Page 72 - The Gonzaga Record 2004

made sure the team kept up their run of victories, recording fine wins in January
against Newbridge, Pres Bray, Portora and Castleknock before losing to Terenure.
It was then time for the Junior Cup. There was a real sense of anticipation
throughout the school. However, it would be hard to get a harder first round draw
than St. Michael’s. The previous two years there had been some time for the team
to get into their stride before meeting the top opposition, but in this encounter
they would have play at their very best from the start.
Thursday, February 10th. Here was our day. Supported by a typically strong
Gonzaga crowd at Anglesea Road, we took on the boys in blue. An early penalty
put St. Michael’s ahead, before we equalized with a strike from Captain Shane
Gahan. We fought and fought to the very end but in the last ten minutes St.
Michael’s converted their dominance into points when they bundled over in the
corner. We were devastated at the final whistle, knowing that this game could well
have been the line-up for the final and that we had so much potential that some­
how remained unfulfilled, for this year anyway. Many thanks are due to the coach­
es David Murray and David Keenahan for their continued efforts that are contin­
uously fortifying Gonzaga rugby.
Squad: Shane Gahan, Stephen Ryan, Christopher Coughlan, Donal O Cofaigh,
Ronan Byrne, Jimmy Morgan, Matthew Healy, Mathew Smith, Robert Hanlon,
Emmet O’ Keefe, Ian Mays, Ian McGreal, Killian Hussey, Barry Walsh, Daniel
O’Sullivan.
Subs: Neil Hanratty, Ivan Eustace, James Caslin, Ronan Walsh, Luke Devoy,
Donal Connolly, Colm Murphy, Aonghus O’Rourke.

The team huddle up before the Junior League final at Donnybrook