VINNIE MURRAY SENIOR CUP FINAL CUS 24 Newbridge College 17:LEFT WING Colm Driver was the inspiration behind Catholic University School's deserved victory over Newbridge College at Donnybrook yesterday.
Driver was a menace on the ball, popping up wherever he saw a chance to influence the ebb and flow of the game. He fired in the first points of the match from a 17th-minute penalty and converted a try by outhalf Marc Hiney, who ran a superb support line on to wing Ruadhan Magee’s perfect pass off the floor.
It looked like plain sailing until Newbridge wing Phil O’Neill outflanked the CUS defence in injury-time. Outhalf Peter Osbourne converted from the touchline to make it 10-7 at the break.
Once again Driver was to play a key role as he sprinted over the halfway line to send Newbridge into panic mode. Hiney fended off a tackler for a sure finish and Driver converted in the 47th minute.
Newbridge were driven forward by their prop David Rigney and flanker James Connolly. A penalty from Osbourne reduced the deficit to seven points.
It was all back in the melting pot. CUS preferred to attack rather than play it safe. They kept the ball in hand for fullback John McAllister to be freed up by Hiney’s flat pass for the sealing try in the 64th minute.
Newbridge bravely fought the good fight for their fullback John Jennings to breach the line but Osbourne’s conversion was the last action of the match.
CUS: J McAllister; R Magee, D Beaky, T Kinsley, C Driver; M Hiney, T Guiry; J Bodkin, B Keelan, T Doyle, N Foster, D Gahan, M Beaky, K Beaky, R Sheady (capt). Replacements: K Millar for Foster (23 mins – temp), N Millar for Keelan (27 mins), K Cooke for M Beaky (42 mins), J Fallon-Doran for Magee (57 mins).
NEWBRIDGE COLLEGE: J Jennings; P O'Neill, B O'Connor, G Burns, D McConville; P Osbourne, R Mullen; D Rigney, C Kings, B O'Donnell, E Dempsey, B Scully, C Dempsey, J Connolly, W O'Brien (capt). Replacements: C Fagan for Scully (6 mins), B Delaney for Burns, J Hogan for E Dempsey (both 64 mins).
Referee: R O'Flynn(Leinster Branch).
