SCHOOLS RUGBY: LEINSTER JUNIOR LEAGUE DIVISION 1A SEMI-FINAL
Newbridge College juniors into league final
NEWBRIDGE COLLEGE…………………………………. 27
GONZAGA COLLEGE…………………………………….. 19
By Daire Walsh
FOLLOWING a stunning second-half fightback against Gonzaga College at Donnybrook Stadium last Thursday afternoon, Newbridge College booked their place in the Leinster Schools’ Junior League Division 1A decider.
Gonzaga appeared to be odds-on to secure the spoils from this penultimate round encounter when they led 19-7 during the interval, but with captain John Shanahan leading by example, Newbridge ultimately overpowered their south Dublin counterparts in the second period.
Newbridge had progressed to the knockout stages of the competition with a perfect record from their Section B campaign. They finished at the summit of the group table with six wins from as many games – including a 30 November 30 away success over Gonzaga. However, with a first round Junior Cup outing with St Gerard’s, Bray to look forward to, the physically-imposing Ranelagh school were eager to make their maek on this fixture. Indeed, just three minutes into the action, quick off-loads by Arthur Henry and Conor Carson enabled flanker Canaan Dalton Ryan to touch down for a deadlock-breaking try on the left-flank.
Scrum-half Max Colgan was off-target from the subsequent conversion, but courtesy of his successful 11th-minute penalty, Gonzaga had developed a 8-0 cushion. Newbridge had struggled to impose themselves on the play during the early exchanges, but they sparked into life with a superb five-pointer by fly-half Sam Cahill moments later.
A conversion by inside centre Shanahan cut the lead to the bare minimum, but although they gained a considerable amount of possession as the half wore on, the 2012 JCT finalists were forced into a series of knock-ons by Gonzaga.
The penalty count was also high against Newbridge in the first-half, and a brace of successful place-kicks from Colgan left them facing into a 14-7 deficit on the 20-minute mark. Carson was particularly impressive in the Gonzaga second-row, and after Harry Colbert kicked along the ground, he was on hand to claim an unconverted score.
This meant that Newbridge were left with a mountain to climb upon the resumption, but they were close to breaching the Gonzaga rearguard from a line-out maul three minutes into the second-half. Gonzaga held firm on this occasion, before Dave Brew’s charges finally reduce the gap on the stroke of 40 minutes.
After opting for touch on the right-flank, the Newbridge pack developed a massive maul towards the line, and hooker Geoff McNelis was in the perfect position to apply the finishing touches.
Shanahan was marginally wide of the mark from his second kick at goal, but when James Gaire crossed over the Gonzaga line just three minutes later (under intense pressure from the Metropolitan team’s defence), it set-up an engrossing conclusion to the contest.
Shanahan’s wayward bonus kick prevented Newbridge from restoring parity, and they breathed a sigh of relief nine minutes from time, as a Gonzaga attack was cut short by a forward pass from winger Simon Wilson.
There was a sense that Newbridge were building momentum at just the right time, though, and an outstanding team move on 53 minutes was completed on the left-hand side by the influential Shanahan.
Cahill couldn’t claim the bonuses on offer from the touchline, but following a missed opportunity by Colgan from 35-metres, Newbridge were in the ascendancy heading towards the final whistle.
Gonzaga did attempt to create a late game-changing score from their final play of the tie, but after he intercepted a tricky off-load by the Dublin 6 outfit, Shanahan sealed Newbridge’s place in the final with a tremendous breakaway try.
NEWBRIDGE COLLEGE: Donal Conroy; James Gaire, Marcus Kiely, John Shanahan, Daniel Silke Fetherston; Sam Cahill, Cormac King; Jack Sargent, Geoff McNelis, Peter Leavy; Harry Jago Byrne, Patrick O’Flaherty; Jack O’Connell, Mark Dennis, Conor McGroary.
Replacements: Christopher Hart, Conor Ennis, Nathan Whitehead, Cian Shanahan, Gavin nOLAN Begley, Shane Fata, Finn O’Reilly, Josh Murphy.
GONZAGA COLLEGE: Paul Kinney; Simon Wilson, Arthur Henry, Brian Barron, Tom Higgins; Harry Colbert, Max Colgan; Brendan Horgan, Sean Sheehy, Louis Clarke; Ronan Shaw, Conor Carson; Canaan Dalton Ryan, Tom Cullen, Hugo Fitzgerald.
Replacements: Liam O’Shea, Marcu Boggan, Harry Dempsey, Michael Whelan, James Breslin, Liam Murphy, Max Barlow, James Barr.
Referee: Andrew Cole (Leinster Rugby Referees).