St Mary’s outscored Newbridge three tries to two to secure a place in the Bank of Ireland Leinster Schools Junior Cup quarter-final at Donnybrook on Tuesday.
The reports of a strong St Mary’s side looked spot-on in the early going as they moved well down the left and drew a penalty for full-back Max Svejdar to strike in the fourth minute.
Newbridge were not shy about putting the ball through the hands either into a strong wind. They just couldn’t afford a mistake coming out of defence, a knock-on keeping them hemmed in.
St Mary’s number eight Adam Sloan powered off the back of a scrum to make a great gain. They just kept the hammer down from multiple carries for Sloan to eventually lunge for the try, converted by Svejdar for 10-0 on 16 minutes.
Newbridge’s counter-rucking was a strength and they looked capable enough on the ball, number eight Donough Lawlor carrying well and right wing Daniel Silke-Fetherston showing speed.
It was hooker Fintan O’Malley, who ripped the ball away, and Lawlor who found the metre of space close to the touchline to make it to the right corner for a valuable try in the 25th minute.
They just had to hold out for the break. They couldn’t.
St Mary’s centre Rob Nolan and hooker Matthew Black made inroads and John Kennedy finished the job in the right corner for 15-5 in the 28th minute.
Lawlor rose to majestically claim his scrum-half Connor Halpenny’s restart without the follow up to benefit from it.
It was all to play for as The ‘Bridge had use of the considerable wind in the second-half. This wasn’t a problem for St Mary’s running game as they managed to some semblance of control as Black and centre Barra O’Loughlin carried well.
A cleverly worked lineout sucked in Newbridge’s maul defence for hooker Black to stride over unopposed for 20-5 in the 46th minute.
There was still life in the Kildare school as out-half Hugh Prendergast showed fancy footwork and Lawlor finished smartly from a quick tap penalty for wing Adam Conneely to convert with a dozen minutes left to play.
Not content, they came again for lock Diarmuid Mangan to tear through the middle where Svejdar brought him down.
It was nip and tuck from there as they went toe-to-two with neither side able to land a telling blow.
At Donnybrook – St Mary’s College 20 (A Sloan, C Dillon, M Black try each; M Svejdar pen, con); Newbridge College 12 (D Lawlor 2 tries; A Conneely con).
St Mary’s: Max Svedjar; Ross Moore, Rob Nolan, Barra O’Loughlin, Sam Czerniek; Daragh Gilbourne, Senan Devereux; Collum Dillon, Matthew Black, Adam Mulvihill (capt), Daniel Leane, Hugo Massey, Will Sparrow, John Kennedy, Adam Sloan.
Replacements: Andrew Gibbons for Dillon 39 mins; Matthew Gallagher for Sparrow 54 mins; Garreth O’Moore for Kennedy 59 mins.
Newbridge: Harry Younge; Daniel Silke-Fetherston, David Marshall, Shane Fata, Adam Conneely; Hugh Prendergast, Conor Halpenny; Luca Borgonovo, Fintan O’Malley, Zia Ahmed, Niall Majury, Diarmuid Mangan, James Sheedy (capt), Luke Gorman, Donough Lawlor,
Replacements: Eoin McConnon for Majury, Luke Dunleavy for Sheedy, Conaill Brinkley for Fata all 39 mins; Denis Dowling for Borgonoco, Benjamin Watson for Ahmed, Samuel Prendergast for Halpenny all 46 mins.
Referee: P O’Connor, Leinster Branch.
