DAVE BREW REACTION
Brew: Newbridge beaten by a ‘super side’
By Daire Walsh
THERE was disappointment at Donnybrook last Wednesday afternoon for Newbridge College, after they exited the Leinster Schools’ Senior Cup at the first stage at the hands of Belvedere College.
The pace and power of the 2015 finalists was evident throughout the contest, and reflecting on the game afterwards, Newbridge coach Dave Brew felt that the opening 20 minutes of the action played a major part in the overal outlook of the tie.
“The first 20 minutes told a lot I think. We took a while to get to the pace of what they were doing, and maybe we were a bit naive at times, the way we were defending. Certainly that gave them a foothold to get a few early scores, and a school like that, you don’t have to ask them twice to go and build a score. They certainly did that,” Brew remarked.
“We’re disappointed in that point of view, of how you start the game and how you set the tone for what you’re going to do. That you’re ready to mix it. I think that’s where, I suppose, our challenge ended as such. Once it was 24-0, from there on you’re playing catch up, and you’re just trying your best to recover from it.”
After conceding early tries to Cian Galvin and Conor Jennings, Newbridge did have some possession inside the opposition ’22’. Brew acknowledged that a score in this juncture could have kick-started the game for them, but they ultimately weren’t able to execute their attacks.
“We’d so little ball, the magnifying glass is on when you have it. You have to use every ounce of it. I suppose, we were guilty of not executing on one or two occasions. That was probably, if you’re asking, that’s where at 12-0 I think we had a shot. You get a score back, suddenly they start to doubt themselves a little bit, and then you have an opportunity. That wasn’t the case today, unfortunately.”
Newbridge trailed 26-0 during the interval, but in spite of a fifth Belvo try from Daniel McCaffrey upon the resumption, it was a much-improved performance from the south Kildare school in the second period.
Brew was pleased to see the team continuing to play with great spirit, and believes that this year’s competition could have been much different for Newbridge if they had been handed a kinder draw.
“Yeah, I think we talked at half-time to just forget the scoreboard, and just represent the jersey and the school and everything else. Couldn’t be prouder of the bunch. They’re all in there, and they’re absolutely knackered. I’m very proud of them, and I always will be. This could have been a final. Who knows, if the draw goes a different way, who you beat.”
“As the competition goes on, the hype rolls through the rounds. If we get a different draw, maybe that’s the final and things go different. It’s just the way the competition is set-up. I’m very proud of them, no matter what.”
Following their final reversal against Cistercian College Roscrea last year, Belvedere appear to be hell-bent on securing top honours in 2016. Brew agrees that they have the ability to go all the way, and also feels that they have learned lessons from 2015.
“I know they learned a lot of lessons last year about taking on say the so-called lesser teams, and they learnt it the hard way in the final, and there’s an awful lot of that team back. They definitely have a monkey to shake off, and they definitely have the talent as well there. They’re a super side,” Brew added.