CBC clinch 32nd Senior Cup title after pulsating clash against PBC 

CBC draw level with PBC with both sides winning the Munster Boys Schools Senior Cup title 32 times.

CHAMPIONS: Christian Brothers College celebrate with the trophy Pic: ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

Pinergy Munster Boys Schools Senior Cup final: Christian Brothers Cork 17 Presentation Brothers Cork 10

It was a long time coming but after two successive Pinergy Munster Schools Senior Cup final defeats to their arch rivals Christian Brothers College finally got over the line in a pulsating decider between the Cork schools on Thursday.

For Christians captain and Charlie O’Shea, lifting the Garrett Fitzgerald Trophy on a gloriously sunny afternoon at Virgin Media Park will have been especially sweet. Alongside fellow backs Leo O’Leary, Alex O’Connell and half-back partner Christopher Barrett, the number 10 had suffered back-to-back final defeats to Pres. And it was fitting for O’Shea and outside centre O’Leary to score the second-half tries that helped CBC to a comeback from a 10-0 half-time deficit, the skipper also adding two conversions and a penalty to break PBC hearts and deny the Mardyke school a hat-trick of consecutive titles.

Instead, the trophy returns to Sidney Hill for the first time outright since 2019 with CBC joining Pres as Pinergy Munster Senior Schools Cup champions on a record-sharing 32nd successes.

It was not at all plain sailing, though. CBC had been outrun by a slicker, more accurate and well organized PBC in the first half and there were early signs the three-peat was on the cards as they took a deserved 10-0 lead into the interval thanks to a try from Bobby O’Callaghan and a conversion and penalty from fellow wing Daniel Murphy.

Pres had won the 2023 final 24-0 but had needed to dig deep to defend their crown 12 months ago with a 33-31 victory. Christians had rallied that day from 34-13 down only to come up short at the death but there would be no mistakes made this time around.

To PBC’s credit they had been excellent in defence and patient in attack in that opening period, prompted by the strong carrying of captain and inside centre James O’Leary as well as the X-factor pace of right wing 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 Rickey Barrett swivelling to pass out the back and wrongfoot the Christians defence, only for the final pass to Daniel Murphy to be deemed forward.

The breakthrough finally came on 17 minutes. O’Callaghan had shown his attacking threat moments before as he bolted down the right edge only for CBC to escape with a turnover. Yet O’Callaghan repeated the move and this time found significant headway, 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 as the first half wore on, their entries to the opposition 22 were limited, largely 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 defending holding up a Pres driving maul over the line on 49 minutes.

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 proved to be some shortlived respite, however. Captain and fly-half O’Shea crashed over the tryline and then converted 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 with an excellent defensive read on the Pres 10-metre line to intercept a short but hanging pass in midfield and score under the posts on 64 minutes. It put his team in front for the first time in the match, with O’Shea’s conversion from in front of the posts Christians’ 14th unanswered point. And it was perfectly timed. With the game clock now in their favour, 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, and a kick to the left corner earning a lineout from which they finally got the opportunity to use their own maul.

It brought another penalty and a yellow card for PBC replacement hooker Liam Hegarty, with O’Shea extending the lead further with three-points from the kicking tee. 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)