Preview | Clayton Hotels Munster Schools Junior Cup Final
6th March 2018 By Olan Allen
Thomond Park houses the 87th Final of the Clayton Hotels Munster Schools Junior Cup tomorrow between defending champions Christian Brothers College and St. Munchin’s College (kick-off 2pm).
Christians will be bidding for their 19th title to draw level with Rockwell College in second place in the roll of honours, but the Cork school have never won back-to-back titles in this competition.
Munchin’s will be bidding for their 6th title, the last time the trophy rested in Corbally was 20 years ago.
Both sides have come through to this stage of the competition with three wins each.
Munchin’s started the campaign as favourites by many to lift the trophy but they nearly came unstuck in their opening game away to Bandon Grammar School before advancing on a 12-3 score line.
The squad played with the advantage of the elements in the opening half, Munchin’s led 5-3 at the interval with a try from Kean Sheehy.
A try late in the game from Liam Neilan converted by Darragh Long ended the Bandon challenge.
In the quarter-final, Munchin’s proved too strong for the B School qualifier St. Clement’s emerging winners 60-6.
Donnacha O’Callaghan scored three tries that day, Kean Sheehy got two and Kieran Ryan, Darragh Long, Dylan Higgins Josh Costello and Conor Shaughnessy scored one each. Long kicked five conversions.
In the semi-final, Munchin’s had to withstand a late rally from Pres before booking their final spot with a 26-20 victory.
In a closely contested first-half, Munchin’s led 14-12 with tries from Kean Sheehy and Conor Shaughnessy which Darragh Long converted. The Corbally side extended their lead with further tries from Josh Costello and Josh Egan, and Long added a conversion in the third quarter.
Christians began their campaign with a home tie against Ard Scoil Rís on their own patch in Lansdowne because there was no other venue available in Cork to host a double header. Christians won this tie 25-3 but it was far from an impressive victory.
A try from Eoin Birchall gave them a 5-3 half-time lead. Two tries from Patrick O’Hara and another by Birchall together with a conversion and a penalty by George Coomber saw the holders through to the quarter-finals.
Rockwell College were their opponents in the last eight and Christians advanced with an 18-3 win. A Daire Burke try had them 5-3 ahead at the interval and a try by Andrew O’Mahony and a Coomber conversion and penalty saw them book a semi-final place.
Bandon Grammar School were their opponents in that tie and they were pushed all the way by the west Cork school.
The sides were scoreless at half-time and it was evident that the first score would be the deciding factor. Winger Ben McCarthy was the scorer of that important try and they followed it up with further tries from George Coomber and Jason Ahern to give them a 15-0 victory.
Munchin’s will probably start as slight favourites but Christians’ never say die attitude might see them hold on to the trophy.
St Munchin’s College v Christian Brothers College, Wednesday 7 March, Thomond Park, 2pm
Tickets: €10 Adult, €5 Junior, €25 Family Ticket (2 Adult, 3 Junior) available from both Limerick and Cork Ticket Offices or from the West Stand of Thomond Park on matchday.
