Houlihan hat-trick helps Newbridge win with second-half surge
Michael Ugochukwu on the charge for Newbridge RFC Photo: Martin Rowe
Newbridge continued their excellent home form with a dominant second-half display to overcome Edenderry in Rosetown this weekend.
Despite a slow start, the hosts ran in six tries after the break to secure a 47–10 victory, extending their unbeaten home run to almost 14 months.
Edenderry began brightly and took an early lead when centre Craig Thompson broke through several tackles to score the game’s opening try. Newbridge responded through a Donal Cashman penalty, but a further three points for Edenderry restored their seven-point cushion at 10–3.
Playing into a stiff wind, Newbridge struggled to build momentum in the first half as Edenderry’s work at the breakdown disrupted their rhythm. However, two more well-struck penalties from Cashman narrowed the gap to a single point at the interval, 10–9.
The second half was a completely different story. Newbridge began to move the ball, stretching the visitors’ defence and finding space out wide.
A superb team move finished by winger Gavin Houlihan, diving over in the corner, put Newbridge ahead for the first time, and they never looked back.
With confidence growing, the home side’s offloading game began to cause Edenderry serious problems. Will Jennings powered over close to the posts to extend the lead, before another slick passage of play involving Meehan and Houlihan saw the winger cross for his second try.
Now rampant, Newbridge were in full flow, with full-back Darragh Whyte a constant menace on the counterattack before a perfectly timed pass from Meehan sent Houlihan in for his third try to complete a game-changing hat-trick.
Big second-row forward Jack Moore then crashed over under the posts, and back rower Shane Treacy finished off a length-of-the-field move starting inside the Newbridge 22 to round off a sensational second-half performance.
The result keeps Newbridge in fourth place in the Leinster League Division 2A table. They now turn their attention to a huge local derby next Sunday against Cill Dara, who currently sit one place above them in third.
Darragh Whyte; Gavin Houlihan (3 tries), Riain Murphy, Stephen Cooke, Zack Meehan; Donal Cashman (3 pens, 4 cons), Kevin Commane; Dave Morgan, Will Jennings (1 try), Brendan Commane; Jack Moore (1 try), Mark Bennett; Markl Bennett, Dinny Clarke, Shane Treacy (1 try).
Adam Bingham, Michael Ugochukwu, Tom Treacy, John O’Brien, Fergal Doyle.
Andrew Nicholson; Richard Gill, Ben Smullen, Craig Thompson (1 try), Jules Pasquier; Peter O’Neill, Luke McNamee; Graham Gorman, Luke O’Neill, Liam Holton; Evan Murphy, Aaron Maguire; Ethan Cooney, Conor Mulligan, Ross Brereton.
Jack Byrne, Ultan McIntyre, Niall Walsh, Jordan Cooney.
