POST-MATCH REACTION
Quick start the key to Newbridge’s victory
By Daire Walsh
FOLLOWING his side’s accomplished performance against Wesley College in the Leinster Schools Junior Cup quarter-final last Wednesday, Newbridge College coach Dave Brew acknowledged that a whirlwind start to the contest was a crucial factor in their success.
Early tries by Sam Cahill and Daniel Silke Fetherston helped Newbridge to establish a 12-point lead, and Brew admitted they were conscious of halting the momentum that Wesley had built up en route to this game.
“I guess we jumped out to a good start. We were very conscious, Wesley have been winning a lot of games recently. They came through the Fr Godfrey, and then they unexpectedly won their first round match [against St Andrew’s College],” Brew remarked.
“It’s always hard to beat a winning team, no matter what the levels are. I said ‘we better start pretty physical and pretty fast against them’. I thought we did that, and got out to a good lead.”
This 26-5 success helps Newbridge to reach the semi-final stage of the competition for the first time since 2012, and with a Junior League title also under their belt, they are currently enjoying a rich vein of form.
However, Brew felt they were indisciplined at times in the first-half, and having delivered a defensive shut-out in their opening round victory over St Mary’s College, he revealed the side were somewhat disappointed to concede an 18th-minute try to Wesley lock Tadgh O’Neill.
“I think our discipline let us down, and again I think our first-half against Mary’s was the same thing. We seemed to think that a turnover is worse than a penalty, rather than leaving a turnover happen. Definitely, they [Wesley] played the rugby for those middle 10 minutes of the first-half, and justifiably got back into the game.”
“We’d be disappointed to concede the five points again. I think one point is too many to concede, especially when you’re thinking of the likes of the opposition we’re going to be facing in a semi-final. Having pride in your ‘D’ has to be a huge part of what you do, so we’re disappointed we conceded that try.
“For me, we conceded because I think we conceded three penalties in about eight minutes, and that put them in the corner. Then we just couldn’t hold out. It’s certainly something we’ll be looking at before the semi.”
Newbridge will be back in Cup action in just under a fortnight, when their last-four opponents will be St Michael’s College. This will be a re-match of the 2012 decider, when a Newbridge team spearheaded by current Leinster Academy star Jimmy O’Brien came up just short against a star-studded Michael’s outfit.
The Ailesbury Road outfit booked their place in the penultimate rounds of the competition with a 75-7 demolition of Kilkenny College (Newbridge’s opposition in January’s Junior League showpiece), but speaking a day before the draw was made, Brew realised that – regardless of who they faced – it would be a huge deal for his troops.
“In a funny way, the draw doesn’t matter. If it’s the likes of Belvo [Belvedere] and ‘Rock [Blackrock] and Newbridge in the hat, I know they’ll be looking for us. Definitely.”
“Whereas us playing Belvo, playing ‘Rock, or playing Michael’s. They’re all huge games for us, so we’re just happy to be there, and we’ll give it our best shot anyway, whoever we have,” Brew added.
Newbridge’s game with Michael’s is set to take place on the week beginning March 13, with arch rivals Blackrock College and Belvedere College facing off on the opposite side of the draw.