Rís finally bask in the glory

Ardscoil Rís 6 PBC 3

The win was all the sweeter as the newly crowned Munster Schools Junior Cup winners dethroned the holders and hot favourites, PBC, at the final hurdle.

Inspirational captain Aidan Quilligan summed up the mood of the celebrating throngs, hundreds of cheering pupils past and present, in his short but eloquent victory speech.

“We started training back in September, and people wrote us off altogether, no one thought we’d ever even reach this final, never mind win it. But this team, this group of lads, knew we had a chance, we kept going, did everything that was asked of us, got to the final, and won it.”

There were just three scores in the game, two penalties from the powerful boot of Ardscoil Rís full-back Declan O’Rahilly, one in reply from Pres winger Eoin Cotter; 6-3 at the end, 0-0 at the break, but do not get the impression that this was in any way a boring afternoon.

It wasn’t quite end-to-end stuff from start to finish, but it was damned near it. First one side exerting enormous pressure inside the opposition 22, then the other, in a game that had almost everything that’s good in rugby. Almost. It had the power of two determined packs. Ardscoil were inspired by captain Quilligan at number 8, Cian Phelan in the engine room, the burly all-action figure of Michael Sherry in the trenches, while Pres countered through their own forward heroes, flanker Richard Owens, Robert Allen, and captain Stefan Malone up front. They presented us with some text-book mauling, ground devouring and perfect scrummaging along with well-contested line-outs.

With two sets of outstanding half-backs setting the table, Keith Payne and Grant Murphy for Ardscoil, Phillip Hogan and Jeffrey Power for the Cork visitors, both sets of backs were constantly in play (PBC inside-centre Scott Deasy looking particularly dangerous) while full-backs Declan O’Rahilly and Shane Costigan also impressed.

The only thing missing? Tries.

Still, touchdowns or not, it was a most entertaining afternoon’s rugby, with Ardscoil Rís just about deserving the honours. Just.

ARDSCOIL RÍS: D. O’Rahilly (2P); R. Ryan, R. Brock, P. Corrigan, M. Cosgrove; G. Murphy, K. Payne; M. Sherry, S. Hogan (R. Haugh 57), B. Rowley; S. Daly, C. Phelan; J. Keogh, D. Horan, A. Quilligan (c).

PBC: S. Costigan; E. Cotter (1P), B. Dennehy, S. Deasy, T. Kenneally; J. Power, P. Hogan; S. Malone (c), R. Love, J. Crotty; R. McCarthy, T. Hennebry; O. Cummins, R. Owens, R. Allen.

Referee: P. Roche (M.A.R.).