Demolition of CBC 'irrelevant' unless Pres back it up in Munster Schools decider

After a hugely impressive semi-final display, it's St Munchin's next up in the final. 

PBC’s David Nolan goes down the line at Virgin Media Park. Pic: INPHO/Bryan Keane

Ger Burke says PBC’s record-breaking 54-point whitewash of their fierce rivals CBC will be “irrelevant” unless they back it up by claiming the Munster Schools Senior Cup against St Munchin’s.

This Pres crew have been marked out as a special generation since lifting international silverware in Spain before Christmas. They have backed that up by sweeping their six Senior Cup games to date with an average score of 52 points, while conceding a combined total of 39 across seven hours of rugby.

Christians may have been the reigning champions, but Pres were hot favourites. On a crisp, clear afternoon, there was no living with the Mardyke school’s blend of in-your-face defensive pressure and supersonic attack.

“We've got three more weeks together, and that really is the most important thing. Fifty-four points is the cherry on top,” said head coach Burke.

“It's nice for these guys to get recognition. There was a lot of talk after Bandon, even though we scored 41, seven tries, that there’s more in them. It's like, I don't know what people want from them! But 54 points and not to concede anything, it's a lovely thing to be a part of.

“In fairness to Christians, they just got nothing in terms of luck. I don't think 54 is a reflection of the game or of them. They'll be hurting, and I'm sure that we're going to feel the repercussions of this on a later day, but we will enjoy it for now.” 

Pres sailed to their seventh consecutive Senior Cup final qualification with eight unanswered tries, including three successive intercept efforts. Turbo-charged winger Bobby O’Callaghan supplied two of those.

Munchin’s stand between them and further silverware back at Virgin Media Park in three weeks’ time.

“It's funny, in 10 years doing this, I've made the mistake in years gone by where you don't enjoy the steps along the way. You can't hang your hat on you lifting a cup every year. You've got to find a balance,” said Burke.

“Come tomorrow afternoon, every ounce of energy we have will go into preparing for Munchin’s, because that's the biggest day of the year. Fundamentally, this is irrelevant if we don’t go and follow it up in three weeks’ time.

“But for the next 12 hours, 24 hours, these lads have earned the right to enjoy themselves and to bask in that.” 

Christians entered without injured scrum-half Dave O’Connell, while fly-half Conor Mulvihill was only fit enough to be named on the bench after suffering a broken wrist.

Once Pres got the ball into their hands, they looked dangerous at every turn. Their potent line-out maul delivered early on as Ronan Twomey nabbed his fourth try in two games.

The hooker would soon depart with a shoulder injury, while his replacement, Nathan MacCarthy, later suffered a similar blow.

“Hopefully, Nathan's isn't as bad. It might be just a bang,” said Burke. “Ronan could be in a bit of trouble.

“It's ironic, we were discussing last time what a season he's been having. He's an incredible player. He's probably one of the best throwers of the ball I've come across in schools rugby. He's a real specialist.

“But more than that, he's the rogue of the group, the beating heart of the group on every level.

“We don't know yet. We'll see when he gets to hospital how he is, but I'm sure he'll make his mark in the next three weeks of prep.” As if having to deal with Pres wasn’t enough, Christians were their own worst enemy at times. From a self-inflicted five-metre scrum, Murphy added a converted try. Then, in the 26th and 30th minutes, just as Christians were gaining territory and momentum, loose passes were intercepted by O’Callaghan. The left winger couldn’t be caught, sprinting away for 70- and 90-metre run-ins and leaving Murphy with the simplest of conversions. They led 28-0 at half-time.

Pres picked off their third intercept try after the break as flanker Eddie Dooley ran 60 metres to the far corner. Murphy’s conversion came up short into the wind.

Frankie Óg Sheahan produced the best try yet in the 54th minute. After they turned over possession, the hat-trick-seeking O’Callaghan broke down the left and scrum-half Sheahan grubber-kicked through to touch down. Murphy’s conversion made it 40-0.

Tom Murray and Caleb McKinnie were sin-binned on either side before Pres came again for one final flourish.

From an improvised attack, a gap appeared for Olan Healy to exploit for try number seven.

David Nolan added the extras before creating another try in the last play. His dink from the halfway line connected with Alex Moloney, who managed to kick ahead to break the half-century. Nolan nudged the conversion over with the final act.

Scorers: PBC: Tries: R Twomey, D Murphy, B O’Callaghan 2, E Dooley, F Óg Sheahan, O Healy, A Moloney; Cons: D Murphy 5, D Nolan 2.

PBC: D Murphy (L O’Brien 66); O Healy, A Moloney, H Galvin-McCarthy (G McSweeney 51), B O’Callaghan (D O’Leary 55); D Nolan, F Óg Sheahan (G Coughlan 66); F O’Sullivan (M Riordan 66), R Twomey (N McCarthy 24) (J Healy 60), D Sheehy (M Fitzgerald 63); T Murray, C Bruhn (R Dillon 51); E Dooley, C Bohan (B Waters 52), R MacFarlane-O’Shea (capt).

CBC: A O’Shea (J Martin 41-47) (M O’Leary 51) (S O’Flynn 69-70); D Barry (S O’Flynn 70+2), C Taylor, C McKinnie (A O’Shea 68), E O’Sullivan; C Walsh (C Mulvihill 39), S O’Flynn (D Twomey 24); S Fitzpatrick (C Murphy 41), D Guiney (T Kelly 55), K Manley (M Murray 55); M Manning (H McCarthy 39), D Mac Coitir (capt); R O’Sullivan (R McElwain 61), J O’Callaghan, S Healy (J Neville 41).

Referee: P O’Connor (MAR).