CBC Claim 16th Munster Schools Junior Cup

CBC were crowned SEAT Munster Schools Junior Cup champions at Thomond Park after a hard-fought 22-10 victory over Crescent College Comp at Thomond Park.

Crescent College Comp 10-22 Christian Brothers College, Cork

By Rory Holohan

CBC were the side who controlled possession of the ball as the game began. A line break from J.D. O’Hea and Robert Hedderman was the first of their many ball carries into the Crescent half but had no tries to show for their efforts. Captain Eoin Monahan led the charge in the tenth minute that resulted in a penalty from which he opening the scoring.

Crescent finally got going once their kick-off had been knocked on by CBC and winger Conor Phillips took his chance to run to the corner before he was tackled into touch. The subsequent lineout was claimed by the Dooradoyle side and their ensuing penalty kicked to the corner would have been a strong position to score from if it wasn’t for Hedderman’s superb leap to keep John Hurley’s kick in play.

CCC kept this pressure up through Phillips’ numerous dashes into the same corner but their attacks came undone once they were penalised for holding on. CBC’s reply was an immediate and meaningful one. Hedderman claimed a knocked on ball on the halfway and made his way right to the try-line where the ruck that followed allowed Robert Loftus to pick-and-go for the game’s opening try. Monahan converted from twenty metres out.

Crescent’s own fullback, Aaron Cosgrave, was orchestrating his team’s attacks and a twentieth minute line break from Cosgrave had the look of a try on the end but for the concession of a penalty. Play remained within the CBC twenty-two as they failed to clear their lines and were punished for such when Hurley converted a penalty for holding on.

Conor Shalloe brought the Sydney Hill men back into his opponent’s half through the winning of a penalty that Monahan sent into the corner. The lineout was won and scrumhalf Conor Sisk offloaded for Hedderman to barrel over the line. The angle was unkind for Monahan and his kick dropped away to the left as his side remained twelve points to the good.

The momentum of play swung in favour of Crescent as the second half began. Cosgrave’s run that beat eight CBC players alone was their most notable phase of attack with his team very much in the ascendency.

Hurley registered a try for his side with six minutes gone to cap off great work in the ruck by Conor Dennehy and Eoin O’Halloran. Doing it alone appeared a risk but in getting in under the posts in spite of two tacklers was a great feat for the out-half. The simplest of conversions followed and the CBC lead was reduced to just one score.

The scores could have been tied as Crescent went from wing to wing in search of a score but the CBC pack stood firm in the face of the Nevil O’Sullivan-led charges. Christians finally came into the second half as the final ten minutes approached. Sisk was the provider for Finn Burke and Ben Roche to encroach upon the five metre line but the successive concessions of penalties prevented any mark from being made. Galvin was but a fumbled ball from a try once Monahan’s cross-field kick caught out the Crescent defence and came to the winger. The catch could not be made but the intelligence shown in such a move is to be commended.

Another opportunity came his way once he did claim Hurley’s clearance on his own ten metre line and then embarked on a run that had him beating away two tacklers, outstripping the Crescent backline but for Cosgrave to make the tackle that stopped what could have been one of the best tries ever scored in a schools final.

Indeed it was a penalty conceded by Christians that was to be Crescent’s undoing. Opting to run a penalty from within their twenty-two with four minutes remaining, Crescent saw a pass intercepted by O’Hea who had the ease of grounding under the posts for Monahan to score the simple conversion.

The final whistle was greeted by the immediate roar of the large CBC following who saw their side claim their 16th Junior Cup overall. It was an unfortunate way for Crescent to lose, it being their third Junior final defeat in successive years

Both colleges extend their thanks to Munster Rugby for facilitating use of the stadium dressing rooms and playing pitch.

Crescent College: [15-9] Aaron Cosgrave, Cian Cusack, Tommy O’ Hora, Nevil O’ Sullivan (Capt), Conor Phillips, John Hurley.
[1-8] Conor Dennehy, Eoin O’ Halloran, David Nevin, Peter King, Fintan Coleman, Karl Moloney, Jack Hennessy, Daniel Feasy.
Subs: Conor Fitzgerald, Ben Leahy, Dylan Shaw-Kelly, Seán Burton, Sheehan Faloon, Kevin LeGear, Michael Fenton, Mark Hickey.

CBC: [15-9] Robert Hedderman, Conor Shalloe, J.D. O’ Hea, Eoghan Barrett, Daniel Galvin, Eoin Monahan (Capt), Colin Sisk.
[1-8] Luke Masters, Daniel O’ Connor, Robert Loftus, Eamonn Doyle, Anthony Ryan, Ronan Barry, Finn Burke, Ben Roche.
Subs: Liam McCarthy, Charlie Rasmussen, Paul Harrington, Scott Buckley, Eamon O’ Mahony, Eoin Moloney, Sean Lynch, Louis Kahn.

Referee: Kieran Barry

See match highlight's from CBC's dramatic Junior Cup semi-final win over PBC below.