Newbridge RFC bridge 12-year gap and take home Hosie Cup in all Kildare final

Newbridge RFC 23 - 15 Cill Dara RFC

Newbridge RFC are the 2025 North Midlands Hosie Cup champions after an epic battle with Cill Dara in Silken Thomas Park in the all Kildare final.

Cill Dara RFC hosted the North Midlands Area Finals on Sunday with four finals contested.

In addition, the Area awarded the Devin Toner Award in recognition of a individual;s contribution to the sport at Club, Area and Leinster Level.

On the day the big winners were Newbridge taking the Under 18 Cup, the Hosie Cup while Ollie Delaney received the Devin Toner Award.

With seven clubs featuring on the day there was a very enthusiastic crowd making their voices heard throughout the afternoon.
Newbridge RFC and Cill Dara RFC played out a compelling Hosie Cup final at Silken Thomas Park, with both sides chasing long-awaited silverware — Newbridge last crowned champions in 2013 and Cill Dara in 2011.

The day had already started on a high for the visitors, with the Newbridge U18s defeating Portlaoise RFC 26–8 to lift the U18 trophy.

The seniors looked keen to complete the double and made a sharp start, moving the ball wide early.

A superb break from centre Riain Murphy created the opening for Gavin Houlihan to dive into the corner for the game’s first try, giving Newbridge an early 5–0 lead.

It quickly developed into a fascinating contest, with Cill Dara attempting to impose themselves physically while Newbridge looked to stretch the home side’s bigger wide, before Donal Cashman nudged a penalty over to extend Newbridge’s lead to 8–0.

Cill Dara responded with a notable increase in tempo and pressure.
That momentum was rewarded when Steve Walsh broke through to touch down close to the posts. The conversion struck the upright, leaving Newbridge ahead 8–5 at the interval.

Newbridge burst out of the blocks after the restart and produced a sensational try, finished by Zack Meehan, to restore an eight-point cushion despite the difficult conversion being missed.

Once again, Cill Dara refused to go away, and a try from James O’Loughlin, converted by Moore, reduced the margin to a single point at 13–12.

The defining moment followed soon after.

In what proved to be the try of the game, nearly every Newbridge player handled the ball as it moved from side to side before finding Gavin Houlihan, who raced in under the posts for his second try of the afternoon. Newbridge led 20–12 and looked to have seized control.

A late Moore penalty narrowed the deficit to five, but Newbridge stayed composed.
With the final kick of the game, they slotted a penalty in front of the posts to seal a memorable 23–15 victory and their first Hosie Cup triumph since 2013.

Newbridge: David Morgan: William Jennings: Brendan Commane: Steven McElligott: Cameron English: Mark Bennett: Denis Clarke: Shane Tracy: Fergal Doyle: Donal Cashman: Stephen Coooke: John O’Brien: Riain Murphy: Gavin Houlihan: Darragh Whyte: Adam Bingham: Michael Ugochukwu: Jack Moore: Max Mc Loughlin: Chris Leech: Robert Waters: Zac Meehan.

Cill Dara Squad: Conor McCormack: Oisin Carroll: DJ Brannock: Billy O’Shea: Stephen Walsh: Christopher Walsh: Ross Dooley: Thomas Cleary: Philip Kenny: William Doran: Adam Meehan: Daire Kemp: James O’Loughlin: Thomas Dunne: Bryn Moore: Arron Kane: Robin Dempsey: Simon Cahill: Ryan Hogg: Chris Cousins: Tadgh Doyle: Senan Brannock.

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