Munchin's drawing on history and heritage to end long wait for final return

Castletroy College scrum-half James O'Mallwy, kicking over the head of Ryan Angley, St Munchins during the 2025 Pinergy Schools U19 Munster Senior Cup match at Liam Fitzgerald Park, Limerick. Picture: Dan Linehan

While Bandon Grammar School are hunting a first-ever Munster Schools Senior Cup final appearance this Wednesday, St Munchin’s can channel similar motivation.

Wednesday's semi-final, which will be streamed live on the Irish Examiner, will see the Shannonside school look to secure passage to their first appearance in the provincial blue-riband event since 2012. It’s been two decades now since their fifth Senior Cup was ferried back to Corbally.

That history remains very current in the Munchin’s squad. When head coach Andrew O’Byrne is asked about drawing upon the school’s tradition of success, he replies: “It's a huge motivation source for some of them.

“Particularly, we’ve Dan Foley is number 8 and Brendan Minogue is number 13. Brendan would be Anthony's nephew and Dan is Anthony's son. All the kids are aware of the legacy that comes from Axel Foley and from Keith Wood and from Keith Earls.

“We actually had Keith Earls in the last fortnight doing a session. He's helping out with Thomond and the two lads (Evan Maher and Kealan McMahon) asked him to come in.

“There'd be great buy-in from ex-students coming back, helping out with sessions. We had a couple of current Munster players in earlier in the year, Shay McCarthy and Kieran Ryan. They're always really good to give back to their school.”

O’Byrne, a PE and Irish teacher, is also player-coach for AIL side Bruff. Backs coach Maher and forwards coaches McMahon and Riann O’Dwyer play for Thomond in the same division.

Mercifully, those Limerick derbies are out of the way, so harmony can be maintained among the coaching staff – at least until any potential third meeting in the Division 2C promotion play-offs.

“All our coaches have a club link as well, so they're all deeply rooted in Limerick rugby,” says O’Byrne.

“Evan and Kealan were actually students in the school when I first came in, just over 10 years ago now. They were in their Senior Cup year when I started coaching.

“There'd be a good tradition in Munchin’s with ex-pupils coming back as teachers, and there's a really good culture that anyone with sporting experience gets involved and helps with a team.” 

O’Byrne studied at Ardscoil Rís, but has been well ingrained in the Munchin’s way by mentors such as David Quinlan and Ger Slattery.

His debut campaign as head coach blooded a group of Senior Cup newcomers. The dividends have been seen in their evolution since then.

Kalum Kirwan, St Munchin's looking to break past Rowan Brady, Castletroy College during the 2025 Pinergy Schools U19 Munster Senior Cup match at Liam Fitzgerald Park, Limerick. Picture: Dan Linehan

“There’s a huge, huge commitment from the lads. They're an excellent group, really coachable, really committed.

“Their weekly schedule is hectic when it comes to rugby. On a Monday morning, they do a strength and conditioning session before school. Then, they have a pitch session after school, so Monday is a heavy day.

“Tuesday is a gym session after school. Wednesday is either a game or it's a pitch training session after school. Thursday is a pitch session after school again. And Friday morning before school is gym.

“They're training Monday to Friday every day of the week with one double day. They're getting six sessions in from Monday to Friday, so it's a hectic week.” 

The squad came in for three days of training during mid-term last week, including two double sessions.

“In fairness, a lot of the Senior Cup guys would be some of the best pupils in the school,” says O’Byrne.

“It teaches great discipline for the kids, and there's a great understanding from other teachers and respect put on the rugby, provided lads do their academics as well. That comes hand in hand.” 

Munchin’s now have Junior and Senior Cup semi-finals to look forward to, beginning with Wednesday’s clash against Bandon Grammar at Virgin Media Park (12.45pm kick-off).

After coughing up a 12-point lead against Crescent College Comprehensive, Munchin’s toppled their cross-city rivals 14-10 in a replay to book their last-four berth, with Foley bagging tries on both occasions.

“I was a bit apprehensive that we might have blown our chance, but the players were excellent and they learned from their mistakes in the second game,” says O’Byrne.

“There was a definite improvement in the game management and we played the smarter, more efficient rugby on the day given the conditions. Our decision-makers were excellent.

“It actually turned out to be invaluable to have the second game. Even though we picked up a couple of knocks the first day and some more knocks the second day, and there was a short turnaround, which was difficult, we felt the game experience of the replay definitely will stand us going into the semi-final.” 

Bandon Grammar also drew with Crescent in the group stage, so these teams should be evenly matched. O’Byrne reckons they must be “a step ahead of where we were against Crescent to get a win”.

Munchin’s streak of away semi-finals will continue after losing the coin toss for home advantage.

“All our semi-finals in the five, six years since my time involved with the seniors have been in Cork,” says O’Byrne.

“They’ve played a game on the all-weather pitch, which I'm sure will stand to them in Virgin Media Park. But look, it is what it is. We can only control the controllables.

“It's something we have no control over and the final is in Cork as well, so it'll be a hard one. To win in Cork is never easy, but that's the way the cookie crumbles.”