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Leinster League

Division 1A

 

Newbridge 17
Boyne 40

 

IN the dogfight that is division 1A Boyne are quickly emerging as pack leaders, unbeaten after five matches.

 

On the other hand Newbridge find themselves in the wrong half of the league table where a fingertip can mean the difference between fourth and seventh place.

 

Massy Tuhakraina appeared to have touched down for Newbridge’s fourth try and a bonus point in the final minute of the game.

But the touch-down went unseen by the match official and Boyne ran the ball out from under their own posts.

 

The Newbridge scramble defence would have been enough to stop most teams, but Boyne kept up the attack with some top-class support play to score under the posts.

 

The ninth try of game summed up the difference between the two sides with Boyne adding an extra-dimension to Newbridge’s open attacking game plan.

 

Down 28-5 with 30 minutes left to play Newbridge looked dead and buried.

 

But they stuck to their guns with Peter Sutton and Robbie Waters creating the space for Tuhakaraina and Swindlehurst in the centre.

 

Brothers Neal and Dave Hogan again showed some great attacking qualities that would have pierced most other defences.

Sutton had earlier taken another opportunist try after blocking down a clearance kick for a try to make 16-5 at half time.

Sean Kelly had a long penalty attempt and Swindelhurst drop goal bid that would have negated Boyne’s early 6-0 lead from penalties had they gone over.

 

Boyne then made their territorial dominance count with two tries from set-pieces until Sutton’s score kept Newbridge hopes alive.

Those hopes looked truly dashed when Boyne then scored two more tries in the first ten minutes with their No.8 Eoin Collins proving to be a real stand-out player.

 

Newbridge bravely stuck to the game plan to run the ball from every angle, even when courting disaster close to their own line.

John Southern and Gareth O’Reilly led from the front in that respect while Brian Furey found space when he came off the bench.

Full back Karl Darragh was also sprung from the bench and while Boyne were reduced to 14-men Newbridge turned the screw.

First Tuhakraina scored following a half-break by Swindlehurst with the centre producing a dummy off-load to squeeze out of a tackle in a dazzling piece of play.

 

Next it was John Southern touched down close to the post after Gareth O’Reilly drove close to the line on a drive from Mark Southern.

 

Lesser teams may have panicked but Boyne, from the kick-off, scored a fifth try after working an overlap that left the Newbridge defence stretched.

 

Newbridge kept going until the final endgame which saw Tuhakaraina lose out at the line only for Boyne to swiftly counter with a devastating coup-de-grace.

 

Newbridge: Killian O’Shea, Gareth O’Reilly, Mark Southern, Darrell O’Hora, John Southern, Mick Byrne, Niall Duggan, Terry Donnelly, Peter Sutton (Capt), Robbie Waters, Neal Hogan, Ben Swindlehurst, Massey Tuhakaraina, Dave Hogan, Sean Kelly. Subs used: Karl Darragh, Brian Furey, Brendan Tiernan, Willie Ryan.