CBC fight back to deny Pres a three-in-a-row and clinch Munster Senior Cup title

The hard-fought victory at Virgin Media Park brings Christians level with their old rivals on the overall roll of honour.

FLARE UP: CBC players and fans celebrate after their victory over PBC in the Pinergy Boys Schools U19 Munster Senior Cup final at Virgin Media Park, Cork. Picture Dan Linehan

PBC 10 CBC 17 

Christian Brothers College finally got their hands on the Garrett Fitzgerald Trophy after back-to-back final defeats to Cork rivals Presentation Brothers College as they came from 10-0 down against their old foes to win the Pinergy Munster Schools Senior Cup on Thursday.

Second-half tries from captain Charlie O’Shea and centre partner Leo O’Leary turned the tables for Christians, who had been outrun by Pres in the first half when the Mardyke side took a 10-0 lead through wing Bobby O’Callaghan and five points from the boot of Daniel Murphy.

O’Shea converted his own try and added a late penalty to make it 17 unanswered points for the Sydney Hill school as they reclaimed the trophy outright for the first time since 2019.

Pres had edged the previous two tightly-contested finals against CBC and taken a firm grip on the 2025 final in the opening half, excellent in defence and patient in attack, prompted by the strong carrying of captain and inside centre James O’Leary as well as the x-factor pace of right wing Bobby O’Callaghan.

Their first chance on three minutes, though, came in the left corner as PBC broke out of their phase-play from a lineout maul on the right, full-back Rockey Barrett swivelling to pass out the back and wrongfoot the Christians defence, only for the final pass to Daniel Murphy to judged forward.

The breakthrough finally came on 17 minutes. O’Callaghan had shown his threat moments before as he charged down the right edge only for CBC to escape with a turnover. Yet O’Callaghan repeated the move and got his reward, an electric burst of speed carrying him over the tryline, with Murphy adding the conversion.

The left wing extended PBC’s lead with a penalty on 24 minutes and though CBC grew into the game their entries to the 22 were limited due to missed opportunities at the lineout.

PBC lost star man O’Callaghan to injury just before the break but took a 10-0 lead into the half-time break and continued to apply pressure into the second half, only resolute CBC defence holding up a Pres maul over the line on 49 minutes.

TRUE COLOURS: PBC fans showing their support for their team against CBC in the Pinergy Boys Schools U19 Munster Senior Cup final at Virgin Media Park, Cork. Picture Dan Linehan

The spirited rearguard brought Christians to life, right wing Daire O’Callaghan emulating his PBC rival and namesake with a lightning break down his touchline, CBC moving the ball quickly from edge to edge before Pres’s defence earned its keep to hold their opponents up. It was shortlived respite, captain and fly-half Charlie O’Shea crashing over the line and then converting his own try to put his side right back in the contest at 10-7 on 54 minutes.

For the first time in the game PBC appeared to be on the back foot, the momentum with CBC and so it proved, centre Leo O’Leary on the spot to intercept a short but hanging pass in midfield on the Pres 10-metre line to score under the posts on 64 minutes and put his team in front for the first time in the match. O’Shea’s conversion from in front was Christians’ 14th unanswered point and it was perfectly timed. With time running pout, CBC managed to keep their rivals pinned in their own half with Pres needing a try to keep their hopes alive. It was not to be, CBC with the mettle to keep pressing, a kick to the left corner earning a lineout from which they finally got the opportunity to maul.

COMEBACK: Christian Brothers College's Leo O’Leary celebrates scoring a try with teammates. Pic: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

It brought another penalty and a yellow card for PBC replacement hooker Liam Hegarty, O’Shea extending the lead further with his three-pointer. It was a cruel blow for Pres but Christians had earned their moment in the sun and they were Pinergy Munster Schools Senior Cup winners once more.

PBC: Rickey Barrett; Bobby O’Callaghan (Eddie Dooley, 35), Alex Moloney, James O’Leary – captain, Daniel Murphy; Deckie Fitzgerald, Ronan Byrd; Fionn O’Sullivan (Daniel Higgins, 70), Daniel Higgins (Liam Hegarty, h-t), Diarmuid Sheehy (Mikey Fitzgerald, 65), Olan Dillon (Marc O’Toole, 69) Daniel Foley (Sean MacFarlane O'Shea, 47); Denis Murphy, Cormac Bohan, Rian MacFarlane O'Shea.

Replacements: Liam Hegarty, Mikey Fitzgerald, Ben Foley, Ivan Walsh, Marc O’Toole, Sean MacFarlane O'Shea, Ronan Byrne, Eddie Dooley, Olan Healy, Tom Murray.

CBC: Conall Cournane; Daire O’Callaghan, Leo O’Leary, Cian Corkery, Alex O’Connell (Bill McCarthy, 56); Charlie O’Shea - captain, Christopher Barrett (Zach Seymor, 70); Seán Fitzpatrick, Darragh Prenter, Craig Hughes (Ciarán Wallace, 42); Robert O’Sullivan (Harry McCarthy, 39), David Mac Coitir; Conor Galvin, Jack O’Callaghan, Ian Morton.

Replacements: Patrick O’Rourke, Ronan O’Callaghan, Ciarán Wallace, Harry McCarthy, Michael Manning, Conor Mulvihill, Zach Seymor, Michael Trant, Christopher Taylor, Bill McCarthy.

Referee: Tomas O’Sullivan (MAR) 

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