Munster Schools Senior Cup semi-finals should alternate between Cork and Limerick, says Munchin's coach

Ger Slattery has seen his side lose out on Leeside in the last four in consecutive years.

St Munchin's Matthew Te Pou dejected after the game. Pic: INPHO/Ryan Byrne

St Munchin’s head coach Ger Slattery has called for the Munster Schools Senior Cup semi-finals to alternate between Cork and Limerick.

The Corbally school has lost the past two semi-finals to PBC, both held at Virgin Media Park, with Slattery saying the venue “doesn’t add up”.

This year’s semi-finals were a carbon copy of last year’s final four, with CBC beating Crescent and PBC defeating Munchin’s. Both the 2023 and ’24 semi-finals were played in Cork, except for last year’s CBC-Crescent replay at Thomond Park.

The Munster Rugby fixture plan states that a coin toss will decide home advantage for each semi-final.

After the introduction of a group stage in 2019/20, home advantage for semi-finals was determined based on a seeding system. That was switched to an open draw following feedback from schools, which has been in place for the past two seasons.

“We’ve had two semi-finals here now, last year and the same two semi-finals here again this year. In terms of fairness, it really doesn’t add up to me. It really doesn’t,” said Slattery.

“It was new to our lads coming down here for a semi-final, a lot of fifth years that weren’t involved last year. I think it’s something that has to be looked at.” 

Slattery’s suggestion is for Cork-Limerick semi-finals to rotate between the two cities.

“Alternate years or something like that. We played Pres in a semi-final last year here in Cork so to come again this year, that doesn’t add up to me.

“But not taking away from Pres’s performance, I’m not saying that, but bigger picture stuff.” 

Pres were impressive 45-12 victors over Munchin’s, who had tries from Adam O’Shaughnessy and Oisín Minogue.

“You have to acknowledge they were really good,” said Slattery. “We didn’t show up at the same time, which is very disappointing from us.

“We’d have liked to give them a better game and make them work a bit harder for the win.

“The disappointing thing was how we conceded the tries so easily but their backline was exceptional, to be fair.” 

The final between Pres and Christians will take place at Virgin Media Park on Tuesday, March 12, with kick-off at 2pm.

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