POST-MATCH REACTION: LEINSTER SCHOOLS JUNIOR CUP – NEWBRIDGE COLLEGE COACH DAVE BREW
Brew hails defensive shut out
By Daire Walsh
Following their impressive 21-0 win over St Mary’s College in the Leinster Schools Junior Cup last Friday, Newbridge College coach Dave Brew hailed the defensive performance of his side.
Donal Conroy, John Shanahan and Cormac King five-pointers ultimately helped Newbridge to create an insurmountable lead, but Brew was eager to highlight their efforts without the ball in the opening 30 minutes.
“I think when our discipline held, and we weren’t giving away penalties, I thought we defended excellently.
“The point I was making at half-time was we barely had the ball in the first-half, and they were nil,” Brew remarked afterwards.
“For me 0-0 would have been a lot fairer than 7-0 to us, but it was take a lot of credit out of the fact that we defended extremely well for that first-half, when you think of maybe 20 of the 30 minutes was played in our ’22’. Delighted with how our defence held.”
Mary’s were not out of the reckoning when the second-half started, but a second Newbridge try from John Shanahan effectively put paid to their chances of success. Brew acknowledged this was a vital score for his team, and explained how they brought their backline into play for this clinical attacking move.
“We got reset at half-time, new focus, and decided what we were going to do. Maybe take a few phases up front and release our backline, which we thought were going to do quite well. We ran excellent play, got away and supported it extremely well to finish that score. I think that really kind of put us on the front-foot then for the rest of the game.
It speaks volumes for Newbridge’s display on the day that they managed to secure a defensive shut-out, and Brew believes it was important for them to remain resolute when Mary’s threatened to break over from a final minute phase.
“It’s great to see that kind of spirit, that nil is a very important thing for us to do to an opposition. We talk about it an awful lot, that no matter what stage of a game, if you’re 50-0 up or 50-0 down, you don’t want to concede again.
“It was great to see that the boys put the pressure on themselves that there was no way they were letting that try in. I thought our winger made a magnificent last-ditch tackle. He came from his own wing. He must have made 50 metres, and got a guy into touch at just the right moment. That was very pleasing to see.”
Brew and a number of the Newbridge faithful attended the Junior Cup quarter-final draw after the game, which was conducted by Leinster duo Jack Conan and Luke McGrath. Newbridge were paired with Wesley College of Ballinteer in the last-eight, and while Brew feels you have to respect whatever opponent you face, he was still relieved to avoid competition favourites St Michael’s College.
“Everyone has won a first round match, so you’ll be treating every team [the same]. It’s a quarter-final, they’ve got as good a shot as you do to get the semis. In saying that, there was four names left in the hat, and obviously the red-hot favourites are in there as well in Michael’s.
“To be honest, happy to avoid them at this stage. Definitely not afraid of them.
“We’ve played them before, and we’re certainly able for the challenge.
“I just think at this stage at the competition, it’s good to let someone else soften them up a little for us first,” Brew added.