Murphy grabs last-gasp winner for Newbridge
Dave Morgan leads the charge for Newbridge in their Leinster League clash with North Kildare. All Photos: Martin Rowe.
Kidare derbys seem like an almost weekly affair in Division 2A of the Leinster League this season, and there was another one on the cards on Sunday afternoon as North Kildare made the trip to Rosetown to face Newbridge.
The sides met in Kilcock back in October where North Kildare were 22-17 winners, and they came into this game in the hopes of closing the the gap between the teams in the table, with Newbridge five points clear in third place before kick-off.
The home side did all their scoring in the first 20 minutes and final five minutes, but it was enough to earn them all five points as they ran in four tries to extend their lead in the table over North Kildare to nine points as they remain in third place heading towards the business end of the season.
Newbridge were on top early, with the pressure telling after just five minutes when North Kildare full back Christopher Sheils was sent to the sin bin for a deliberate knock on while trying prevent what looked to be a certain a try.
That was merely a stay of execution, however, as the hosts would score 14 unanswered points in his absence.
Newbridge went to the corner from the resulting penalty and after a few patient phases it was hooker William Jennings who showed tremendous power to cross for the opening try of the game. A wonderful strike from John O’Brien followed to make it 7-0.
Newbridge were on top at scrum time throughout the first half and used the set-piece as a platform to create a wonderful try.
Scrum half Robert Waters moved the ball quickly to O'Brien, with each of the his backs getting their hands on the ball before a sensational pass from Darragh Whyte released Zack Meehan who finished superbly in the corner.
O’Brien added the extras again with an even more difficult kick than the first to make it 14-0.
It felt like Newbridge might put up a cricket score, but the visitors had other ideas.
Once restored to a full complement, North Kildare turned the game on its head and halved the deficit almost immediately thanks to a brilliant passing move.
Their two wingers combined, with Patrick Casey slipping a sublime pass to Jack Gartland, who finished well in the corner. Dylan Morrow landed an excellent conversion from the sideline.
Newbridge responded well and scored their third try midway through the half - again off a solid scrum - with Shane Treacy peeling off the back before Whyte again played the decisive pass to release Stephen Cooke in the corner.
O’Brien remained flawless despite another kick from out on the sideline, but the hosts would not manage to score again for almost an hour.
North Kildare again responded quickly, with Morrow carving through the Newbridge defence before Casey gathered the ball out wide to score a lovely try in the corner.
Morrow, like O’Brien, had packed his kicking boots for this one and landed a beauty from the touchline.
The visitors piled on the pressure for the remainder of the half, but Newbridge stood firm to lead 21-14 at the break.
North Kildare remained on top after the restart and reduced the arrears five minutes into the second half with a penalty from Morrow.
The visitors then took the lead in the 53rd minute when a long pass from Conor McCrossan released replacement winger Dean Curtin who finished well in the corner, with Morrow converting from out wide yet again.
The next 20 minutes were end to end, with both sides creating scoring opportunities and each being held up over the line. But it was also a scrappy period, as a series of unforced errors prevented either side from troubling the scoreboard.
Then, with less than five minutes left on the clock, Newbridge brought the game level when O’Brien landed a penalty.
And almost from the restart the home side were on the attack again, shipping the ball out wide where centre Riain Murphy capped off another fine individual performance by beating two defenders before charging down the wing and diving over the line to score a match-winning try in the corner.
O’Brien had a challenging day off the tee, with each conversion coming out on the touchline; but the Newbridge fly half remained flawless, adding the extras to give his side a seven-point win.
Both these sides begin their Towns Cup campaigns next week with home ties in the opening round as Newbridge host Clondalkin and North Kildare host Longford.
Darragh Whyte; Stephen Cooke (1 try), Riain Murphy, James Parkinson, Zack Meehan (1 try); John O'Brien (3 cons), Robert Waters; David Morgan, William Jennings (1 try), Brendan Commane; Steven McElligott, Jack Moore; Cameron English, Denis Clarke, Shane Treacy.
Aaron Donnelly, Max McLoughlin, Chris Leech, Jamie Smith, Fergal Doyle.
Christopher Sheils; Patrick Casey (1 try), Robbie McGuinness, Daniel Corr, Jack Gartland (1 try); Dylan Morrow (1 pen, 3 cons), Conor McCrossan; Conor Duff, Jack Wiseman, Callum Wall; Ryan Clancy, Luke Dempsey; Colm O'Searcaigh, Dillon Grogan, Mark Prendergast.
Ciaran Cummins, William Tiller, Conor Byrne, Dean Curtin (1 try), Jonathan Deane.
Mark Kilduff
