Rugby: More heartbreak for Newbridge College
By: TCM Editorial
RUGBY: VINNY MURRAY CUP FINAL
CUS 24 NEWBRIDGE COLLEGE 17
DESPITE finishing the game strongly, Newbridge College ultimately came off second best to a classy Catholic University School (CUS) side in the final of the Vinny Murray Cup at Donnybrook on Wednesday afternoon. A late first-half try from pacy winger Phil O’Neill looked like it might give Newbridge the boost they needed heading into the second period, but CUS always looked in control of the proceedings in the Dublin 4 venue.
Having come through two tough semi-final encounters against Presentation College, Bray, Derek Sherlock’s men were well drilled for this showpiece decider, and would have gone into the game fully confident of coming out on top. However, they found themselves under the kosh from the very start, as CUS left-wing Colm Driver was proving to be a strong influence for the Leeson Street-outfit from the word go.
Indeed, it was Driver who opened the scoring after 17 minutes with a close-range penalty, as CUS looked to forge a stranglehold on the contest. They were putting Newbridge on the back foot during the opening quarter, and it only seemed like a matter of time before they got in for the first try of the game.
This was exactly what happened just moments later, as out-half Marc Hiney got through after a superbly weighted pass by Ruadhan Magee off the floor. Driver was also on hand to convert this score, as CUS moved into a 10-0 lead.
The South Dublin side looked in firm control of the game at this stage, and there was a real worry that the game might be slipping away from them. They did manage to claw their way back into the fray though, as O’Neill found space in time added on to touch down to the right of the posts. Out-half Peter Osbourne was then on hand to convert brilliantly from the touchline, which ensured that Newbridge were only trailing by three points (7-10) at the midway point.
This left Newbridge with a fighting chance of coming away with the trophy at the end of 70 minutes, and given they largely played second fiddle to CUS during the opening period of play, they wouldn’t have been too disappointed that they were facing into a three-point deficit on the re-start.
However, it was CUS who drew first blood in the second half, as Driver once again found inroads through the Newbridge back line with his powerful running 12 minutes in, before setting up Hiney for his second try of the afternoon. Driver was on hand to convert once again, as CUS re-established their ten-point advantage.
Newbridge needed to come up with a quick response to the concession of this try, and they did just that, as strong play from David Rigney and James Connolly in the forward line forced CUS into conceding a penalty, which Osbourne kicked over with little or no hassle.
This brought the margin down to seven, setting the game up for a tense final quarter. Newbridge certainly looked dangerous any time they broke through into their opponent’s half, but CUS were unwilling to sit back and soak up the pressure, and full-back John McAllister got what would prove to be the decisive score of the tie when he touched down from a Hiney pass with just six minutes of normal time remaining.
This effectively put the game beyond the reach of Newbridge, though they did battle right until the end, and got the second try that their efforts deserved when fullback John Jennings got over for a final minute try, which Osbourne converted to bring a long and hard senior campaign to an end for the South Kildare men.
Newbridge will have been disappointed to have lost out in this game, but there have been plenty of positives for them to take from this season’s campaign, with the performances of O’Neill, Ben O’Connor, Osbourne, Connolly and Captain William O’Brien providing plenty of highlights to their loyal supporters.
NEWBRIDGE: John Jennings; Phil O’Neill, Ben O’Connor, Graham Burns, Darragh McConville; Peter Osbourne, Robbie Mullen; David Rigney, Charles Kings, Bryan O’Donnell; Eoin Dempsey, Billy Scully; Cillian Dempsey, James Connolly, William O’Brien. Replacements: Ciaran Fagan for Scully, .; Billy Delaney for Burns, ..; Jack Hogan for E Dempsey, …
CUS: John McAllister; Ruadhan Magee, David Beaky, Tom Kinsley, Colm Driver; Marc Hiney, Tadhg Guiry; Joey Bodkin, Brian Keelan, Tadhg Doyle; Nick Foster, David Gahan; Mark Beakey, Kevin Beakey, Ryan Sheady. Replacements: Neil Miller for Keelan, ..; Karl Cooke for M Beakey, ..; Josh Fallon-Doran for Magee, …
REF: R O’Flynn (Leinster Branch)