Dan Leavy talks to Cian Tracey about his Ireland and Leinster playing career and reveals why his time playing with St Michael’s is still so special to him
Dan Leavy recalls his cup-winning exploits with St Michael’s and tells how it prepared him for life as a pro
BY THE time the 2012 Senior Cup final rolled around, St Michael’s College had lost five consecutive Junior finals, while Clongowes also beat them in the Senior decider two years earlier.
Revenge was very much on the agenda at the RDS, but there was so much more at stake for a Michael’s side that was as strong as the school had produced in some time.
Led by captain Dan Leavy, the Ailesbury Road nursery boasted a huge amount of talent as the likes of current Leinster stars Rory O’Loughlin, Ross Byrne, Ross Molony, Josh Murphy and Connacht flyer Cian Kelleher looked to win Michael’s first Senior Cup in five years and just the second in the school’s history.
No one needed to be reminded of pressure that existed, but when the match programme published Clongowes as the 2012 winners it only added fuel to Michael’s fire.
Memories of the defeat in 2010 were fresh in the minds of the players, especially for Leavy, who was on the team that were beaten by the Kildare school.
“Our year had lost against Terenure in the Junior Cup final, so we kinda knew what it felt like to lose anyway,” Leavy recalled.
“We did have a lot of players who played the previous year and a few of us had played two years previously as well.
“We knew what losing tasted like so we were pretty determined that it wasn’t going to be the case again. We lost five Junior Cup finals in a row, so it took a while to learn.
“But I think that spurred players on — getting so close to tasting glory. Maybe to get so close, but not quite there, just pushes you a little bit harder. The school is certainly starting to reap the rewards now.”
Clongowes themselves were a formidable outfit. Bryan and Ed Byrne, Leinster’s twin brothers, helped make up a strong front-row, while Peadar Timmins gave them plenty of go-forward ball from No 8.
Leavy, however, was outstanding on the day and was named man of the match in what was one of the more memorable performances in Leinster’s schools history. The flanker led from the front and epitomised Michael’s relentless desire to succeed.
“I think Clongowes were pretty hot favourites, and rightly so — they had a serious team,” Leavy maintained.
“If you look at the players now, the two Byrne brothers are doing so well; Peadar Timmins, they had a few great players playing.
“It was great, we just went out and gave it everything. A few things, a bounce of a ball went our way and we came away with it. It was brilliant, I’ll never forget it.”
Lifting the Senior Cup remains one of Leavy’s proudest moments in a career that continues to go from strength-to-strength, but it didn’t come easy.
The 23-year-old had to suffer his fair share of setbacks before tasting glory, but it was all worth it in the end. “It was special,” he said. “You grow up through the Junior Cup or minor league. The mentality builds within the school and that just gets bigger and bigger.
“It’s always great to go out and represent your school in front of all the parents, your mates, a few past pupils for the bigger games. It’s great, it brings everyone together for a big spectacle. Getting to lift the cup was special.
“It’s really special to me. I love my school. It was a great day for my family, especially with my brother Adam being on the team as well.
“It was great. I trained with him for the whole year. It was kinda weird at the start when I’m passing the ball to my younger brother.
“We have a great photo of the two of us running away with the Cup to my mum and dad. It was amazing, something I’ll never forget.
“We had a lot of family there. My 94-year-old granny was there as well. I don’t know how much of the game she actually saw, but she was there.”
Michael’s handled the pressure that afternoon but schools rugby doesn’t always have the same fairytale ending, and Leavy has urged this year’s players not to get too caught up in it if it doesn’t work out as well.
“I don’t think you can put it down to one game. It took a lot of hard work — a lot of early mornings and late nights.
“I always dreamt that I would be able to go on. I always aspired to play with the [Ireland] U-20s and go on and play for Leinster and then Ireland.”
Michael’s have been producing plenty of exciting talents in recent years. As well as Leavy’s team-mates, the likes of James Ryan, Ross Byrne and Luke McGrath have all come through the school.
“There is some amount of players scattered around; a good few of the lads on that team are internationals now,” Leavy added.
“It’s just a credit to the system they have in Michael’s at the moment. Director of Rugby Andy Skehan and Head Coach Emmett McMahon are doing such a great job.
“Then we had Kelvin Leahy, Shane Hunt and a few other lads, Bernard Jackman, Brian O’Meara all helped us out as well. It’s a credit to them really.
“I hope they can kick on this year. As I said, they have a really good system in place. They have a few really good players.
“I think their skipper, Mark Ryan, one of James’ younger brothers, is a great player. Scott Penny is a also a fantastic player in the back-row.
“They have got a lot of really good, skilful players, littered throughout the team, so hopefully they can do the job.”