PBC hold off CBC surge for victory in classic Munster Schools Cup final

Cork rivals produce a nine-try Cup final classic as CBC fightback just comes up short with final kick of the game at Musgrave Park

PBC captain Gen O'Leary Kareem celebrates with his team after their victory over CBC at Virgin Media Park, Cork. Picture Dan Linehan

Pinergy Munster Schools Senior Cup final: PBC 33 CBC 31.

PBC came out on top of a sensational Munster Schools Senior Cup final which was decided by a heart-breaking last-minute missed conversion at the end of a never-say-die CBC comeback.

The game looked dead and buried when Pres moved 33-14 ahead of their cross-city rivals midway through the second half, with 13 points from inspirational captain Gene O’Leary Kareem and tries from his cousins James (2) and Neville O’Leary.

But back-to-back titles are not easily won and Christians stormed back with tries from Michael Foy, Ronan O’Keeffe, and a last-minute Alex O’Connell score in the corner.

That meant a touchline conversion in a swirling wind but the effort from Charlie O’Shea, who assisted three tries, missed narrowly to the left.

It sparked wild Pres celebrations as O’Leary Kareem lifted the Garrett Fitzgerald Cup for their 32nd title, moving them one ahead of Christians atop the roll of honour.

Christians made three changes including the sizeable boost of Conor Kenneally’s return to a powerful engine-room pairing with Foy. Ian Morton and Daire O’Callaghan were also selected to start, while Mark Skelly switched to the back row.

The Pres line-out was robbed of the services of impressive second-row Denis Murphy, with George O’Keeffe taking his place.

Both sides showed signs of early nerves. Four clearing kicks were charged down in the opening quarter, two at either end, which led to the opening try for each side.

Backed by the wind, Pres settled the quicker, with Neville O’Leary’s inside break from a line-out set play creating the first opportunity. Christians turned over possession but O’Leary Kareem was on Daire O’Callaghan’s boot to get the block and won the chase to the tryline. Amid a fog of smokebombs, his conversion made it 7-0.

Foy blocked a box kick to create the platform for Christians’ leveller. They pounded the line, either side of a tap-and-go penalty, with Morton pushing over, backed by his captain Danny Rock. O’Shea added the extras.

After 15 minutes, Pres were back ahead. In Murphy’s absence, Cormac Bohan was the go-to line-out option and from that solid set piece, James O’Leary barrelled straight through two tacklers for a walk-in try. O’Leary Kareem tapped over the conversion.

A knock-on allowed Christians to reply. Rock produced a huge carry off the scrum and when they went wide, O’Shea sent Bill McCarthy in the back door. O’Shea levelled at 14-all.

They came close to a lead try. McCarthy was forced into touch by Harry Murphy and Darragh Prenter knocked on under pressure from Neville O’Leary as he reached for the line.

From there to half-time, Pres took control with two tries in two minutes. From Bohan’s turnover, Pres went to their backline. Deckie Fitzgerald was somehow stopped short by McCarthy but there was no stopping James O’Leary from close range.

O’Leary Kareem missed the conversion but he created their next try from the restart. The outside centre got the offload away to John Wigginton Barrett and his electric pace did the rest with a 70-metre sprint. 26-14 at half-time.

Oscar Squires, PBC in the dressing room after their victory. Pic: Dan Linehan

The Christians penalty count continued to grow after half-time and would reach 11-3 before Pres conceded the final five on the spin to finish. Rock was sent to the sin-bin in the 43rd minute and Pres exploited the man advantage.

O’Leary Kareem forced the two-on-one and Neville O’Leary did the rest, with the hand-off and reach for the line. The captain nailed the touchline conversion.

Christians hit back with some good work by O’Shea to gain territory and after another tap-and-go penalty, Foy did the rest to cross the whitewash. O’Shea’s kick made it 33-21.

They kept coming in waves of relentless attack and in the 67th minute, it was game on. With a penalty advantage, O’Shea spread the play for O’Keeffe to cross in the corner although the conversion was pulled wide.

It went back and forth from there. Foy robbed a line-out. Pres claimed a scrum against the head. But Christians had one more push in them.

Again with the penalty advantage, O’Shea’s crossfield kick was claimed by O’Connell in the corner. It looked like a fairy tale finish but the kick drifted just wide.

PBC Scorers - Tries: J O’Leary 2, G O’Leary Kareem, J Wigginton Barrett, N O’Leary. Cons: G O’Leary Kareem 4. 

CBC: Tries: I Morton, B McCarthy, M Foy, R O’Keeffe, A O’Connell; Cons: C O’Shea 3.

PBC: D Fitzgerald; N O’Leary, G O’Leary Kareem (capt), J O’Leary, J Wigginton Barrett; H Murphy, L Tuohy (F Óg Sheahan 66); M Minogue, P Doyle, B Cronin; D Foley (F O’Sullivan 63), G O’Keeffe; O Squires (D Noonan 41), C Bohan, A Alderson.

Replacements not used: R McLoughlin Barry, D Sheehy, C Donnelly, M Hetherington, L Sisk O’Mahony, E O’Dowd, O Dillon.

CBC: D O’Callaghan; A O’Connell, L O’Leary (A Brady 60), G O’Riordan, B McCarthy (R O’Keeffe 49); C O’Shea, C Barrett; D Callaghan, D Prenter, C Walsh; M Foy (C Galvin 41-44), C Kennelly (M Skelly 68); M Skelly (C Galvin 52), I Morton (J Barrett 55-70), D Rock (capt).

Replacements not used: C Hughes, R O’Callaghan, S McDonald, R O’Sullivan, C Boylan, C Corkery.

Sin-bin: D Rock (43-50).

Referee: A Brace (MAR).