Newbridge College beaten by late try in Leinster Schools Senior Cup
Although they led with less than ten minutes to go, Newbridge College were ultimately beaten today in Donnybrook
There was disappointment for Newbridge College at Energia Park on Wednesday as they suffered an opening round defeat at the hands of Gonzaga College in the 2025 edition of the Leinster Schools Senior Cup.
This game represented a quick renewal of acquaintances, given the two sides clashed in the Leinster Schools Senior League final at the same venue as recently as December 4th of last year.
Conor Hanly, Michael Murphy and Luke Kelly tries propelled Newbridge into a commanding 19-3 lead during that encounter, only for a stirring Gonzaga comeback to be completed by a last-gasp drop goal from fly-half Daragh O’Dwyer. Following some early pressure in their latest duel in Donnybrook, the same player had an opportunity to break the deadlock for the Ranelagh-based outfit.
Although he was forced to wait while referee Sam Holt had his earpiece readjusted, O’Dwyer stroked a ninth-minute penalty between the posts to create some daylight. There was still a long way to go in the action of course and Newbridge were close to breaking over the Gonzaga whitewash on 13 minutes.
Yet their Metropolitan counterparts held firm under enormous pressure and subsequently increased their cushion inside the second-quarter. After a powerful surge by Jamie Sheil offered Gonzaga attacking momentum, Newbridge lock Daniel Cox conceded a penalty close to the try-line and found himself in the sin-bin as a result.
In the wake of his temporary departure, Sheil opted for a ‘tap and go’ and when the ball was worked towards a central channel, Patrick Masterson was on hand to dot down in routine fashion. O’Dwyer comfortably added the bonuses to move Gonzaga 10 points in front, but Newbridge finally opened their account with 33 minutes gone on the clock.
After out-half Michael Kenny had opted for touch on several occasions, the persistence of the Kildare school eventually paid off when hooker Lee Fitzpatrick powered over the Gonzaga whitewash. Kenny’s half-back partner Ben O’Connor went on to supply the extras and this left Newbridge just three points adrift (10-7) at the interval.
As a consequence of their strong finish to the opening period, Johne Murphy’s side had fresh impetus on the resumption. Though there was some initial hesitancy from the touch judge, it was determined that Kenny’s kick to touch off a 39th minute penalty had landed in the right corner.
An elongated move off the resulting line-out kept Gonzaga firmly on the back-foot and it was left for Fitzpatrick to crash over for a second time to the right of the posts. Despite O’Connor firing his bonus kick past the target, Newbridge were in the ascendancy for the very first time.
A successful O’Dwyer place-kick ensured their two-point advantage was short-lived, but Newbridge fired back with a three-pointer of their own from O’Connor on 49 minutes.
The latter score coincided with Gonzaga’s John Brophy being yellow carded and while the hooker’s team-mates coped well in his absence, Newbridge nevertheless brought a 15-13 buffer into the final-quarter.
However, 2023 champions Gonzaga predictably increased the tempo of their play as the action progressed and after being frustrated by the Newbridge defence on a number of occasions, the south Dubliners were rewarded with their second try of the game with six minutes of normal time remaining.
After Daragh O’Dwyer kicked a penalty to touch from inside the Newbridge half, James O’Dwyer applied the finishing touches to the resulting set-piece attack.
Daragh O’Dwyer converted superbly from the left-flank to put Gonzaga five points in front and even though Kelly ran underneath the posts for what would have been a game-changing try, Kenny’s pass towards the winger was deemed to have gone forward and this meant Newbridge ultimately came up short.
Patrick Coleman; Eoghan O’Donavan, Patrick Masterson, Bobby Colbert, Zachary Mulligan; Daragh O’Dwyer, James O’Dwyer; Jamie Sheil, John Brophy, Matthew O’Herlihy; Michael Wall, Ronan Crowe; Joshua Mulligan, Borja Salto-Galdon, Charlie Kennedy.
Billy Cross; Patrick Waters, Alex Craig, Joseph Flanagan, Luke Kelly; Michael Kenny, Ben O’Connor; Charles O’Loughlin, Lee Fitzpatrick, Odhran Brannigan; Conor Hanly, Daniel Cox; Brion Donagh, Jonathan Fardy, Michael Murphy. Replacements: Tom Martin for Craig (43), Ruairi Harrington for O’Loughlin (52), Sam O’Loughlin for Brannigan (66).
Sam Holt (Leinster Rugby Referees).