CUP DELIGHTS
Downlands captain seals dramatic victory
RUGBY UNION: Downlands College breathed fresh life back into the 70-year-old O’Callaghan Cup with a thrilling 27-21 win at Toowoomba Grammar School on Saturday.
Downlands’ College rose from the mat after five successive losses to Toowoomba Grammar School in the annual First XV clash to snatch victory in the final minutes of play through a try to captain and fullback Mac Grealy.
Grealy’s stunning last-ditch try capped a personal performance rated by experienced O’Callaghan Cup observers as one of the most brilliant individual displays seen in recent cup history.
The game produced a stopstart first half of football, marred by a opening-minute injury to Downlands number six Fletcher Tonkin who was transported from the field after being to attended to on the ground for more than five minutes.
The only first-half points came via a smart try to Downlands halfback Kai Duggan which was converted by five-eighth Michael van Rooyen to put the Griffins up 7-0 at half-time.
But what the opening half lacked in excitement and tension was made up for in a pulsating second session.
Downlands extended the scoreline to 12-0 two minutes after the break through a try in the corner to winger Jasper Curran.
Its breathing space was shortlived however with Grammar hitting back three minutes later through a converted try from prop and vice captain Tim Faingaanuku for a 12-7 scoreline.
Downlands extended to 15-7 via a penalty goal before TGS closed to 15-14 after a converted try to centre and goal-kicker Jacob Gross.
Grammar was closing in menacingly on Downlands but no-one was prepared for a moment of brilliance that followed from Grealy who scythed through the Grammar defence with an electrifying diagonal run to score in the corner to put his team up 20-14.
Downlands with 13 minutes of play remaining had one hand on the elusive cup but Grammar would not be denied and counter-punched with what looked to be its own match-winning try through number 10 Baxter Franey to put the title-holders up 21-20 with only a handful of minutes remaining.
The cup looked gone for another 12 months for Downlands to almost everyone except their players and loyalist supporters.
A late miracle try was the Griffins’ last desperate hope to seize the cup and cometh the hour, cometh the man.
With seconds ticking away Downlands got the ball to Grealy who looked fated to score and he didn’t miss with a stepping, searching run which left the bamboozled defence in his wake as he planted the ball next to the goal posts to again change the course of O’Callaghan Cup history.
Grealy praised his team’s
commitment in defence to hold a strong Grammar outfit.
“It means everything,” Grealy said of the long-awaited victory.
“You see what it means to the school.
“There’s Old Boys crying, there’s kids from the school crying.
“It’s a big game.
“Just to put in for them is certainly a wonderful thing.”
Grammar captain Dougal Gray praised his team’s brave performance and paid full credit to Downlands’ tenacious display.
“Credit to Downlands they played really well,” Gray said.
“Mac Grealy is a phenomenal player and he deserved the win, definitely.
“I’m really proud of our team, even though we lost.”
Gray was named Grammar’s player of the match with Grealy taking the honour for Downlands.
DOWNLANDS 27 (Mac Grealy 2, Kai Duggan, Jasper Curran tries; Michael van Rooyen 2 conversions, penalty goal) d TGS 21 (Tim Faingaanuku, Jacob Cross, Baxter Franey tries; Jacob Cross 2 conversions).