Five-try Newbridge sweep Cill Dara aside in Hosie Cup quarter-final
The Newbridge team that qualified for the Hosie Cup semi-finals on Saturday. Photo: Barry McCann.
In a repeat of the 2025/26 final, Newbridge proved too strong for Cill Dara in the quarter-finals of this season's North Midlands Hosie Cup, with a 21-point victory in Rosetown on Saturday evening.
The rivalry between the two sides saw Newbridge dominate last year, beating Cill Dara both home and away in the Leinster League, as well as coming out on top in the all-Kildare Hosie Cup final.
Quick thinking from James Kennedy allowed Tim Murphy to kick the ball in behind the Cill Dara defence where Caleb Aiulu pounced for a Newbridge try inside the opening 60 seconds.
Cill Dara replied well, kicking to the corner before having their driving maul repelled; but the visitors drove towards the line again to release Adam Meehan out wide to cross over for a try after seven minutes.
Newbridge owned the ball for the next ten minutes, but never really looked like troubling the scoreboard. Cill Dara gained parity midway through the half as Chris Cousins broke through the middle and released Paddy McGrath for a try after 27 minutes. Rory Conway converted to make it 12-5.
But Newbridge hit back within five minutes when Aiulu cut through the Cill Dara defence like a hot knife through butter to cross for his second try of the game, with Murphy adding the extras to draw the sides level after 33 minutes.
Newbridge remained in the ascendancy for the rest of of the half, with Murphy landing a penalty to leave the hosts with a 15-12 lead at the break.
Newbridge had the perfect start to the second half as another penalty from Murphy stretched the lead to six points inside the opening three minutes.
The hosts continued to pile on the pressure and forced their way over for a third try, with Max McLoughlin dotting down in the 52nd minute. Murphy landed the subsequent conversation as the scoreboard read 25-12.
There was no let-up from Newbridge, with the backs putting the ball through the hands brilliantly before an unmarked McLoughlin crossed in the corner for his second try in five minutes.
Cill Dara enjoyed a prolonged period of possession as they tried to mount a comeback, with Sean Behan releasing Meehan who showed incredible pace to wheel away from the last Newbridge defender and dot down in the corner for his second of the evening to leave 13 points between the sides heading into the closing ten minutes.
Cill Dara piled on the pressure after that, but Newbridge won a penalty five minutes from time, with Tim Murphy on target once again to put the result beyond doubt.
The home side put the gloss on the scoreline with the final play of the game, as Riain Murphy burst through the middle of field, splitting the Cill Dara defence and crossing for one final try.
Eimhin Conroy; Gavin Houlihan, Riain Murphy (1 try), Caleb Aiulu (2 tries), James Kennedy; Tim Murphy (3 pens, 2 cons), Nathan McDonald; Scott O’Keeffe, Will Jennings, Brendan Commane; Cam English, Mark Bennett; Paddy Corbett, Chris Leech, Max McLaughlin (2 tries).
Dave Morgan, Jack Barry, Joss Hulin, Scott McMullan, Shane Treacy, Donal Cashman, Zack Meehan, Ola McCullough.
Paddy McGrath (1 try); Tom Byrne, Adam Meehan (2 tries), Rory Conway (1 con), Callum Dooley; Sean Behan, AP McDermott; DJ Brannock, Aaron Kane, Conor McCormack; Stephen Walsh, Christopher Walsh; Ross Dooley, Colin Moloney, Chris Cousins.
James Dempsey, Jack O'Neill, Fionn Moore, Jamie Lenehan, Robert Mather, Tadhg Doyle, Mark Talbot.
Keith Spendlove.
