PBC have booked their place in the Munster Senior Schools Cup Semi Final after a dominant 52-8 win over Rockwell in Musgrave Park this afternoon.

Captain Rory O'Shaughnessy and Full-Back Ben O'Connor who is on the radar for both rugby and his GAA exploits in Cork were big performers in seeing Pres meet Munchins in the final four decider.

Rockwell felt the pressure of an early handling error 13 seconds after the game got underway, some early nerves but the PBC lineout was strongly defended and they managed to clear the danger, both had early passages of possession but PBC looked more threatening in attack.

After four minutes the beaten finalists last year got their first try, an expertly crafted score from one wing to the other, attacking the right wing Gene Kareem O Leary got close but was held short, they passed back inside looking for gaps to exploit, Cian Murphy made a powerful drive however he was just held up short, they went again toward the left wing where Alex Alderson carried well and a lovely offload to James O’Leary saw the centre crash over for their opening try under serious pressure, Ben O’Connor missed the conversion which followed.

Rockwell mounted an attack after going behind but Pres held firm in defence and were able to counter them and allow O’Connor to clear, working their defence into attack they moved up and a short while later power over the Rockwell line for their second try, captain Rory O’Shaughnessy picking from the back of the maul before getting his frame over after 14 minutes, O’Connor nailed the second kick for a 12-0 lead.

Straight from the resulting restart PBC would manage their third try, in a crazy passage of play O’Shaughnessy gathered the restart, beat one man, the defence parted in his way, he made a dart forward dropped the shoulder and eluded the next Rockwell man before racing under the posts for their third try, O’Connor two from three for a 19-0 lead after 17 minutes.

Rockwell would get on the board after 25 minutes, a penalty called in front of the posts and Kian O’Reilly tapped it over to make it a 16 point game, back came PBC however as they had men out wide minutes later as they looked dead set not to be complacent like the CBC game a few weeks ago when they built a lead, carving Rockwell out wide James Wixted made a great drive and O’Connor continued it down the right flank before he was tackled shy of the line, like their opening try they went again inside as their forwards made drives but shades of the opener O’Leary carried well and go over for the score, 26-3 as O’Connor was successful from the tee. 

Tempers flared late in the half as Rockwell had a penalty awarded for a high tackle, they attacked with purpose to decrease the scoreline before breaking for half time, they got inches away from the line but PBC looked an unsinkable ship and a handling error later the referee blew for half time as the hosts were 23 points ahead by the break.

The start of the second half was action packed and ferocious, the tackles were hard as both teams looked to press early, Rockwell looked likely to get an early score but were held up however Fionn Ruisseal went to the sin bin but to their credit PBC did well without him to see the danger come to nothing.

PBC would hit the hammer blow 57 minutes into the tie as Alex Alderson crossed for their next try, the opening score of the half but one that saw them build up a comfortable lead, Rockwell would hit a score of their own after the hour mark as Andrew Wall crossed for their first try.

The Cork side finished with a flurry, O’Connor finished off a clever lineout move that saw Ruisseal gather short and press for the line,before Luke Sisk O’Mahony crossed for another try in the corner, right at the death John Wigginton Barrett added another try as they march into the semi’s.