In a role reversal of last year’s thrilling semi-final, CBC won it with two late, late scores. PBC, meanwhile, are still alive via the backdoor system.
CHRISTIAN BROTHERS COLLEGE edged cross-city rivals Presentation Brothers College in another thrilling Cork derby at Musgrave Park to book their place in the semi-finals of this year’s Munster Schools Senior Cup.
Pres are still alive in the competition despite today’s last-gasp 27-26 defeat, and will face the winners of tomorrow’s eliminator between Rockwell College and West Cork first-timers Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí in what will be ostensibly a second-chance quarter-final for the 30-time champions.
Christians, who top the Munster schools roll of honour with 31 titles, came back from a 14-point half-time deficit this afternoon to bypass such complications and fast-forward to the last four.
In a complete roll reversal of last year’s semi-final classic between the same schools, Tommy Crowe’s CBC side struck twice in the last five minutes to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
Wing Chris Barrett completed the comeback with an electrifying individual try in the dying seconds, volleying a crossfield kick from his fellow fourth-year student, Charlie O’Shea, past Pres fullback Ben O’Connor before winning the sprint to dot down near the right-hand corner.
It was another fourth-year student who broke the deadlock after a tense opening 20 minutes at Musgrave Park, CBC openside Danny Rock touching down from a maul to give his side what would be their only lead until Barret’s winning score. Fullback Ben Lynch was off the mark with his first conversion.
Last year’s beaten finalists Pres blasted back in kind, scoring two tries in the space of seven minutes. The first was finished by right wing James Wixted, the second by his opposite wing Tom Coughlan following a wonderful break by number eight and skipper Rory O’Shaughnessy, one of two survivors from last year’s PBC Senior Cup team.
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The other, fullback Ben O’Connor, an All-Ireland minor hurling-winning captain with Cork who stole the show with the oval ball in last year’s semi-final against CBC, missed his first conversion but nailed the second. Pres led 12-5 on 33 minutes.
They stretched their advantage to 19-5 on the precipice of half-time when out-half Harry Murphy showed brilliant awareness to pounce on a Christians’ spillage over their own try-line, with O’Connor adding the cherry on top of a massive psychological score for the Mardyke school.
Christians, though, narrowed the gap to 11 points through the boot of Lynch a few minutes after the restart and, on 48 minutes, the fullback converted a close-range score by replacement hooker Adam Wrona to bring the Sidney Hill men back to within a try at 19-15.
Pres produced what looked to be the dagger blow with just 10 minutes remaining, however: scrum-half Liam Tuohy collected a clever kick by wing Wixted to score his side’s third try, with O’Connor stretching the score to 26-15 from the tee.
With time against Christians, Wrona went over for his second on 65 minutes and Lynch brought the arrears back to four.
Then, in the dying seconds, there was bedlam: Christians out-half O’Shea kicked crossfield in the direction of Barrett, who booted the ball first-time past Pres fullback O’Connor. Barrett showed searing pace to beat the underage hurling star to the ball, sparking wild celebrations on one side of Musgrave Park as he touched down for the lead score.
Lynch’s conversion was off the mark, but no matter. Christians marched into the semi-finals, while the also-brilliant Pres will still fancy their chances of navigating the more scenic route towards the last four.
They’ll face the winners of tomorrow’s eliminator between 26-time winners Rockwell and Bantry’s Coláiste Pobail, who beat Glenstal Abbey in qualifying to reach this stage.
St Munchin’s College, once more a force and widely tipped for this year’s tournament, have already booked a semi-final berth after a 19-10 win over their fellow Limerick men Árdscoil Rís in what was the second game of a Thomond Park doubleheader on Tuesday.
Like Pres, Árdscoil will have to go the long way around if they are to make the semis: next up, they’ll face reigning champions Crescent College Comprehensive, who eliminated Cork’s Bandon Grammar on a score of 36-29 in Tuesday’s curtain-raiser at Thomond.
Christian Brothers College: Benjamin Lynch, Evan Cahill-Murphy, Alex O’Connell, Gavin O’Riordan, Christopher Barrett, Charlie O’Shea, Jack Casey; Sam Loftus, Stephen O’Shaughnessy, Cian Walsh, Michael Doyle, Michael Foy, Mark Skelly, Danny Rock, Éanna McCarthy (Captain).
Replacements: Adam Wrona, Harry Foster, Denis Callaghan, Conor Kennelly, George Good, Oran Prenter, Conor Foley, Leo O’Leary, Ronan O’Keeffe, Jack O’Callaghan.
Presentation Brothers College: Ben O’Connor, James Wixted, Gene O’Leary-Kareem, James O’Leary, Tom Coughlan, Harry Murphy, Liam Tuohy; Michael O’Sullivan, Max Dillon, Thomás McCarthy, Alex Davenport, Danny Noonan, Fionn Ruiséal, Alex Alderson, Rory O’Shaughnessy.
Replacements: Pádraig Doyle, Maurice Minogue, Peter Wall, Cian Murphy, Oscar Squires, George O’Keeffe, Oscar Nangle, Scott Kelleher, John Wigginton-Barrett, Luke Sisk-O’Mahony.
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Stunning Barrett score seals last-gasp Christians comeback win over rivals Pres
Christian Brothers College (Cork) 27
Presentation Brothers College (Cork) 26
CHRISTIAN BROTHERS COLLEGE edged cross-city rivals Presentation Brothers College in another thrilling Cork derby at Musgrave Park to book their place in the semi-finals of this year’s Munster Schools Senior Cup.
Pres are still alive in the competition despite today’s last-gasp 27-26 defeat, and will face the winners of tomorrow’s eliminator between Rockwell College and West Cork first-timers Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí in what will be ostensibly a second-chance quarter-final for the 30-time champions.
Christians, who top the Munster schools roll of honour with 31 titles, came back from a 14-point half-time deficit this afternoon to bypass such complications and fast-forward to the last four.
In a complete roll reversal of last year’s semi-final classic between the same schools, Tommy Crowe’s CBC side struck twice in the last five minutes to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
Wing Chris Barrett completed the comeback with an electrifying individual try in the dying seconds, volleying a crossfield kick from his fellow fourth-year student, Charlie O’Shea, past Pres fullback Ben O’Connor before winning the sprint to dot down near the right-hand corner.
It was another fourth-year student who broke the deadlock after a tense opening 20 minutes at Musgrave Park, CBC openside Danny Rock touching down from a maul to give his side what would be their only lead until Barret’s winning score. Fullback Ben Lynch was off the mark with his first conversion.
Last year’s beaten finalists Pres blasted back in kind, scoring two tries in the space of seven minutes. The first was finished by right wing James Wixted, the second by his opposite wing Tom Coughlan following a wonderful break by number eight and skipper Rory O’Shaughnessy, one of two survivors from last year’s PBC Senior Cup team.
The other, fullback Ben O’Connor, an All-Ireland minor hurling-winning captain with Cork who stole the show with the oval ball in last year’s semi-final against CBC, missed his first conversion but nailed the second. Pres led 12-5 on 33 minutes.
They stretched their advantage to 19-5 on the precipice of half-time when out-half Harry Murphy showed brilliant awareness to pounce on a Christians’ spillage over their own try-line, with O’Connor adding the cherry on top of a massive psychological score for the Mardyke school.
Christians, though, narrowed the gap to 11 points through the boot of Lynch a few minutes after the restart and, on 48 minutes, the fullback converted a close-range score by replacement hooker Adam Wrona to bring the Sidney Hill men back to within a try at 19-15.
Pres produced what looked to be the dagger blow with just 10 minutes remaining, however: scrum-half Liam Tuohy collected a clever kick by wing Wixted to score his side’s third try, with O’Connor stretching the score to 26-15 from the tee.
With time against Christians, Wrona went over for his second on 65 minutes and Lynch brought the arrears back to four.
Then, in the dying seconds, there was bedlam: Christians out-half O’Shea kicked crossfield in the direction of Barrett, who booted the ball first-time past Pres fullback O’Connor. Barrett showed searing pace to beat the underage hurling star to the ball, sparking wild celebrations on one side of Musgrave Park as he touched down for the lead score.
Lynch’s conversion was off the mark, but no matter. Christians marched into the semi-finals, while the also-brilliant Pres will still fancy their chances of navigating the more scenic route towards the last four.
They’ll face the winners of tomorrow’s eliminator between 26-time winners Rockwell and Bantry’s Coláiste Pobail, who beat Glenstal Abbey in qualifying to reach this stage.
St Munchin’s College, once more a force and widely tipped for this year’s tournament, have already booked a semi-final berth after a 19-10 win over their fellow Limerick men Árdscoil Rís in what was the second game of a Thomond Park doubleheader on Tuesday.
Like Pres, Árdscoil will have to go the long way around if they are to make the semis: next up, they’ll face reigning champions Crescent College Comprehensive, who eliminated Cork’s Bandon Grammar on a score of 36-29 in Tuesday’s curtain-raiser at Thomond.
Christian Brothers College: Benjamin Lynch, Evan Cahill-Murphy, Alex O’Connell, Gavin O’Riordan, Christopher Barrett, Charlie O’Shea, Jack Casey; Sam Loftus, Stephen O’Shaughnessy, Cian Walsh, Michael Doyle, Michael Foy, Mark Skelly, Danny Rock, Éanna McCarthy (Captain).
Replacements: Adam Wrona, Harry Foster, Denis Callaghan, Conor Kennelly, George Good, Oran Prenter, Conor Foley, Leo O’Leary, Ronan O’Keeffe, Jack O’Callaghan.
Presentation Brothers College: Ben O’Connor, James Wixted, Gene O’Leary-Kareem, James O’Leary, Tom Coughlan, Harry Murphy, Liam Tuohy; Michael O’Sullivan, Max Dillon, Thomás McCarthy, Alex Davenport, Danny Noonan, Fionn Ruiséal, Alex Alderson, Rory O’Shaughnessy.
Replacements: Pádraig Doyle, Maurice Minogue, Peter Wall, Cian Murphy, Oscar Squires, George O’Keeffe, Oscar Nangle, Scott Kelleher, John Wigginton-Barrett, Luke Sisk-O’Mahony.
Referee: Paudie Sheehan (MAR)
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Munster Schools Senior Cup