Leinster quarter-final exit for Newbridge College
Newbridge number eight Cian Brennan shows tremendous ferocity as he competes for the ball with St Michaels' Charlie Endall during the Leinster Schools Junior Cup Second Round, Energia Park, Donnybrook. Photo: INPHO/Nick Elliott
There was disappointment for Newbridge College at Energia Park, Donnybrook, on Thursday as an impressive second-half display saw St Michael’s College progress to the semi-final's of the Leinster Schools Junior Cup.
Three-time winners at this level – most recently in 2021 - Newbridge found themselves on the back-foot in the opening moments of the contest as Michael’s full-back Myles Carroll released winger Gabriel Kelly for a run up the left-wing. A crunching tackle from Aaron O’Donnell forced Kelly into touch just inside the ‘22’, but Newbridge suffered a set-back when Charles Kay was carried off with an injury just four minutes into the action.
His spot in the front-row was taken by Séamus Wakefield, who immediately became part of a Bridge side desperately trying to keep their opponents at bay. The south Dubliners kicked to touch and had several attempts at driving over the whitewash from close-range before towering second-row Hugh Draper eventually powered over in fine style.
A resulting conversion by Tommy Asple was off-target, however, and a determined Newbridge quickly went about addressing this five-point deficit. While they couldn’t secure possession off his previous set-piece delivery, Adam Hathaway found his intended target off a 12th minute line-out inside enemy territory and this helped Newbridge to establish an attacking platform.
The Kildare school couldn’t quite force their way over the whitewash from this initial extended move, but a ‘tap and go’ penalty by scrum-half Tadhg Ferguson provided the foundations for full-back Marc Daly to squeeze over in the right-corner just past the first-quarter mark.
A narrow miss from O’Donnell off the tee meant the teams were still on level terms and this remained to be the case until the very end of the opening period.
The Newbridge defence had previously dug deep to win a turnover penalty when Michael’s were in sight of their line, but the Ailesbury Road outfit ultimately regained the lead with a second try from Draper just shy of the interval.
Although another unsuccessful conversion ensured Newbridge were just five points in arrears (10-5), Newbridge suffered a hammer blow a little over 30 seconds after the restart – Michael’s full-back Carroll embarking on an excellent solo run before dotting down in ruthless fashion.
Newbridge gained a slight reprieve when Asple’s latest conversion attempt struck the upright, but it wasn’t long until Michael’s added to their tally. The Metropolitan side were strong off set-pieces for the vast majority of the contest and when they pushed forward off a line-out maul in the 38th minute, hooker James Farrell was on hand to supply the finishing touches beyond the whitewash.
Michael’s were now relentless in their pursuit of additional scores and in a bid to stem the tide at the Donnybrook venue, the Newbridge coaches introduced Cillian Doherty and Harry Guing off the bench. However, they were being placed under enormous pressure and having already contributed handsomely to his side’s haul, Draper popped the ball back for Eoghan McNulty to score a fifth Michael’s try.
Asple finally opened his account off the kicking tee from the conversion that followed – the post came to his aid on this occasion – and there was to be further joy for the Dublin 4 school when Carroll got through for his second try of the game.
It had been a difficult second period overall for Newbridge, but credit must go to them for finishing the tie with a flourish.
After pushing hard for a try with the final whistle fast approaching, persistence eventually paid off when Doherty touched down underneath a slew of bodies.
O’Donnell confidently added the extras and while Michael’s were the ones to advance into the penultimate phase of the competition, Newbridge were at least able to sign off on a campaign that had seen them recording an excellent opening round win over Belvedere College with a degree of solace.
Myles Carroll (2 tries); Rory Nolan, Eoghan McNulty (1 try), John Gunne, Gabriel Kelly; Oisin Crehan, Tommy Asple (2 cons); Charlie Endall, James Farrell (1 try), David Kelly; Daniel Meijer, Hugh Draper (2 tries); Louis Marsh, CJ Rowell, Ryan O’Malley.
Kyle Calvert for D Kelly (48), Cameron Wallace for Meijer, Jacob Divilly for Rowell (both 50), Ross McGrath for Farrell, James Doherty for Endall, Ethan Coonan for Gunne (all 56), Alex Kilmurray for Asple, Oisin Healy for G Kelly (both 58).
Marc Daly (1 try); Oisin Lynch, Aaron O’Donnell (1 con), Oscar O’Shaughnessy, Matthew Keyes; Ben McEvoy, Tadhg Ferguson; Charles Kay, Lochlainn Quinn, Conleth Murphy; Eoin O’Mongáin, Charlie Cooper; Adam Hathaway, Harry O’Sullivan, Cian Brennan.
Séamus Wakefield for Kay (4), Cillian Doherty (1 try) for Cooper (42), Harry Guing for McEvoy (45), Hugh O’Connor for Quinn, Cian O’Donovan for Daly (both 48), Cian Downes for O’Shaughnessy (56), Hugh Byrne for Murphy (60), Evin O’Grady for O’Sullivan (62).
Kenny Coldrick.
