Cork Con aiming to end 20-year wait for cup

CORK Constitution are ideally poised to bridge a 20-year gap when they take on Old Crescent in the final of the ODM Munster Senior Cup at Clifford Park on Sunday (kick-off 2pm).

Con won the last of their 22 titles in 1989 under the captaincy of Michael Bradley who led a team that also contained several other distinguished names in Kenny Murphy, Moss Finn, Jerry Holland and Donal Lenihan. Kenny Murphy is the current manager of the Con team and Paul Derham, the hooker 20 years ago, is currently director of rugby at Temple Hill.

It is indeed a remarkable statistic that Constitution should have gone such a lengthy period without laying their hands on the coveted old trophy but for a variety of reasons it will be a major shock should they fail to do so on this occasion. They have beaten three of the top AIL Division One teams, UL Bohemian by 24-3, Shannon (21-7) and Garryowen (23-20) on the way to the decider and played rugby of a very high standard in doing so.