SCHOOLS RUGBY: LEINSTER JUNIOR CUP QUARTER-FINAL
Newbridge College stage stirring comeback to book semi-final spot
NEWBRIDGE COLLEGE………………………14
CLONGOWES WOOD COLLEGE……………12
By Daire Walsh
NEWBRIDGE College produced a stunning comeback victory at Donnybrook last Wednesday to reach the semi-finals of the Leinster Schools Junior Cup for the second time in three seasons.
Trailing 12-0 with just over 10 minutes gone on the clock, they looked set to fall short against county rivals Clongowes Wood College. Lucas Berti Newman then offered Newbridge hope with a try in first-half stoppage-time, before repeating the trick on the resumption to propel his side into a final-four meeting with champions Blackrock College.
Dave Brew’s charges advanced to this stage of the competition in dramatic fashion. On the brink of a first-round exit to Temple Carrig, Newman touched down on the stroke of full-time to secure an 11-10 triumph.
It was hoped they could carry momentum into the quarter-finals, but it was Clongowes who hit the ground running in Energia Park. Inside the opening minute of the contest, hooker Leo Dowling completed a multi-phase move to the left of the posts.
This five-pointer was supplemented by fly-half Charlie McNamee’s bonus strike as the Clane school looked to build on their previous success at the expense of Castlenock College. Even though Newbridge responded with some encouraging spells of possession, they found themselves turned over on a number of occasions.
This enabled Clongowes to create further momentum in their ’22’ and they were eventually rewarded with a second try. Capitalising on a half-gap close to the Newbridge whitewash, flanker Inigo Cruise O’Brien powered over in consummate style for an unconverted effort.
Clongowes had an ideal opportunity to pull further in front, only to see McNamee’s 17th-minute penalty floating off-target. This kept Newbridge in contention, with their decision to opt for a scrum on the half-hour mark paying rich dividends.
Kieran Kelly and Harry Rigney carried towards the line, where Newman was on hand to dot down. Full-back Young supplied the extras – reducing Newbridge deficit to five (12-7) just in time for the interval.
It proved to be a largely tentative third-quarter, with both teams searching for the right level of cohesion and accuracy in attack. Clongowes provided a potent threat, but were faced with an increasingly stubborn Newbridge defence.
In turn, once they regained a foothold inside the opposition half, there was a sense that Newbridge could turned the tide on the five-time champions. Their moment finally arrived with just seven minutes left to play in the south Dublin venue.
Newman intercepted a loose Hugh Wilkinson pass inside his own half, before breaking away to ground underneath the posts. Another Young two-pointer followed and Newbridge were suddenly in the ascendancy.
Their lead looked set to be short-lived, when Johnny Kiely stepped forward to the kicking tee on 56 minutes. He assumed duties from McNamee after his previous miss, but could only watch as his strike drifted past the left-hand post.
After withstanding a subsequent onslaught on their try-line, Newbridge College celebrated another memorable schools cup victory.
NEWBRIDGE COLLEGE: Mark Young; David Grant, Calum Corcoran, Lucas Berti Newman, Harry Farrell; Robert Dillon, Tadhg Brophy; Patrick Stapleton, Tom Waters, Harry Rigney; Denis Downing, Cael Chanders; Ruairi Byrne, Sam Fitzgibbon, Kieran Kelly.
Replacements: Pierce Fata for Waters (22), Conor McCormack for Rigney (36), John Collins for Chanders (49).
CLONGOWES WOOD COLLEGE: Shane McNulty; Senan Noone, Eoin O’Regan, Johnny Kiely, Charles Kedde; Charlie McNamee, Harry MacGoey; Flavio Macari, Leo Dowling, Toby O’Donnell; James Ruddy, Diarmuid O’Brien; Liam Burke, Inigo Cruise O’Brien, Hugh Wilkinson.
Replacements: JJ Reihill for Dowling (half-time), James Mangan for O’Donnell (44), Tom Hennebry for MacGoey (47).
Referee: Brian MacNiece (LRR).