Gonzaga College in Dublin is the closest school there is to Energia Park in Donnybrook and the RDS where the drama of the Bank of Ireland Leinster senior Cup is played out at this time of year.
Up until this year that has generally been a geographic fact as opposed to one of sporting interest but all of a sudden, for the first time since the trophy was first played for in 1887, they are getting ready to play in the final.
Walking past the stadium in Donnybrook yesterday you could have been mistaken for thinking there was an earthquake. The low rumble followed by the explosive roar of 1,000 schoolboys pumped up by a rare feeling of what to friends across South Dublin is a more regular habit of winning matches, was impressive.
A hat trick of tries from the unlikely quarter of a loosehead prop by the name of Henry Godson was enough to carve out a three-point win and send them to the St Patrick’s Day decider against the winner of today’s second semifinal between St Michael’s College a little further along the Merrion Road and Belvedere College.
What’s rare is precious and to see Gonzaga playing in a Final at this level is precisely that.
Bank of Ireland’s current campaign across social and mainstream media is titled ‘Begin’ and the players, pupils and past pupils of Gonzaga can do just the in terms of planning a big day out at the RDS for the first time in their long history.
 



 
Image Credit: Gary Carr, Inpho.ie