Schools Rugby Munster Senior Cup final: St Munchins - 10 PBC Cork - 11 It was a contest of contrasting styles, the tension of the occasion more than compensating for a match that sparked only fitfully. St Munchin's College deserved their fourth Munster Schools Senior Cup title primarily because they refused to buckle and when eventually presented with the opportunities, took them.
It appeared that they would be swamped initially as PBC Cork adopted an expansive approach, outflanking the Limerick school's defence on a couple of occasions through clever angles of running and assured handling.
However, the very patterns that brought Pres an excellent try from right wing David Ward after just five minutes were largely abandoned, save for the occasional cameo. Instead they elected for a more conservative approach, choosing the boot rather than utilising a high quality backline.
This was particularly mystifying when Pres struggled out of touch, thereby negating the option of the territorial game. They lost half a dozen lineouts while their opponents conceded just one on their throw-in. Denied this platform, Pres struggled to establish the continuity game they craved but crucially did have enough possession to play an expansive game.
It was only when the match was slipping out of reach they restored their breadth and vision. For the majority of this match they played into Munchin's hands, taking the Limerick school on up front and coming off second best.
Munchin's pack was superbly led by second row Fergal Walsh, outstanding in all facets of play, and he received able support from the rest of the forwards, especially young hooker Ger Slattery, tighthead prop Alan Cotter and openside Fintan Cross.
It was the pack that laid the foundation for this victory in the second half, employing the pick and drive to great effect and crucially offloading where possible in the tackle. It guaranteed huge yardage and despite being a little one dimensional was a style with which Pres struggled to cope.
In the opening 40 minutes the champions were guilty of kicking away too much possession. Outhalf Wayne Murphy is a nice footballer but his option-taking was predictable, allowing Pres's back three to drop deep and await the punt.
Pres started the game bristling with intent and fully deserved the lead they grabbed on five minutes. They elected to go wide with a pretty orthodox move but Munchin's defensive alignment was awry and this facilitated Pres right wing Ward getting outside the defence. He still had plenty to do but an excellent turn of foot and outward arc took him around full back John Paul Hartigan for an excellent try.
Tom Gleeson, playing in his third Munster Schools Cup final, kicked the conversion and the expectation was that the Cork school would look to stretch their opponents at every opportunity. Instead it was Munchin's that wrested control, Murphy kicking a fine 35 metre penalty to make it 7-3.
The interval pep talk and the realisation that Pres weren't going to play a touchline to touchline game, seemed to galvanise Munchin's and they decided to keep the ball in hand, largely through the pack.
With Murphy receiving attention for an injury, hooker Slattery kicked a fine 23 metre penalty on 54 minutes and just three later, came the game's pivotal moment. The Munchin's pack bulldozed their way into the Pres 22; six times they were repulsed inches short of the line but on the seventh occasion flanker Fintan Cross squeezed over by the corner flag. Murphy failed with the difficult conversion.
Pres were now aware that the game was slipping beyond them. They gave themselves a fighting chance five minutes from time when Gleeson kicked a penalty.
Munchin's endured the usual finishing line wobbles but survived to repeat their victory of two year's ago over the same opponents. Pres will reflect on what might have been but despite the acute disappointment their captain David Daly deserves great credit for the wonderfully gracious speech he made in the aftermath.
Scoring sequence. 5 mins: Ward try, Gleeson conversion, 7-0; 9 mins: Murphy penalty, 7-3. Half-time: 7-3. 54 mins: Slattery penalty, 7-6; 57 mins: Cross try, 7-11; 65 mins: Gleeson penalty, 10-11.
ST MUNCHIN'S COLLEGE: JP Hartigan; F Daly, A Ajoung, J Clogan, E Moloney; W Murphy, T Cahill; S Foster, G Slattery, A Cotter; B Meade, F Walsh (capt); L Mullane, D Gardiner, F Cross. Replacements: G Carroll for Clogan 48 mins; D Lavery for Cotter 48 mins.
PBC CORK: E Ryan; D Ward, T Gleeson, A Kelleher, M Carey; G Dunne, S Cronin; J Philpott, D O'Halloran, M O'Leary; C Kennefick, R O'Leary; D Daly (capt), D Prendergast, C Fitzgibbon. Replacement: E McCarthy for O'Halloran 68 mins.
Referee: P Roche (Munster).
