BELEVEDERE - 13 NEWBRIDGE - 3: The contest resembled the prevailing conditions, grey and unappetising, played on a pitch whose cloying surface didn't aid the combatants. There was no shortage of application as both sides rolled up their sleeves and went toe to toe up front but there was precious little flair in yesterday's second round clash at Donnybrook to augment the perspiration.
It would be churlish not to recognise a game Newbridge College team who expended every last ounce of energy in pursuit of what would have constituted an upset. They led 3-0 at the interval, never voluntarily took a back step and through sheer perseverance and character kept their opponents honest to the final whistle.
Belvedere College had been trumpeted as potential finalists, even winners, not by themselves but others, and that and an impressive pre-cup record whetted the appetite for their first outing in the competition. That they struggled for long periods may ultimately be no bad thing, assuming that their problems can be rectified before their next outing..
The lineout looked a little shaky - Newbridge stole several throws - and while their scrum was considerably more potent, Belvedere never quite managed to establish a consistent platform of possession up front. The protection of their ball was flimsy and this pre-empted several turnovers, a similarity they shared with Newbridge.
Belvedere's use of possession was surprisingly ineffective as the backs crabbed across the pitch. They seemed to lack the patience to work the openings, instead hell bent on trying to force the issue. What transformed their fortunes was a combination of a few well-chosen words at the interval and three half-time substitutions.
Dan O'Kane in particular, Kevin Barden and Brian O'Neill all made a positive impact on their introduction. Belvedere increased the tempo of their game and that urgency brought greater purpose and penetration to their patterns of play.
Once full back Eamon Fitzgerald had kicked a penalty four minutes after the resumption, their was an inevitability about Belvedere's transformation. Five minutes later the full back benefited from some excellent work by the outstanding Cliff Murphy, who eased through a gap in the Newbridge 22, before offloading to Fitzgerald. He used his pace and strength to force his way over for a fine try but could not add the conversion from close to the touchline.
Belvedere's second try came from a clever lineout variation on 54 minutes. Hooker Paul McGuire shaped to throw long but instead popped the ball to Richard Leyden and the second row demonstrated good athleticism to force his way past a couple of defenders on an eight-metre surge.
Ahead 13-3 and with a reasonable cushion, one expected Belvedere to shift through the gears. Instead it was Newbridge that showed the greater desire.
Just as in the first half the pack, collectively, worked hard to establish field position, led very capably by captain Anthony Kavanagh.
Unfortunately they just didn't have the wherewithal behind the scrum to capitalise, despite the best efforts of hard working scrumhalf Seamus Galvin.
Bravery and a laudable work-rate just weren't enough. They led 3-0 at the interval by virtue of a penalty from outhalf Stephen McGrath but he didn't see out the half because of injury. This meant a reshuffle behind the scrum that saw left wing Emmett Harbey move to outhalf with Robert Walsh on the wing.
Even then it was Belvedere who enjoyed the best try-scoring opportunity of the half when all centre Brian McLoughlin had to do was deliver a reasonable pass to the unmarked Marc Hewitt inside the Newbridge 22. The pass, like the chance, went astray.
It would be reasonable to assume that Belvedere needed the game and also that they are a better side than they appeared yesterday. If not then St Michael's, with due deference to a gutsy Newbridge team, will not be as accommodating.
Scoring sequence: McGrath penalty, 3-0. Half-time: 3-0. 39 mins: Fitzgerald penalty, 3-3; 44 mins: Fitzgerald try, 3-8; 54 mins: Leyden try, 3-13.
BELVEDERE: E Fitzgerald; M Hewitt, B McLoughlin, P Hobbs, G Murphy; J Kennedy, M Broe; E O'Meara, P McGuire, M Hayes; R Leyden, B McArdle; C Murphy, R O'Donnell, D O'Brien (capt). Replacements: K Barden for Murphy half-time; B O'Neill for Broe half-time; D O'Kane for O'Donnell half-time; P Hogan for Leyden 68 mins; N Taaffe for O'Meara 68 mins.
NEWBRIDGE: J Murphy; D Droney, E Burns, M Barton, E Harney; S McGrath, S Galvin; P Mahon, R Price, D Kerin, D Hector, B Conroy, J Holmes, A Kavanagh (capt), M Mullins. Replacements: R Walsh for McGrath 33 mins; E O'Grady for Price 47 mins.
Referee: S Buggy (Leinster).
