McCleane, M O’Connor for Dundon, R Woulfe for Hughes, S Boazman for Brady, D Griffin for Jones (blood sub).
COLERAINE: T van Wyk; N Hall, D Lambe, P McNay, C McNay; D Andrews, A Kettyle; S Bartlett, P Brown, J Porter; J Boyd (capt), J Gault, JW Boyd, G Cochrane, D Taylor.
Replacements used: S Dickey for Cochrane, W Herbst for Gault, T Jackson for J Boyd, A Hogg for Bartlett.
Referee: Ger English (Munster)