Rugby

Cork’s big two brace for Munster Schools Senior Cup final battle

CBC and PBC last met in final in 2007 when Simon Zebo’s try helped Pres to victory

Christian Brothers’ Cian Whooley kicks a conversion against Ard Scoil Ris in the Munster Schools Senior Cup semi-final earlier this month. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho

Sat Mar 16 2019 - 06:00

Munster Schools Senior Cup final: Christian Brothers College (CBC) v Presentation Brothers College (PBC) 
Musgrave Park, 4pm

Cork’s big two collide for the first time in a decider since 2007, when a memorable Simon Zebo try helped Pres to a 13-3 victory.

Their team included another future star in Peter O’Mahony while Christians paraded prop John Ryan.

Both have 29 titles. This is Christians’ second successive final appearance and a third in four years. They were last champions in 2016. Pres replaced them 12 months later.

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Christians have a number of survivors from last season, when they lost to Glenstal Abbey 18-17 in the final.

They include tighthead prop Mark Donnelly, secondrow John Willis and number eight Cian Hurley.

Five more players, centres Harry O’Riordan and Killian Coughlan, outhalf Cian Whooley, loosehead Charlie Rasmussen and hooker and captain Scott Buckley were on the bench with Whooley and Buckley seeing action.

Christians’ campaign began with a hard-earned 21-19 away win over a strong Crescent College Comprehensive. Willis and O’Riordan scored tries and Billy Cain kicked three penalties and a conversion.

Steamrolled

They steamrolled Árdscoil Rís 48-12 in the semi-final, scoring seven tries.

O’Riordan claimed two, Whooley, Hurley, Cain, Aaron Leahy and Dylan McAuliffe scored the others.

Pres also impressed in their initial cup outing, scoring five tries in a 31-9 defeat of Rockwell College.

Explosive number eight Alex Kendellan crossed for a couple with Darragh Murphy, Eoin Quilter and Joe O’Leary also getting in on the act. Outhalf and captain Louis Bruce kicked three conversions.

The Mardyke side were tested to the full, though, by Bandon Grammar School in the semi-final, squeezing through with a late Kendellan try, converted by the cool Bruce, for a 19-18 victory.

Pres also had tries from Peter Cunningham and replacement fullback Michael Hand.

They met in a semi-final last season with Christians fighting back from 0-15 to win 17-15.

Paths to final

CBC 21 Crescent Coll Comp 19

CBC 48 Ardscoil Ris 12

PBC 31 Rockwell College 9

PBC 19 Bandon Grammar School 18

Teams

CBC: B Cain; P O'Hara, K Coughlan, H O'Riordan, A Leahy; C Whooley, M O'Connor; C Rasmussen, S Buckley, captain, M Donnelly; A Brien, J Willis; R O'Sullivan, C Walsh, C Hurley. Subs: A O'Brien, O Leahy, P O'Brien, D McAuliffe, R Kelleher, L McAuliffe, K Murphy, S Kelly, K Waterman, J Murphy.

PBC: M McLoughlin; M Hand, S Henry Squires, P Cunnigham, D French; L Bruce, captain, J O'Leary; R Duggan, D Murphy, D McSweeney; D McCarthy, E Quilter; J Kelleher, J Forde, A Kendellen. Subs: B Comiskey, C O'Connor, A O'Connor, D O'Halloran, M Fitzgibbon, J O'Shaughnessy, A Walsh, L Hurley, S O'Sullivan, C Livingstone.

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