Domestic Season Review | Age-Grade Rugby

4th June 2024 By The Editor

PBC captain Gene O’Leary Kareem celebrates the final whistle ©INPHO

It has been another incredibly exciting season for age-grade rugby throughout the province.

We take a look back at the winners from 2023/24, highlighting the schools, clubs and Munster Interprovincial squads that stood out this season.

Schools – Boys

PBC once again reigned victorious in the 2023/24 Pinergy Munster Schools Boys Senior Cup after a dramatic final at Virgin Media Park which saw a CBC fightback cut just short as Pres emerged 33-31 winners.

Both schools were on 31 titles each ahead of March’s final with PBC now leading the roll of honour with 32.

It was an action packed clash with some fantastic rugby on display with tries from PBC’s Gene O’Leary Kareem, James O’Leary, John Wigginton Barrett, Neville O’ Leary and CBC’s Ian Morton, Bill McCarthy, Michael Foy, Ronan O’ Keeffe, Alex O’ Connell.

A week on from their Senior Cup win PBC did the double for the 2nd year in a row as they defeated CBC 19-14 to win the Pinergy Munster Schools Boys Junior Cup final for the 3rd year in a row.

Rockwell College were Munster Senior Plate winners while St. Munchin’s College won the Junior edition.

The Senior Cup qualifier winners were Villiers School with High School Clonmel taking the Junior spot.

McCarthy Cup A was won by CBC, B by High School Clonmel and Clonakilty won the C cup.

The Mungret Cup was won by Coláiste Choilm Ballincollig while High School Clonmel took the victory in the Shield.

The Barry Cup was won by CBC who also went on to win the Kidney Cup

Ardscoil Rís claimed the Bowen Shield and Limerick City Junior Cup while it was St. Munchin’s who strode to victory in the Senior edition.

High School Clonmel also had a successful season as they also went on to win the Cleary Cup.

The Giles Shield was won by Pobailscoil Chorca Dhuibhne, the O’ Brien Cup was won by Hamilton High School Bandon while St. Josephs CBC Nenagh claimed the O’ Gorman Cup.

Schools – Girls

It was Sacred Heart Clonakilty’s year as they claimed victory in the Pinergy Munster Girls Schools Senior and Junior Cup in a double-header day in Virgin Media Park.

They ran out 19-0 winners against West Cork rivals Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí in the Junior Cup before the senior squad completed a memorable double when they came from behind to defeat Coláiste Muire Ennis 20-10 in the day’s second game.

This was a momentous afternoon for the school as it was just their first time entering teams in both competitions.

Club – Boys

Just a single point separated the sides in the Munster Clubs Boys U18 Cup final where Waterpark took on Bruff in Virgin Media Park.

Bruff lead the game early on with tries from Jamie Walsh and Andy Purcell but Waterpark came back with a try of their own from Hugh Power in the 16th minute. They then went on to equalise on the stroke of half-time.

It was tit-for-tat between the sides in the 2nd half but it was Waterpark that came away winners with a score-line of 22-21.

It was also an equally close match up in the U16 Cup final as Old Christians took on Ennis.

Tries from Liam Kelleher and Brian Barry and a penalty from the boot of Sean O’Regan put Old Christians 13-0 ahead at half-time.

But Ennis cam back fighting and got their first try of the game from Daniel Moloney.

A penalty try in the 41st minute put the Clare side in front for the first time.

A battle to the very end but it was Ennis who came away with the spoils as they won 13-14.

Elswhere in Munster, Clonakilty won the U18 Plate, Carrigaline-Dolphin won the U18 Bowl, Kinsale were victorious in the U16 Plate, Bantry clinched the U16 Bowl and Waterpark lifted the U14 cup while Young Munster got their hands on the Plate.

Clubs – Girls

It was a successful season for Killarney RFC at U18 level as the came winners of both the league and the cup.

With tries from Clodagh Foley, Lily Morris and Cara Reilly, the Kerry side won by just a 2 point margin with the score-line finishing 21-19 against Clonakilty RFC.

While Ennis secured themselves the U18 plate and Mallow-Mitchelstown-Kanturk won the Development Cup.

In the U16 division it was Clonakilty who came out on top in both the League and Cup. In the cup final the West Cork outfit overcame Killarney/Listowel/Iveragh 30-0 in a triple-header in Virgin Media Park.

The U16 plate was secured by Shannon while Skibbereen were Development Cup winners.

It was Richmond who reigned supreme in the U14 category as they won their Cup and League respectively.

Dunmanway-Bantry Bay were Plate winners while Killarney-Castleisland were Development Cup winners.

Interprovincial Squads

A win against Connacht saw the Munster U19s end their Interpro Series on a high as Luca Cleary, Mason Cawley, Tom Wood, Luke Murphy, Tom Coughlan and Matt Te Pou all touched down in a big win over Connacht.

Gene O’Leary-Kareem kicked five conversions as Munster ended the campaign with a second bonus-point win from three games.

The Munster U18 Boys Clubs completed their Interprovincial campaign with a defeat to Connacht U18 Boys at the Sportsground.

The squad started the campaign with a 26-7 victory over Ulster but were beaten 29-19 by Leinster in round two.

The Munster U18 Girls rounded off their campaign with a 20-12 win away to Ulster.

Niamh Crotty, Sally Kelly, and Emma Dunican touched down for Munster with Caitriona Finn kicking a penalty and a conversion in a convincing win.

International

There was a strong Munster representation in the age-grade international system this season.

There were a number of players named in the Irish U18 Men’s and Women’s squads for this years Six Nations Festivals which took place Parma, Italy last March/April.

For the U18 Men’s squad, there were seven players included Chris Barrett, Jamie Conway, Joe Finn, Bill Hayes, James O’Leary, Cian Walsh and Tom Wood.

For the U18 Women’s Six Nations festival, Munster representatives included Caitriona Finn, Mia Hennelly, Aoibheann McGrath and Ava O’Malley.

Also in April a number of players were called up to the Boys U19 squad who took on a French development side in St. Marys RFC. Gene O’Leary Kareem, Dylan Hicks, Emmet Calvey, Michael Foy, Éanna McCarthy, Conor Kennelly, Oisin Minogue and Jed O’Dwyer were all named in the squad with Eanna McCarthy scoring the game winning try in the 68th minute.