Schools Cup Round-Up | CBC Edge PBC In Derby Thriller

25th January 2023 By The Editor

CBC secured their passage to the semi-finals of the Pinergy Munster Schools Boys Senior Cup thanks to a 27-26 win over their rivals PBC in Musgrave Park this afternoon.

Possession changed hands a number of times early on in the game with Pres edging matters slightly but it was the northside school who got the game’s opening try when a powerful lineout maul brought play inches from the Pres line before Daniel Rock powered over for the game’s opening try which was unconverted.

Pres got back into the game with six minutes remaining in the first half. Some well-worked passing saw Alexander Anderson pass to Ben O’Connor before the fullback offloaded to James Wixted who crossed in the corner. O’Connor’s conversion attempt stayed to the wide and right as the game was levelled with five minutes remaining in the first half.

It turned out to be the first of three quick-fire tries.

Captain Rory O’Shaughnessy broke through the Christians defence where he offloaded to Gene O’Leary Kareem who was brought to ground. On the next phase, Tom Coughlan ran a superb line to collect a flat pass from James O’Leary and the winger touched down under the posts. O’Connor converted to give PBC a 12-5 lead with two minutes remaining of the first half.

With the clock in the red, a kick from PBC put CBC in trouble as a ruck was formed inches from their own try-line. Harry Murphy was then able to spot a gap and ground the ball as CBC were preparing to clear their lines.

O’Connor’s excellent touchline conversion have PBC a 19-5 lead at the break.

CBC dominated the opening exchanges of the first half as they were held up over the line but a penalty awarded to them soon after saw Benjamin Lynch opt for the posts and his successful kick reduced the deficit to 19-8.

Christians reduced the deficit further when a number of close range carries eventually saw Adam Wrona power through some determined Pres defence to score a try for his side. Lynch’s conversion now put just four points between the sides.

CBC were looking for that score that would put them ahead but PBC scored a try to extend their lead when a break from O’Leary Kareem saw Wixted put through a superb grubber kick which Liam Tuohy collected and crossed for a crucial try.

O’Connor’s conversion put Pres 26-15 in front with 10 minutes remaining in the match.

To CBC’s credit, they never gave up and Wrona scored his second as he powered through contact to get his side back into the game. Lynch’s excellent conversion from the right hand side sailed through the posts to leave just four points between the teams with four minutes remaining.

In the final minute of the game, CBC snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with a superb piece of play. Out-half Charlie Patrick O’Shea put in a crossfield kick to Christopher Barrett. The winger couldn’t get close enough to catch it so he decided to kick it on the volley. The ball travelled towards the PBC line and Barrett was able to win the footrace to touch down in the corner.

CBC now progress to the semi-finals while PBC will meet the winners of Rockwell College and Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí in the quarter-finals.

PBC: Ben O’Connor, James Wixted, Gene O’Leary Kareem, James O’Leary, Tom Coughlan, Harry Murphy, Liam Tuohy; Michael O’Sullivan, Max Dillon, Thomas McCarthy, Alex Davenport, Daniel Noonan, Fionn Roussel, Alexander Alderson, Rory O’Shaughnessy (c).

Replacements: Padraig Doyle, Maurice Minogue, Peter Wall, Cian Murphy, Oscar Squires, George O’Keeffe, Oscar Nangle, Scott Kelleher, John Wigginton Barrett, Luke Sisk O’Mahony.

CBC: Benjamin Lynch, Christopher Barrett, Alex O’Connell, Gavin O’Riordan, Evan Cahill Murphy, Charlie Patrick O’Shea, Jack Casey; Sam Loftus, Stephen O’Shaughnessy, Cian Walsh, Michael Doyle, Michael Foy, Mark Skelly, Daniel Rock, Éanna McCarthy.

Replacements: Adam Wrona, Harry Foster, Denis Callaghan, Conor Kennelly, George Good, Odhran Prenter, Conor Foley, Leo O’Leary, Ronan O’Keefe, Jack O’Callaghan.

Schools Cup Round-Up

In the Munster Schools Boys Junior Cup, Glenstal Abbey defeated Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí 45-7. Glenstal will now meet Ardscoil Rís in the next round.

In the Munster Schools Girls Junior Cup, Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí defeated Villiers 30-0 in Castletroy while St Joseph’s College Borrisoleigh defeated Thomond Community College 34-27 to advance to the next round in what is their first year in this competition. The Tipperary school scored a last minute try through their captain Therese Groome to win the game while Abbie Ayawe scored four tries for Thomond Community College.