However, they were met with frustration, despite an onslaught on the Clongowes' line, as the Kildare school resiliently fought for a 0-0 draw. The replay will take place on 23 February.

With a vulnerability in the champions seemingly exposed, a number of teams will feel confident of taking their place after a series of notable performances during the week. Inevitably, most impressive of all were their potential quarter-final opponents, Blackrock, who crushed the High School 730 on Thursday. Liam McHugh and Calum Bowden both stood out, claiming a hat-trick of tries each.

Pres Bray enjoyed a rout of their own, if much less emphatically, easing past King's Hospital 29-0. Finalists in this competition two years ago, the Wicklow school's backs were given free reign here. Sean Byrne got two tries with one each from Brian Maher and John Brelsin. They will meet Gonzaga in the quarter-finals, the Ranelagh school defeating St Andrew's 19-3 at Templeville Road on Monday. The Ranelagh school signalled their intentions after only four minutes as Kevin Ryan scored an exceptional individual try, with Kilian Tuite adding another before halftime and Ben Hickey sealing the game in the final minutes.

Robert Duke put in a fittingly royal performance for Terenure meanwhile, scoring two tries to give them a 125 victory over St Mary's.

They next face Castleknock, the west Dublin school just edging past a Michael's side whose buildup to the game was severely disrupted by an outbreak of flu. Castleknock had gained the lead after only four minutes through Sam Hafford's converted try though Gary Featherstone cut that lead to 7-5 before Martin Moore finally killed the game off late on to make it 12-5. In the fourth quarter-final, Newbridge will meet Roscrea after they beat CUS 17-0 and CBC Monkstown 17-8 respectively.

In the Munster Senior Cup meanwhile, CBC cruised past Midleton 29-0 at Towns Park to set up a semi-final with Cork rivals PBC. Their tries came from John Noonan, Shane O'Sullivan, Chris Nolan, Eoin French and Robbie O'Donoghue. CBC's juniors fared just as well, beating Glenstal Abbey 2910 in the quarter-finals of the Junior Cup. Finally, in the Connacht Junior quarterfinals, St Joseph's beat Clifden 51-7 at Sportsground.