Kilkenny College face Presentation College, Bray in the second game of the Leinster Schools Senior Cup this afternoon (3pm).
Kilkenny enjoyed a good Leinster League campaign after beating Wesley and Castleknock on their way to the final but were narrowly defeated by Gonzaga in the penultimate match.
The South Leinster school have three Leinster U18 players in their ranks including the highly rated out half, Sean Naughton. Naughton’s partnership with scrum half Charlie Kennedy is a half back pairing that is almost certain to catch the eye in the upcoming campaign.
Centre Harry Rogers and NO 8 Stephen Smyth also have experience in the underage Leinster set up and both have the ability to cause Pres Bray trouble today.
Kilkenny’s scrum is a big advantage that they have in most games with front row Adam Shirley, Ashton Botha and Zach Furlong vital to their sides at the breakdown and set pieces.
Pres Bray have only lost once this season and it was in heart-breaking fashion. The Wicklow school fell to a last-minute defeat at the hands of Gonzaga in the Leinster League semi-final.
The battle between these side’s out halves will be a classic with the highly rated Irish School’s player Jack Murphy starting at fly half for his side. Murphy is his side’s playmaker and has an array of specialities including place kicking and a brilliant ability to find his teammates in space when most needed.
Fellow Ireland schools member Finn Treacy is a threat for his side at centre while Leinster’s Flyn Pyper adds experience to a young Pres side in the pack.
Luke Delaney
Luke is a final year Journalism student in DCU. He is a Sports Reporter for Wicklow People Sport and FinalWhistle.ie.