Christians aiming to stop Pres winning three consecutive Munster junior titles 

PBC full-back Daniel Murphy touching down for a try against Bandon Grammar School during their Munster Schools Junior Cup semi-final atVirgin Media Park, Cork. Picture Dan Linehan

Munster Schools Junior Cup: Christian Brothers College vs Presentation Brothers College

A week after their Senior Cup classic, Pres and Christians will reload with their rising stars to contest the Munster Schools Junior Cup final at Virgin Media Park (kick-off Wednesday, 1pm).

It underlines the current pre-eminence of the Cork city schools, led by the Mardyke institution. PBC could complete the ‘double-double’ as they aim for a third Junior Cup crown in a row to go with their back-to-back Senior Cups.

Paul Downes’ crop of youngsters shows four survivors from last year’s starting team in captain Tom Murray, second-row Conor McLoughlin, goal-kicking full-back Daniel Murphy, and Eddie Dooley.

The latter makes his return in time to start on the wing in PBC’s only change from their 28-20 semi-final victory over Bandon Grammar.

Murphy has played a starring role by scoring 28 points across their last two games, including a try in each. Alex Moloney added two more touchdowns the last day and Jack Ryan had a hat-trick in their 50-13 defeat of Castletroy College.

Their cross-city rivals are the only side left to prevent Pres from completing a first hat-trick of titles since the ‘80s.

The Tomás O’Leary-coached Christians have lived on their nerves to reach a first final since the 2022 defeat to their neighbours by four points (14-10).

Having romped to top their group, comeback victories were required against Bandon Grammar (14-12) and Ardscoil Rís (8-7) to make the decider.

They have come up trumps in big moments along the way. Captain James Martin’s last-minute try and Donal O’Connor’s conversion gave them a nail-biting win over Bandon before eliminating last year’s runners-up by the minimum with a try from tighthead prop Seán Fitzpatrick.

O’Connor returns to start the final at full-back in the absence of Malachy O’Leary. That has led to a reshuffled backline with Eamon O’Sullivan, another talented placekicker, switching to the wing and Thomas Nixon moving to join Martin in the centre.

PBC: D Murphy; J Ryan, A Moloney, H Galvin Carty, E Dooley; D Nolan, L O’Brien; D O’Mahony, R Twomey, R Cahill; C McLoughlin, R MacFarlane O’Shea; B O’Connell, B Waters, T Murray (capt).

Replacements: N MacCarthy, T Laverty, B St Leger, R Dillon, D Leane, J Healy, T Kelly, O Naughton, R Sheehan, G Coughlan.

CBC: D O’Connor; R Cullinane, T Nixon, J Martin (capt), E O’Sullivan; D Barry, Dave O’Connell; S Fitzpatrick, A Coakley, M Murray; J Neville, H McCarthy; S Healy, R O’Farrell, M Quill.

Replacements: D Lynch, C Newcombe, A Carroll, C Haugh, R Coady, J Dineen, C Walsh, Darren O’Connell, J Long, A O’Shea.

Referee: P Sheehan (MAR).