RUGBY: LEINSTER SCHOOLS JUNIOR CUP QUARTER-FINAL
Out-Half Taylor Inspires Newbrdige To Excellent Victory
NEWBRIDGE COLLEGE 34
BELVEDERE COLLEGE 8
By Daire Walsh
NEWBRIDGE College will face Castleknock College in the semi-final of the Leinster Schools Junior Cup after the magnificent Patrick Taylor inspired them to victory over Belvedere College at Energia Park last Thursday.
The fly-half contributed an outstanding personal tally of 24 points – including an opening period hat-trick of tries – to get Newbridge past the challenge of the north Dubliners. Flanker Josh Montgomery also crossed over in each half to ensure Dave Brew’s charges emerged as emphatic winners in the end.
After their predecessors were denied a chance to play in the 2020 decider – albeit they shared the title with Blackrock College – the newest crop of Newbridge juniors are keen to leave their mark on the latest edition of this competition.
Having dealt with an early surge from Belvo, the south Kildare outfit kicked a penalty to touch in the ninth-minute. This paid rich dividends as Taylor dotted down underneath a slew of bodies for a deadlock-breaking score.
His bonus kick drifted past the target, but the impressive number 10 (a survivor from the class of 2020) was on hand to double his side’s tally just past the first-quarter mark. Following a burst up the right-flank, Taylor crossed the whitewash to move Newbridge into a double figure lead.
On this occasion, he majestically split the uprights from the touchline to create an even larger gap between the two sides. The sin-binning of lock Conor Hanly in the 23rd-minute was a set-back, however, and Belvo place-kicker Andre Finn immediately converted a penalty to finally get the Metropolitans up and running.
Despite their numerical deficiency, Newbridge didn’t go back into their shell and instead pounced for a third try. Ciaran Mangan burst at pace into the opposition ’22’ and while the Belvo defence closed down the outside centre, he released Montgomery for an excellent solo score.
Taylor added the extras and completed his hat-trick by weaving his way over the line in the final minute of the first half. This unconverted effort presented Newbridge with a convincing 24-3 interval buffer, which had them within touching distance of the last-four.
Although they were less impactful from an attacking vantage point on the resumption, Taylor’s 32nd-minute penalty ensured Belvo were left with a mountain to scale. However, credit must go to the Great Denmark Street school for their perseverance.
Coached by former Naas RFC supremo Andy Wood, Belvo finally breached their opponents’ try-line on the stroke of 40 minutes. When the ball was worked out wide, full-back Hugh Fitzgerald put winger Gordon Barr through for a well-worked five-pointer.
With Brew gradually adding fresh legs from the replacements bench, Newbridge made sure that opportunities were limited for Belvedere in the remaining minutes. They were also determined to end the contest on a high and – at the end of a lengthy attacking spell – Montgomery grabbed his second try on the brink of full-time to round off another satisfying journey to Donnybrook.
Scorers – Newbridge College: Patrick Taylor 3 tries, 3 conversions, pen, Josh Montgomery 2 tries. Belvedere College: Gordon Barr try, Andre Finn penalty.
NEWBRIDGE COLLEGE: Todd Lawlor; Dara Cosgrave, Ciaran Mangan, Callum Murphy, Ardin Magee; Patrick Taylor, Daniel Connolly; Tadhg Kelly, John Walsh, Billy Bohan; Conor Hanly, Jack O’Neill; Josh Montgomery, Ruairí Munnelly, Patrick Forde.
Replacements: Sam O’Loughlin for Kelly, Riain Murphy for Walsh (both 41), Kyle Kelly for Magee (43), Christian Barry for T Kelly, Paddy Martin for Mangan (both 59), Max Wilson for Walsh, James Redmond for Bohan, Jack Dennis for O’Neill (all 60).
BELVEDERE COLLEGE: Hugh Fitzgerald; Gordon Barr, Andre Finn, Finn Byrne, Frankie Lyons; Matthew Doyle, Ciaran Bateman; Eoin McDermott, Cormac Pearse, Alexander Usanov; Ryan McCann, Caidean McLoughlin; Patrick McGrath, Callum Fitzgerald, Karl Russell.
Replacements: Troy Kerrigan for McLoughlin (32), Tom Higgins for Bateman (33), Harry Kelly for Russell (43), Luke Fitzgerald for C Fitzgerald, Mossy Molony for Lyons, Tom Quinn for Barr (both 59), Ben Merry for Pearse, Oisin O’Seachnasaigh for McGrath (all 60).