POST-MATCH REACTION: LEINSTER SCHOOLS SENIOR CUP FIRST ROUND – NEWBRIDGE COLLEGE COACH JOHNE MURPHY
Basics the key behind sizeable win
By Daire Walsh
NEWBRIDGE College coach Johne Murphy said sticking to the basics was the key to his side turning around their Leinster Schools Senior Cup first round tie against CBC Monkstown last Friday.
Having fallen behind to an 18th-minute Conor Anderson effort, Newbridge produced a six-try salvo to emphatically book a spot in the last-eight of the competition.
“I think the messages were that we just needed to keep doing what we were doing. We were unlucky in the sense that we had a couple of one pass opportunities that didn’t go to hand. Then the nature of the cup, with the lads that you’re dealing with, they can create a sense of anxiety,” Murphy explained.
“Then they just try to force it a bit too much. They just needed to relax into what they were doing. Keep doing the basics pretty well and it was very much then that it just rolled. We’re a good side and I think it’s just now about making sure that we’ve got our basics correct and we can keep rolling on then.”
Kilkenny College now await for Newbridge College in the Cup quarter-final. The draw was made on the Energia Park pitch following the completion of Friday’s game and the confirmation of this fixture was vocally approved by the Newbridge faithful.
Murphy admits this can work both ways and acknowledges that a number of teams will be happy with the way the draw panned out.
“To be honest, Kilkenny will be delighted they got us as well. I think it’s very evenly matched. They’ve got a couple of fantastic players. I’d say six of the eight teams are delighted with the draw, regardless of who they’re playing. Because the two best teams have drawn each other. It’s last year’s final, Gonzaga and Michael’s.”
Having lost out to Belvedere College at the quarter-final stage in the past two seasons, Newbridge will certainly be aiming to go a step further in 2020. 22 of last year’s squad remain within the senior ranks and Murphy feels this experience could prove vital in the coming weeks.
“It’s to manage that fifth year, sixth year balance. We had a couple of sixth years on the bench today, they went on and they settled us in the first five to 10 minutes of the second half. You just have to manage that. It’s an enjoyable journey. Hopefully it lasts for a while,” Murphy added.