Newbridge’s late show sees off Greystones
RUGBY
Leinster Junior Cup
Daire Walsh
Newbridge College snatched victory from the jaws of defeat at Donnybrook yesterday to book a spot in the last-eight of the Leinster Schools Junior Cup.
Leading by four points deep into stoppage-time, Temple Carrig, Greystones looked set to prevail at the expense of the league champions. They soaked up pressure effectively inside their own 22, until Lucas Berti Newman powered over to give the south Kildare school a dramatic 11-10 triumph.
Temple Carrig deservedly took the lead in the ninth-minute – Max Scully’s clinical finish on the right-flank offering early daylight.
Newbridge were struggling to find their feet and lost Ruairi Byrne to the sin-bin in the closing stages of the half. They leaked a second try to Carrig winger Conor Cunningham, before a Mark Young penalty finally opened their account.
Facing into a 10-3 deficit, Newbridge gave themselves a fighting chance when Young added another three-pointer on the resumption. Despite not firing on all cylinders, they started to gain a semblance of attacking control inside the closing quarter.
With the clocking ticking, their persistence eventually paid – the impressive Newman touching down to send the Newbridge faithful into raptures.
They will be joined in the quarter-finals by Presentation Bray, who defeated Wesley College 15-8 at Kirwan Park.