St Mary’s College RFC J1 V NUI Barnhall RFC J1

43 19

Metro League 1

Templeville Road

Sunday 8th November 2026.

Overall

It was a joy to be at Templeville Road on the sweetest of autumnal days and be served two exceptionally entertaining matches

This is a very good J1 team with the DNA of Eanna, Paul and Johnny all over it. They are doing commendable work. Eanna is a brilliant young coach and is working creatively and hard on this team. Barnhall were by no means an easy touch and have a good record, beating Belvo last time out. They fought hard but the Mary’s pack was strong and well organised, and the backs were sparkling, slick and rapid. Barnhall are always up for the game and fought to the end. However, their backline was eclipsed.

It is reassuring to have a J1 that can hold the standards set down by the senior coaches and so be able to fill places and ultimately become regular senior players, this array of players fills those criteria. The fitness of the squad was evident throughout the game.

It was unfortunate that Crag Kennedy, who has been in sparkling form for the senior team pulled up in the warmup. His cousin Stephen, coming back from injury came in, and had a fine game, scoring a try. Jack Halpin moved to fullback and was superb, taking balls in full flow and making ground, linking and was like a minesweeper behind the line.

It has to be said again that for us to have a front-row of such quality in a J1 team is most reassuring for the senior coaching team. In fact, every member of the pack was excellent including bench men. David Leanne and Luca Jennings were outstanding, with-Leanner a lineout Cleaner- He was almost telaesthesic on the throw, he was also to the fore in attack crossing for neat try. Luca was electric, he was excellent with the ball and when called on in line-out, but his work on the ground, his anticipation and his sheer bold tenacity makes him a special player not unlike his dad and uncle.

The backs, were excellent, the smooth half backs, including the calm authority and faultless kicking of Ethan Kenny led the way. the midfield, with fearless and tireless Thady Mc Keever adding solidity to the line and flying Zack Hopkins who was a constant threat with his balanced running and his Zoom-Zack pace were super. Zack scored two super tries and had a rewarding game. Gavin Foley on the left wing, has the kind of determination that makes one want him on any team. He is a good reader of the game and is ever alert to opportunity as a good wing should be. He thinks I am going to get there and he does. He judged an intercept exactly and went for it with pace and grit; he hit Mk1 and nothing was going to stop him.

This team will do well and deserves to so do.

After only four minutes Jack Halpin broke right to left and gave Zack the ball he burst through two defenders and scorched in forty metres to score a fine try. Ethan converted a penalty after 22 minutes and the score was 10-0.

Gavin’ s intercept was on 31 minutes. After Ethan’s conversion it was 17-0.

It was 31 minutes and Barnhall scored a converted try, and on 37 minutes Zack made a brilliant break to score a superb individual try, so it was 24-7, then Barnhall brought it back to 24-14 before a signal team try finished by Stephen Kennedy and it was 29-14. Luke McGill who was prodding all the time broke from a ruck and hurtled over 20 metres to make it 36-14, Barnhall scored again, 36-919 and Leanner finished a short barrage on the line and so it ended 43-19. Well done all.

The J1 game was followed by a brilliant display from St Marys’ and UCD’, U20s. It was a close fought game for much of the time; and for a period the score lay at 10-10. Then UCD drew away and with 15 minutes to go the score was 10-38 and looking aa though UCD would be clear winners. These young Marys tyros, so well trained by Sean Healy and his colleagues and organised and cosseted by Vinnie Murray and his group, were not going accept defeat. They clawed their way back to 31-38 and then on a restart they ran the ball back and swept it wide, the excitement burned. It would take an explosion of inspiration. That came, when outside centre, Max Colbert got the ball. He smoothly glided past his man, straightened, and then slalomed past man after man, flailing hands slipped off as he left a wake of fallen defenders, to go under the posts, a goluptious try was scored, so, after the conversion Marys gained a most deserved draw against top seed UCD. That try has hit social media (Troy Parrott eat your heart out!)

J1 Team

15 J Halpin, 14 S Kennedy, 13 Z Hopkins, 12 T McKeever, 11 G Foley, 10 E Kenny, 9 N Kavanagh, 8 J Durkan, 7 L Jennings, 6 T Keogan, 5 C O’Neill, 4 D Leane, 3 O Kearney, 2 C Jacobs, 1 A Mulvihill: 16 M McHugh, 17 J Molloy, 18 K Quinn, 19 G Hassett, 20 E Power, 21 L McGill, 22 R Moore.

D O’Brien