Three in-a-row chasing Belvedere College finish off Newbridge in style
Leinster Schools Senior Cup quarter-final
Belvedere College 23
Newbridge College 7
Daire Walsh
Donnybrook
A powerful final-quarter showing helped Belvedere College secure their place in the last-four of the Leinster Schools Senior Cup yesterday.
A stunning Donal Conroy try moved Newbridge into the driving seat at the start of the second half, but the defending champions never looked back after regaining the lead after 50 minutes at Donnybrook.
Belvo are chasing a third consecutive crown at this grade, but had to bide their time before breaking the deadlock.
Neil Howard replaced injured lock Alekseiy Soroka during the first half, and following a period of sustained pressure in stoppage-time, he crossed the Newbridge line to give Belvo a 5-0 interval lead.
Newbridge had produced patches of good rugby in the opening period, though, and Conroy’s converted intercept try raised the possibility of an upset just after the resumption.
Yet, Lacey (a Dublin minor footballer in 2017) settled the Belvo nerves with a routine penalty, and this was quickly followed by James Gleeson’s clinical finish for a try on 55 minutes.
Newbridge were still in contention, but another successful Lacey place-kick increased the gap.
A superb Matthew Grogan try placed the outcome beyond doubt, as Belvedere College marched on to the penultimate stage.
Scorers for Belvedere College: N Howard, J Gleeson, M Grogan try each, D Lacey 2 pens, 1 con.
Scorers for Newbridge College: D Conroy try, L Maloney con.
BELVEDERE COLLEGE: D Lacey; A O’Grady, M Grogan, C Mulvaney, A Loughrey; J Leonard, T Walsh; J Gleeson, L Harmon, C Cagney, A Soroka, J Murphy, G Hill, A Coleman, R Byron.
Replacements: N Howard for Soroka (27), P Lysaght for Walsh, J Meagher for Leonard (both 49), J Bell for Gleeson, M Gallinski for Cagney, C Scott for Murphy (all 56), A Synnott for Harmon, G O’Brien for Grogan (both 68).
NEWBRIDGE COLLEGE: D Conroy; C Creedon, K Fitzgerald, E Conroy, D O’Connor; L Maloney, J Doyle; T Grant, L Kelly, L Rigney, D Morrissey, C Prendergast, O Halpin, H O’Neill, M Cleary.
Replacements: R Scully for Rigney (39), M Moynihan for Halpin (45), C McGroary for O’Neill (49), T Sheedy for E Conroy (56), D Caulfield for O’Connor, G McNelis for Kelly (both 61), S Cahill for Creedon (66), R Finan for Doyle (70).
Referee: G Conway (LRR).