Superb Briody lifts Newbridge as Andrew's hold out
NEWBRIDGE COLLEGE 15 KING'S HOSPITAL 0
A superb try from winger Ivan Briody gave Newbridge College the breathing space to repel King's Hospital and comfortably qualify for the final at a wintry NUI Maynooth yesterday.
The 'Bridge had first use of a gusting wind that forced King's Hospital to hold onto the ball into the face of it.
The conditions militated against sound rugby, although Newbridge scrum-half Robbie Mullen did kick a 14th-minute penalty.
Chances were at a premium but out-half Mark Sutton's quick feet, and Briody's support line, were too much for the King's Hospital defence in the 27th minute and Mullen converted for a 10-0 lead.
On the resumption, King's Hospital opted to run the ball instead of letting the wind do the work, but this did not aid their cause as the rain made handling a nightmare.
And with time ticking away, it became apparent that Newbridge were almost safe when Mullen latched onto a spilled ball and hacked it on three times only to be tackled without the ball for what was rightly deemed a penalty try.
Newbridge -- C Healy; I Briody, C Ryan (capt), G Burns, P O'Neill; M Sutton, R Mullen; J Phelan, C Murphy, B O'Donnell; S O'Rourke, B Scully; C O'Brien, M Kavanagh, R Snell. Reps: O McKnight for O'Brien (50); C Grant for O'Donnell (63).
King's Hospital -- J Dowds; D Cuffe, D Butler, I Fitzpatrick, V Hughes; E Walsh, A More; N Mpiko, E Ryan, A Burke; D Duffy, L Janssens (capt); J Hogan, C Spillane, G Reynolds. Reps: C Kenny for Hogan (39); G Mumalashvili for Mpiko (56); B Matthews for Ryan (58); L Morgan for Hughes (63); S Olusa for Cuffe (69).
Ref -- S McCann (Leinster Branch).
ST ANDREW'S COLLEGE 13
WESLEY COLLEGE 9
It was very much a match of two halves with St Andrew's making better use of the wind to build a 13-point lead they managed to protect against Wesley in the other semi-final at Seapoint RFC.
Wesley College can have no arguments really, as St Andrew's carved out two tries to none from prop Stephen Locke and left-winger Luke de Renzy, prompted by the leadership of captain Killian McCarthy.
Wesley did come right back into it with three penalties from out-half Tim Hawe, but they just could not break down a well-drilled Andrew's defensive unit.
St Andrew's -- L Boorman; S Curran, G Beere, A Waters, L de Renzy; P Crowley, K Weymes; S Locke, B Anderson, R Brady; A McCauley, G Jones; K McCarthy (capt), B Stephenson, N Veltom. Reps: A Brady, S Fonteyn, M Robinson, B Ingram, D Joyce, J Rowe, R O'Reagan (all used).
Wesley COLLEGE -- J Hastings; A McDonnell, J Lewis, R Bracken, J Quinlan; T Hawe, A Copeland; A Garvey, S Pollock, O Brooks; N Carmody (capt), E Parfrey; R Blarke, A Walsh, H Bowers. Reps: C Douglas for Bowers (61).
Ref -- T Reilly (Leinster Branch).
Irish Independent
