LEINSTER SCHOOLS LEAGUE FINAL REACTION
Newbridge College Brew-ing up a storm
By Daire Walsh
AFTER securing their third significant victory over Cistercian College Roscrea in 12 months, it is clear that Newbridge College currently hold an Indian Sign over their Leinster Schools Senior League Final opponents.
Speaking after his side’s dramatic triumph under the bright lights of Donnybrook on Friday evening, Newbridge coach Dave Brew expressed his delight at sealing back-to-back league successes, but had sympathy nevertheless for Roscrea at the end of a tough encounter.
“It got a bit frantic again there in the last ten minutes with tries raining in, and trying to keep track of what the score was, but delighted to retain the title. I suppose we’ve had their number on a few occasions recently, so I knew they were coming gunning for us,” Brew remarked.
“Unfortunately for them, they lost the junior one by, I think, a last-minute penalty last night [Thursday], so it has been a bad few days for them. We feel for them. We know a lot of them now, including the coaches. While you’re happy, you kind of feel for the other side as well.”
When Alan Tynan cancelled out Paddy Ryan’s first-half try in the early stages of the second period, the tie was firmly in the balance. A Colm Doyle penalty helped Newbridge to regain the lead prior to Colm Stapleton’s first try of the night, however, and Brew was pleased with how his players reacted in the face of adversity.
“Once they scored the try, I thought we did well. We came back up and we got three points. The game settled down a bit, but then they threw the kitchen sink at us in the last 15 minutes, and got their score.
“I suppose we were still ahead, which was the important thing after the breakaway try. A nicely-worked back move [for Stapleton’s second try] then put us in under the sticks to seal it.”
Following their success in the same competition last year, Newbridge College had a memorable journey in the 2014 Leinster Schools Senior Cup, which ultimately ended in a semi-final defeat to eventual winners Blackrock College.
Last week’s draw in Dublin pitted them against Kilkenny College in the first round of the upcoming Senior Cup, which is due to take place in the final week of January 2015.
Newbridge edged out Kilkenny on a 6-0 scoreline in the league quarter-final on their home pitch, and Brew feels that the confidence garnered from Friday’s win will be vital as they prepare for a major test against the Noresiders.
“Retaining the title is big for us as well. Taking that forward now, there’s nothing like silverware to breed a bit of confidence, and get the lads really believing what they can do. We know we’re going to have a massive battle against Kilkenny.
“We played them in the quarter-final, at home, and only beat them 6-0. So, it’s going to be another mammoth task, but its five weeks away now. We’ll enjoy this for tonight anyway and we’ll see then,” Brew added.