Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí lift Munster Schools Girls Junior Cup after overcoming Sacred Heart Clonakilty

It's the first time Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí have won the trophy.

CHAMPIONS: Colaiste Pobail Bheanntrai celebrate winning the Munster Schools Girls Junior Cup. Pic: ©INPHO/Tom Maher.

Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí 15 Sacred Heart Clonakilty 12

Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí have been crowned the Munster Schools Girls Junior Cup champions for the first time in their history after they defeated holders Sacred Heart Clonakilty at Virgin Media Park on Friday.

The Bantry based side were the first to put a score on the board as Libby Hicks touched down for an unconverted try with just four minutes on the clock.

CPB’s Niamh O'Sullivan is tackled by Aoife Walsh and Emer O'Connor of Sacred Heart Clonakilty. Pic: ©INPHO/Tom Maher

The scores remained that way during a tight and tense first half until just before the break when Coláiste Pobail added to their lead with Zoe Hicks firing over a penalty to put her side 8-0 ahead at half time.

Sacred Heart, to their credit, restarted the second half on the front foot as they looked to get themselves back into the contest.

They did more than that though as back-to-back tries from Caoimhe McCarthy and Jenny O’Donnell turned the scoreboard around as they now led 12-8 with just over ten minutes remaining.

Sacred Heart Clonakilty's Molly Deegan congratulates Beibhinn Brennan and Aoife O'Mahony after winning the final. Pic: ©INPHO/Tom Maher.

But Coláiste Pobail didn’t give up, and they produced the perfect response to seal the victory with a try with just five minutes to go in the final before Hicks added the conversion to seal a historic triumph for the school.

Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí: Isabella Wood; Grace Holland, Grace Keane, Niamh O’Sullivan, Madison (Maddie) Hodnett; Zoe Hicks, Grace Cronin; Eabha Lynch, Aoife O’ Mahony, Laura Pinillos; Libby Hicks, Saoirse Cooke; Hailey Hegarty, Beibhinn Brennan; Gracie O’Connor.

Replacements: Alice O’Donovan, Raya O’Donovan, Erin O’Leary Andrews, Áine Courcey, Carlota Candil Martin, Lily O’Sullivan, Ella Cronin.

Sacred Heart Clonakilty: Aoife Walsh; Jenny O’Donnell, Ella Haughney, Siún McCarthy, Sadbh Hart; Lara Twomey, Matilda O’Donovan, Róisín O Brien, Lucy McCarthy, Lily Allman; Emily Williamson, Molly Deegan; Emer O’Connor, Caoimhe McCarthy, Isabelle Marie Aherne.

Replacements: Lauren Murphy, Sally McAuley, Faye Knowles, Leah Ni Dhonnabhain, Elena Harrington, Thea Bell, Jane Walsh, Ciara Coakley, Mimi Ndebele, Juliet Gresham.