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A final against North-West Middlesex Floodlit Cup traditional cup rivals Ruislip on Wednesday 19 April beckons following a comprehensive nine-try semi-final victory over Old Priorian. The visitors, after a hard season that saw them finish in their highest-ever league position, fielded a Young Priorian side, led by former Ealing player Cian McBride, and after competing well for the first half were blown away by the intensity 1871 brought to the game.

An even opening saw OPs come close to opening the scoring on the right wing, where Danny O’Sullivan did just enough in pursuit of his opposite number to prevent the try, and shortly afterwards O’Sullivan was himself on the scoresheet , having been given space to finish in the left corner by swift passing along the back line. No 10 Harry Vidler converted well. Undaunted, Priorian responded within 2 minutes courtesy of their young No 8 Cathal Sheehan on a solo run to the right-corner, from where McBride was unable to add the conversion. Scrum half Kyle Beck then feinted to pass right in an attacking position and skipped back inside to finish close the posts, leaving Vidler with an easy 2 points. After a brief break for an injury to the referee, Priorian again responded quickly, through hooker Rhodri Darwent, the conversion attempt hitting the upright. With 26 minutes gone Ealing extended their lead to 19-10 through O’Sullivan, with a well-timed interception and straight run to the line wide on the left. The visitors once again responded, collecting the ball from a kick ahead down the left touch line and reducing the deficit to 19-17 with a second try to Sheehan and a conversion. At the end of the first period Ealing found themselves having to defend their line, but thanks to a dominant scrum and some enterprising back play moved to the other end of the field, and from a penalty awarded close to the try line prop Tim Hitchcock barged his way over.

The half-time score of 26-17 suggested a competitive second half to come, but an increasingly dominant display by 1871 instead yielded 35 unanswered points. Within a minute of the restart inside centre Josh Steadman scored the try of the night, slicing through the defence and then taking a fine angle to the posts. An attacking scrum 10 minutes after the break gave Beck options, and he again feinted to pass and then side-stepped his way to the line. Just a minute later Nyall Wake took a clean line-out and set off on a run with the Priorian defence in disarray. Hitchcock was on hand to take over and score to the left of the posts for his second of the day. With a quarter of an hour remaining, Beck took a quick penalty, the ball was moved swiftly left and replacement Abdou Traore finished with aplomb in the corner. Finally, Jason Dissanayake finished to the left of the posts for his side’s ninth try of the day.

If Ealing bring the same intensity to the final at Wasps FC in three weeks’ time, the chances of the trophy returning to Vallis Way look good. In the meantime there is cup action of a different kind, with the inaugural Papa Johns Community Cup draw producing a trip to the Isle of Dogs to play Counties 2 Essex side Millwall RFC on 1st April.