Munster Senior Cup Final St Munchin's v PBC, Thomond Park, 3.30pmIt has been quite a week for St Munchin's College. The feel-good factor surrounding their participation in today's Avonmore Milk Munster Schools Senior Cup final against PBC was enhanced by their Junior Cup side's midweek advance to their decider.
In 1991 the same double was on the cards for the Corbally college. But an Anthony Foley-led senior side lost out to PBC and the juniors also fell short.
St Munchin's coach John Broderick needs no reminding of bad omens and is hoping history is not about to repeat itself.
Since taking the reins as head coach of the senior side in 2000, Broderick has revolutionised rugby in one of Limerick's great nurseries, picking up a first title in 20 years in 2002 and adding another two years later.
What adds significance to today's final is that Broderick masterminded both single-point victories over PBC. In this context he hopes history does repeat itself.
Ger Slattery (hooker) is the only member of today's St Munchin's side who played a part in the 11-10 victory over Pres in 2004. He is part of a workmanlike pack that includes Conor McNamara (secondrow), James O'Neill (flanker) and Shane Hassett (number eight).
They will aim to negate a particular Pres strength: pilfering ball at the breakdown and gaining yards around the fringes.
But it's in midfield where Munchin's can do most damage; the exciting partnership of Keith Earls and Eamonn Broderick have been running straight but clinical lines.
Broderick, however, has been impressed by the Pres style. As he says, their "more mature approach" subdued a fancied CBC in the semi-final.
"Pres are playing a different brand of rugby - sensible, careful, cautious, very clever, the kind of rugby that wins cup finals and the kind that focuses on opposition making mistakes and then limiting their own mistakes," says the St Munchin's coach.
"In the semi-final it looked like Christians were playing all the rugby but Pres were playing a very sensible game. The Pres pack, especially Robbie Allen and Andrew O'Driscoll, was outstanding against Christians, very mature.
"That shocked and astonished a lot of people given that they have tremendous talent in the backs as well in Tim Kenneally, Brian Dennehy and Jeff Power.
"They look to have a balance about them and not to have any weaknesses anywhere."
Holders Pres play in their fifth consecutive final - they lost three in a row before last year claiming their first since 1996 - and their coach, Don Buckley, has his side focused only on the 2006 version.
"This is a different team," says Buckley. "We're not looking at ourselves as holders. It's a one-off game and that's the attitude our lads have to take into it as well."
It's been a while since two such equally talented outfits contested a final. Like their most recent clashes this one could be decided by the last kick of the game.
ST MUNCHIN'S: J O'Dwyer; J Organ, K Earls, E Broderick, G O'Hanlon; R Mullane, P Rowley; D Hogan, G Slattery (capt), T Burke; C McNamara, J Griffin; L Óg Murphy, J O'Neill, S Hassett. Replacements: B McNamara, R Costello, E Cunnane, R Meyer, C Murray, A Barry, D Grace.
PBC (probable): J Power; B Derham, B Dennehy (capt) T Kenneally, K Buckley; S Deasy, S Costigan; N McCarthy, A O'Driscoll, M Kearney; M Kenefick, R McCarthy; N Barry, R Love, R Allen . Replacements: C O'Donovan, R Corkery, P O'Mahony, B O'Hara, P Hogan, P Cullinane, P O'Connell.
Referee: Dermot Moloney (MAR)
