Vinnie Murray Cup Newbridge Coll 10 St Andrew's Coll 6: One flash of opportunism from Newbridge College left wing Jamie Johnson was enough to knock St Andrew's out of the Vinnie Murray Cup in the first round at Donnybrook yesterday.
It didn't start so well for the winners. Blindside Jason Harney was forced off with concussion in the first minute. Then the St Andrew's fullback Barry Nolan made it 3-0 when outhalf Austin O'Brien was penalised for a late tackle on his opposite number, Ben Duffy.
St Andrew's looked dangerous any time Duffy got his backline moving. On one such occasion right wing Matthew Mawhinney made ground in the 22nd minute. Referee Brian Montayne blew for hands in the ruck but Nolan hit the upright from the right. He made amends immediately from another penalty.
Newbridge struck back when centre John Southern made hard yards on a burst and fullback Johnny Mullen punished St Andrew's going offside at the ensuing ruck.
It would stay that way deep into the second half. The game swung on scrumhalf Bernard Flanagan's garryowen down the left touchline. Johnson would not give up what looked like a lost cause, he picked up and sprinted to the posts. Mullen's conversion made it 10-6 and Newbridge survived late pressure to win.
NEWBRIDGE COLLEGE: J Mullen; C Geoghegan, P Gillespie, J Southern, J Johnson; A O'Brien, B Flanagan; D Conlon, G O'Reilly, B Conlon, B O'Shea, A O'Hara, J Harney, L Gleeson (capt), A Celia. Replacements: S Phelan for Harney (1 min); D Hearne for Gillespie (68 mins).
ST ANDREW'S COLLEGE: B Nolan; M Mawhinney, L Halpin, A Woodroofe, R Wojnar; B Duffy, J Murray; G Davis, D Leahy, G Byers, R Casey, M Waters, M Sykes, S McInnes, D O'Connaill (capt). Replacement: T Cloak for Leahy (59 mins).
Referee: B Montayne (Leinster Branch).