Lawlor hat-trick sees Newbridge power past Monkstown
Todd Lawlor helped himself to a hat-trick of tries at Energia Park on Monday afternoon as Newbridge College booked their place in the last-four of the Leinster Schools Senior Cup with a commanding triumph over CBC Monkstown.
Looking to reach the semi-final stage of the competition for the third time in succession, Newbridge took less than two minutes to take the lead in this contest. After Adam Larkin Smithers had adjudged an awkward bounce inside the Monkstown ’22’, Ciarán Mangan released Todd Lawlor for a smooth converted finish over the whitewash.
It seemed like only a matter of time before ‘Bridge – coached by former Munster back Johne Murphy – increased their advantage and Mangan did just that with a superb individual try on 20 minutes.
Playing with extreme confidence, ‘Bridge dotted down for the third time just six minutes later – lock Shane Davitt scoring underneath a slew of Monkstown bodies.
Newbridge did suffer a set-back when loosehead prop John R Walsh was sin-binned just past the half-hour mark, but even though Taylor missed an opportunity to extend their lead from a penalty, they brought a commanding 17-0 buffer into the break.
While Taylor had another wayward effort at the beginning of the second period, ‘Bridge were in almost unassailable position upon Walsh’s return to the fray. Supplementing Lawlor’s second of the tie, No 8 Ruairi Munnelly latched onto a deft Mangan kick for his side’s fifth try in the 40th-minute.
In response, Monkstown opened their account with a try from Rory Balmaine, but it only offered them a temporary respite. Lawlor was ready to pounce off every scoring opportunity and he completed his hat-trick by squeezing over on the right-flank with 23 minutes remaining on the clock.
Mangan raced away for his second try 10 minutes later and with Taylor superbly splitting the uprights with a touchline conversion, ‘Bridge developed an unassailable 34-point cushion. Replacement prop Charlie O’Loughlin also got his name on the scoresheet late on, in advance of Riley Scales securing a consolation try for Monkstown on the stroke of full-time.
Tries – T Lawlor (3), C Mangan (2), S Davitt, R Munnelly, C O’Loughlin. Cons – P Taylor (3).
Tries – R Balmaine, R Scales. Cons – R Mahon.
T Lawlor; R Allen, C Mangan, P Taylor, A Larkin Smithers; P Martin, T Brophy; JR Walsh, M Masterson, B Bohan; S Davitt, S Treacy; R Byrne, R McGroary, R Munnelly.
Replacements: C O’Loughlin for Byrne (32-40), J Sheedy for Byrne, D Cox for McGroary (both 47), H Owens for Allen (48), J Dennis for Treacy, D Connolly for Brophy (both 54), J Montgomery for Masterson, C O’Loughlin for Walsh, S O’Loughlin for Bohan (all 57).
D Killeen; B Sharpe, M Quinn, A Fitzsimons Nolan, C Traynor Russell; R Mahon, E O’Hanlon; D McGovern, L Moloney, A Bolton; R Balmaine, T Chadwick; L Guckian, L Cahill, C Meagher.
Replacements: R Scales for Killeen (9), C O’Donnell for Cahill, C O’Toole for Bolton (both 41), N O Campo for Moloney, M Shaw for Balmaine (both 48), L Power for Traynor Russell (54), M Murray for Guckian (61), C Broderick for Fitzsimons Nolan (63).
C Roche (LRR).