Inspired by captain Gene O’Leary Kareem notching 18 points, Presentation Brothers College will defend their Munster Schools Senior Cup in a rematch with local rivals Christian Brothers College.

A rematch of last year’s semi final and despite showing shades of the narrative from 12 months ago Pres avoided any late comeback. Last season they were 35-10 ahead at the break and won 35-29.

Tries from John Wigginton Barrett, a brace from Gene O’Leary Kareem and an Alex Alderson try in stoppage time, Pres were in the driving seat. Munchins battled well but after the second Pres try they failed to hold shape at the back.

Despite for a time being down to 13 men in that second half, Pres showed little signs of complacency, they did concede a try but just had enough in the tank as they thwarted Munchins grabbing crucial scores.

Right from the off Munchins coughed up possession from the kick-off with a knock on, Pres would show their strengths as they ran the ball up the field. Lovely flowing moves with John Winngton Barrett showing a great burst of pace down the left wing, he raced clear down the touchline and brought play close to the Munchins 22. 

Pres had to recycle moving laterally with James O’Leary and Gene O’Leary Kareem passing around the midfield. Pres kept the pressure on and tried to race down the opposite flank as Neville O’Leary produced a wonderful goosie looking to evade the tackle.

Possession was all with the Cork school and as they passed wide to the far touchline, Wigginton Barrett gathered and put the afterburners on to race through a gap and dart over the line for the opening score after five minutes. Gene O’Leary Kareem converted for a 7-0 lead.

That margin lasted mere minutes. From the restart Munchins put PBC under severe pressure, kicking to the corner after Pres infringed at the breakdown, it gave Tom Wood the chance to hit deep and set up a dangerous 5m lineout. A first attacking lineout for the Shannonsiders, their driving maul hit Pres inches from their line and with pressure constantly building Adam O’Shaughnessy operated at the tail of the move and touched down for their opening try. Wood saw his conversion on the left touchline drag wide.

As the quarter of an hour mark approached, Pres were knocking on the door for a score. O’Leary burst through a host of Munchins players as they put pressure on in the Munchins end of the field. Moments prior they looked in with O’Leary Kareem gathering steam with ball in hand but as he offloaded shy of the line the ball was knocked on. Munchins were heroic in their defending. 

Pres would breach that line a few short minutes later. Again they found the wing to good effect, Neville O’Leary, Deccie Fitzgerald and Wigginton Barrett all combined to move play shy of the Munchins five, the forwards gained ground but Munchins did well to hold out. That was until Liam Tuohy found O’Leary Kareem and the skipper crossed the whitewash for the second try in the 20th minute. Converting the try for a 14-5 lead.

After this score the floodgates looked to have opened. Munchins unable to deal with the sheer attacking threat that Pres possessed. O’Leary Kareem added his second try again from close range, converting in the process. From the restart James O’Leary gathered and pierced a way through the Munchins cover, waiting for the run of brother Neville O’Leary on his shoulder, he gathered and sped clear down the line, he had to use his sheer pace to evade the tackles and dot down, O’Leary Kareem not table to convert on this occasion. 

Munchins were doing their utmost to grab a score, however in stoppage time Presentation Brothers College managed to hit another body blow before the interval. O’Leary Kareem again finding space to race down the field, he offloaded to Deccie Fitzgerald, with Alex Alderson for support he found his number 8 and he added their fifth try with the last act of play, O’Leary Kareem converting for a 33-5 lead at the interval.

PBC showed little signs of slowing down after the interval. Inspired by another drive from O’Leary Kareem they added a sixth try, the skipper passing wide for Neville O’Leary and he used his pace to drive down the left wing and cross the whitewash, his pace taking him the distance. 38-5 as the conversion missed the mark.

The tempo looked to have slowed down as the minutes ticked by in the half, the game ignited when all hell broke loose after Harry Murphy looked to be hit late after clearing initial danger from inside his 5m line.

The referee sent Maurice Minogue and Rory McDermott to the bin as both were involved in an altercation amongst both sets of players. Minutes later Oscar Squires saw yellow and with a penalty to touch and PBC down to 13, Munchins had a chance. They again used their lineout maul to great effect with Oisin Minogue crossing. Wood converted to cut the gap to 26 points after 54 minutes.

Benches were emptied and the minutes ticked by, Pres bagged one final try in stoppage time as Mark Hetherington went over and Harry Murphy converted to see out a dominant win. In the end the game was the way of the Leesiders, with CBC on the horizon again, going off last year’s contest, the final will make for interesting viewing.

Post Match:

Ger Burke