Resilient Pres retain Barry Cup

Holders PBC retained the Barry Cup as they came from behind to defeat arch rivals CBC in yesterday’s decider at Lansdowne.

The howling gale was a deciding factor, as all of the home side’s scores came in the opening half and Pres won the game with the only try midway through the second half.

Playing with the elements in the opening half, Christians had the visitors on the back foot from the start and they broke the deadlock in the 26th minute with a penalty from Olan Hanly.

Hanly and Thomas Duggan traded penalties before Hanly restored Christians’ six point advantage on the stroke of half-time with his third penalty for a 9-3 lead.

Duggan reduced the deficit six minutes into the second half and the decisive score came in the 57th minute when Pres tight head Hugh O’Halloran was credited with a pushover try following a series of drives by his pack. Duggan converted from a difficult angle.

Pres had to withstand a late rally as they were camped deep inside their 22 for lengthy periods in the final quarter. In this phase Christians right winger Rory Slater was deemed to have been held up on the line by the visitors defence.

Christians launched a series of drives from the resulting five-metre scrum, but solid defensive work ensured Pres would not relinquish their title.

CBC: O Hanly, R Slater, H Donnelly, R Roberts, B Egan, C Monaghan, L O’Regan; T Walley, D Fitzgerald, S Galvin, T Arrigan, S Gill, M Lordan, S Burke, D Stokes.

Replacements: E Roche, D Barry, Et Ackland, S Quill.

PBC: D O’Keeffe, W Kennedy, M O’Callaghan, J Daly, P O’Brien, T Duggan, R Griffin; A Lynch, A O’Brien, H O’Halloran, G O’Herlihy, A Cusack, R Callanan, K Farmer, M Curtin.

Replacements: A Callanan, C Buckley, C Downes, D Twomey, L Prendeville, S Crowley, G O’Callaghan.

Referee: C Harrington (MAR)