Newbridge College start slow before blitzing CBC Monkstown
Newbridge College 45 CBC Monkstown 7
Donal Conroy was the inspiration behind Newbridge’s six-try explosion to make the Leinster Senior Cup quarter-final at Energia Park on Monday.
The Johne Murphy coached side had been billed as dark horses this year and they certainly have a strong team on paper with a cluster of Leinster boys.
They were slow to settle and CBC were given further boosts when Donough Lawlor was binned in the eighth minute and centre Sean Cronin pasted Sam Prendergast with a tackle.
It all fed into building confidence and this took another step forward when James Brindley broke the line and flanker Conor Anderson was on his shoulder to finish in style, Eoin Quinn converting in the 17th minute.
Outhalf Quinn had a chance to make it a two-score game when pulling a penalty across the face of the posts from a difficult angle.
The Kildare school wereslowly beginning to edge the territorial battle, their solid approach work undone by poor handling.
However, they did strike off the back of the skills of Conor McGroary and the driving of Diarmuid Mangan, setting up prime position for Sam Prendergast to hit Kiely with a flat pass, Prendergast conversion making it 7-7 at the break.
They continued where they left off when Conroy went through the gears and flanker Mark Dennis carried for hard yards, Prendergast launching a penalty from the left for the lead in the 38th minute.
It was all changed - talk about momentum. Another swift attack from the electric Conroy meant another three points from Prendergast.
Straight away, they were looking greedy, replacement David O’Sullivan moving at pace, Conroy offloading for James Gaire to touchdown for 18-7 in the 44th minute.
It came as no surprise to see Conroy take off once again, this time up the middle to put Prendergast in position to strike his third penalty in the 53rd minute.
Then, Kiely swept into space to find David O’Sullivan with a well-timed delivery for the third try.
And that was it really, although Kiely, number eight Lawlor and replacement Conor Halpenny brought the ty-tally up to six.
The draw for the quarter-final took place at the final whistle, Newbridge drawing Kilkenny, Castleknock drawing Belvedere, St Gerards; drawing Clongowes Wood and Gonzaga drawing the champions St Michael’s the week after next.
Newbridge College: S Cahill; J Gaire, M Kiely (capt), S Fata, D Conroy; S Prendergast, C King; P Leavy, F O’Malley, B Watson, P O’Flaherty, D Mangan, M Dennis, C McGroary, D Lawlor. Replacements: G McNelis for Flannery, Z Ahmed for Eives, D O’Sullivan for Cronin all 38 mins; L Dunleavy for Dennis, J Shanahan for Cahill both 57 mins; H Masterson for O’Flaherty, C Halpenny for King both 65 mins.
CBC Monkstown: J Brindley; M Newman, R Browne, S Cronin, J Newman; E Quinn, E Watson; C McCoy, S Flannery, C Eivers, J Balmaine, H Ross, C Anderson, S Montayne, L Foster (capt). Replacements: M Donnelly for Balmaine 42 mins; P Duffy for J Newman 46 mins; J O’Donoghue for Quinn, A Lee for Brindley both 57 mins; S Cassidy for Browne 63 mins; S Comiskey for McCoy, J Reynolds for Montayne, A Lee for M Newman all 68 mins.
Referee: G Sheridan, Leinster Branch.