A second half hat trick by James Wixted was enough to crown Presentation Brothers College, the 2023 Pinergy Munster Schools Senior Cup Champions this afternoon.

Pres now joining CBC on the top step with 31 crowns between them, they made up for their defeat in the semi final qualifier by putting in a dominant display in this decider against their old foe.

CBC were strong to their credit but just were unable to deal with Wixted getting three tries in that second half, they dominated the later stages of the first but were behind 7-0 at the break as Gene Kareem O’Leary had crossed.

The start was certainly dramatic for both, Pres were penalised early as CBC used their powerful front row to control an easy scrum, they ran phase after phase of offence after, but were penalised at the breakdown as PBC had a penalty to clear their lines, Ben O’Connor found touch just outside the Christians 10m line, their lineout was strong their first of the day was a good way to start, they got an attack going but the ball was put into touch as CBC tackled into touch.

It was a titanic tussle in those early minutes between these two sides, the atmosphere was adding to those intense plays on the field, both were looking dangerous if they got forwarded but some handling errors or lack of discipline caused the plays to come to nothing.

Some nerves started to show, a big day out against the biggest rival, for many their first taste of a final at this level, for others their last, neither gave an inch but could gain inches to attack but especially for Christians, they found themselves penalised numerous times in front of the Pres line.

Pres had started to press on and were inches from the line but penalties in quick succession against CBC saw Michael Foy getting a yellow card and having to go to the bin, from that PBC went for the tap and go, Gene O’Leary Kareem made a great supporting run and having gotten the offload he power over for the opening try in the 23rd minute, O’Connor added the plus two and unlike their earlier meeting it was Pres who took the lead first.

Christians looked for an immediate reply and attacked with purpose and menace to get within the PBC 22, their forwards have been a headache all year thus far for teams to deal with but yet another penalty saw Pres able to manage the threat and give O’Connor the chance to boot down field.

Pressure was largely on PBC but Christians would feel that being restored to the full 15, they missed a glorious chance to snatch an equalising score after Pres were penalised in their lineout, a scrum just inches short from the line but again the whistle sounded and O’Connor was ready to find touch once again.

Chrsitians were doing everything they could to break the barrier Pres had placed in front of their line, they had looked like grabbing a late score but also so did PBC, in the end neither would add anything to the scoreboard, Pres maybe the happier at the break to have heard the whistle sound as they had forced a knock on just before.

Just as the second half kicked off, Pres put Chrsitians under pressure, from a quick lineout we had shades of Murrayfield as the incorrect ball was used, this gave PBC possession inside the 22, working for a score it was them to be penalised, but Christians tried to clear their line but the ball kept coming back, as Pres spend a lot of the opening minutes camped inside their half.

The danger remained and from an attempted clearance kick Pres like clockwork got their chance to strike for a second try, spotting a gap out wide James Wixted gathered and put the afterburners on to race clear down the left hand channel and snipe over the whitewash for their second try in the 46th minute, but O’Connor normally deadly accurate from the tee saw his conversion attempt tail right and wide, let off for Chrsitians who were now 12-0 behind.

Christians attempted to snatch a score and did look a solid unit in attack, hopes were dashed as on the hour mark O’Connor made a lung bursting run that brought him just shy of the CBC line, their lineout able to gather but again possession went back to PBC, an opportunistic bounce fell their way and Wixted was in for his second try as they moved 17-0 clear.

Seconds later Chrisitans were carved open out wide and having passed again to the far left channel, Wixted was there and he made no mistake in racing in for his third try of the contest, O’Connor’s conversion putting a 24 point gap between the sides.

Pres emptied the bench at the end as their players gathered waiting for the final whistle, the moment of glory they missed last year, the joy etched once it sounded as supporters streamed onto the Musgrave Park surface, the Garrett Fitzgerald Cup is headed to the Mardyke for the next 12 months!