MUNSTER SCHOOLS' SENIOR CUP FINAL/Castletroy College 21 CBC 15:CASTLETROY, a college founded as recently as 2002 and competing in the competition for only the third year, captured the Avonmore Milk Munster Schools' Senior Cup in magnificent fashion at Dooradoyle yesterday.

They beat Christian Brothers College of Cork in a highly enjoyable game in front of 8,000 spectators. They are extremely worthy champions because on the way to yesterday's emphatic victory they had also defeated Rockwell and PBC Cork, two other traditional strongholds of the game.

Christians, seeking a 28th title that would have put them one ahead of their Cork rivals PBC on the roll of honour, mounted a late challenge that moved them to within a converted try of victory and ensured an exciting finish to a match that had been full of highly entertaining football between two sides at all times prepared to play the attacking game.

While they in no way disputed the merit of the Castletroy success, Christians will always wonder how the game might have panned out had they not lost their captain, Brian O'Callaghan, and his secondrow team-mate Kyle O'Dwyer as early as the fifth minute after a clash of heads on the line right underneath their own posts.

After a six-minute stoppage, they were able to replace O'Dwyer with their Ireland schools international Brian Hayes but had to reshuffle their back row, losing much of their impetus as a consequence.

Even that early, however, a physically stronger Castletroy side were looking the more complete outfit, and in fact the accident to O'Dwyer and O'Callaghan happened as they made a desperate attempt to prevent scrumhalf Peter Murray from touching down for the opening try.

Castletroy, aided by the strong wind, continued to enjoy the better of things.

They went ahead with a penalty from long range by their secondrow Daragh Frawley and should have stretched that lead but winger Colm Dillon failed to hold a cross-kick by outhalf Domhnall Byrne with the line beckoning.

They were not to be denied, however, and their inspirational centre Diarmuid McCarthy jinked his way left, then right, to beat two defenders off a set-piece before scorching through to score at the posts. Frawley converted.

It was then the turn of the right winger Darren Moroney to touch down after a perfect chip through by Murray. A second penalty by Frawley stretched Castletroy's lead to 18-0 by the break.

For a time after the resumption, Christians found it difficult to escape from their own half but when they did so they finally found a flaw in the Castletroy rearguard and Hayes got over for a try in the corner. Frawley made it 21-5 with his third penalty and after Odhran Mulrooney landed a penalty for the Cork side, the game really came alight when the CBC scrumhalf Daryl Foley darted over for a try at the posts in the 70th minute and Mulrooney converted.

With Murray in the bin for an infringement leading up to the try, Castletroy found themselves under some pressure but held out for a reasonably comfortably and famous victory, thereby completing an amazing senior-junior double in only the eighth year of their existence.

CASTLETROY: C Joyce-Power; D Moroney, K Clancy, D McCarthy, C Dillon; D Byrne, P Murray; C Laffan, P Hogan, S Murphy; P Dooley (capt), D Frawley; K Doyle, D Bonfil, E Sweeney. Replacements: J Rael for Hogan (39 mins); D Quinlan for Laffan, M Hanrahan for Bonfil (both 44 mins); D Hannon for Doyle (65 mins).

CBC: O Mulrooney; D Loftus, J Holland, B O'Regan, B O'Leary; P Parfrey, D Foley; C Corkery, K Stokes, J Bransfield; J Mulcahy, K O'Dwyer; J Crowley, W Ryan, B O'Callaghan (capt). Replacements: B Hayes and A Joyce for O'Dwyer and O'Callaghan (both 5 mins); D Dunne for O'Regan (55 mins).

Referee: George Clancy (Munster).