Report | PBC Survive CBC Comeback To Secure Junior Cup

A week after PBC won the Pinergy Munster Schools Boys Senior Cup against CBC, their Junior side did the same against their Cork rivals in today’s Junior decider as they survived a second-half comeback from CBC to emerge 19-14 winners.

It took just three minutes for PBC to open the scoring as they played with a strong breeze at their backs for the opening half. As CBC attempted to send the ball wide in their own half, a pass didn’t go to hand and David Nolan was first on the scene to race clear and score under the posts.

Fullback Daniel Murphy added the extras to give his side an early 7-0 lead.

PBC extended their lead with 10 minutes remaining in the first half. They worked the ball from right to left where Eddie Dooley was on hand to cross over in the corner.

Murphy had plenty of power in his touchline conversion but it drifted wide as PBC took a 12-0 lead with half-time approaching.

CBC responded with a scintillating break from Donal O’Connor which brought play into the PBC 22. The ball was turned over but Pres were guilty of a forward pass which gave CBC a scrum in a good position. PBC then conceded a penalty in this passage of play which allowed Eamon O’Sullivan the opportunity to kick three points to reduce the deficit but his kick went to the right of the posts.

PBC almost got another try just before half-time when Harry Galvin Carty broke through the CBC defence before offloading to Billy O’Connell who then released Rian MacFarlane O’Shea. However, CBC’s scramble defence worked as they were able to secure the breakdown turnover to signal the end of the first-half.

From a lineout on their own 10m line, PBC sent the ball went wide to Jack Ryan and the winger did very well to break through the CBC defence and suck in a few CBC defenders before offloading to Murphy. The pacy fullback raced home and scored under the posts and he also converted his own try to give his side a 19-0 lead five minutes into the second half.

CBC needed to respond and they did so through Sam Healy who powered over from close range. Donal O’Connor added the extras to bring CBC back into the game.

PBC’s Bobby Waters received a yellow card which put his side down to 14 players but CBC were unable to capitalise on the numerical advantage.

With just a few minutes remaining in the game, CBC were camped in the PBC 22 and they got that crucial try when Harry McCarthy powered over from close range. O’Connor converted to put just five points between the sides with time still to play.

CBC were playing in their own half and won a penalty to huge cheers from their supporters, with the noise only getting louder when Christians got every inch out of the touch-finder.

However, the ball was knocked on as they tried to secure their lineout which signalled the end of the game and a memorable double for PBC.

PBC: Daniel Murphy; Jack Ryan, Alex Moloney, Harry Galvin Carty, Eddie Dooley; David Nolan, Liam O’Brien; Darragh O’Mahony, Ronan Twomey, Rory Cahill; Conor McLoughlin, Rian MacFarlane O’Shea; Billy O’Connell, Bobby Waters, Tom Murray (c).

Replacements: Nathan MacCarthy, Tomás Laverty, Billy St Leger, Ronan Dillon, Donnacha Leane, James Healy, Tom Kelly, Oscar Naughton, Robert Sheehan, Gearóid Coughlan.

CBC: Donal O’Connor; Rory Cullinane, Thomas Nixon, James Martin (c), Eamon O’Sullivan; Donal Barry, Dave O’Connell; Seán Fitzpatrick, Alexander Coakley, Micheal Murray; Joseph Neville, Harry McCarthy; Sam Healy, Riain O’Farrell, Michael Quill.

Replacements: Danny Lynch, Ciarán Newcombe, Adam Carroll, Cillian Haugh, Ruben Coady, Jack Dineen, Cathal Walsh, Darren O’Connell, Jack Long, Aidan O’Shea.