CBC Progress To Junior Cup Final

Christians Brothers College have qualified for the SEAT Schools Junior Cup Final following their hard-fought and late win over defending champions Presentation Brothers College in Irish Independent Park, Cork.

PBC 12-13 CBC

by Rory Holohan

The winning score came from full-back Robert Hedderman who benefited hugely from a bounce of the ball to score what proved to be the deciding factor in this game.

The first of four tries of the afternoon came through CBC’s Ronan Barry. He was the final ball carrier in the early attack that effectively began with Eoin Monahan’s kick-off and the multitude of rucks formed on the PBC try-line were rewarded by his crossing of the whitewash. Monahan’s conversion was narrowly wide from the unfavourable angle close to the touchline.

A Pres response was instantaneous and it came through the work of their forwards. Repeated infringements in the scrum by CBC handed James Broderick a penalty opportunity to reduce the early deficit but his kick was too far to the left from in front of the posts.

CBC were awarded their own penalty after a phase in which PBC full-back Seán French stemmed Colin Sisk’s attack that had the look of a try on the end of it. Advantage had been given to the Sydney Hill side previous to this and Monahan slotted over the three points from the twenty-two metre line.

Any hopes of PBC finding a try of their own were hampered largely through crooked throws in the line-out. Broderick had penalty kicks to the corner finding touch but this breakdown in restarting play let down his good work.

The successful Pres attacks of the afternoon were orchestrated by their backline. Scrum half David Harrington linked up well with Broderick many a time to bring the overlapping French into play and this was essential in their garnering of a penalty which dropped right next to the post but the wrong side of three points.

The excellent defensive work of CBC finally came undone once Harrington, French and Ross Howell brought Pres to the five metre line and a try similar to Barry’s was registered by Cathal Browne. Broderick’s confidence had not been jarred by his previous inaccuracy and the conversion that split the posts from by the sideline was an exquisite one.

Monahan had the last act of the half with a penalty attempt that dropped down in front of the crossbar and heralded the referee’s whistle.

CBC were certainly the better side in the opening few minutes of the first half and this was a similar story for PBC who dominated proceedings in the beginning of the second half hour.

A lineout worked out for PBC on this occasion and it was the Harrington-Broderick duo who brought the ball across the pitch to Howell who threw himself over the line in the corner. James was unable to replicate his previous sideline success though his side were ahead for the first time.

The CBC response was another great line break from Sisk who offloaded to Conor Shalloe and the winger raced away, diving over the try-line only to knock on once French got back and made an outstanding tackle.

This was the start of a period in the game dominated entirely by the CBC pack. The workload of Ben Roche and Finn Burke did not go unnoticed as their retention of ball freed up space for Shalloe and Daniel Galvin to cut inside from the wings.

They were as similarly unfortunate as PBC with handling errors when looking for tries and it looked as though Pres’ defence and many clearance kicks would be enough to see the game out.

The winning score came through one of the most fortunate of ball bounces that schools rugby is likely to ever witness. With the clock coming to its sixty minute finish, Monahan opted to send the ball over to the corner for the oncoming Shalloe. He and the defending Niall McCarthy were both left flat footed after it bounced right on the sideline and away from them but not from Hedderman who could not have launched himself over the line any faster.

Monahan will not be disappointed to have seen his difficult conversion attempt go past the posts given that his side were a point ahead and had the time remaining in their favour. That was the penultimate play of the game as PBC appeared as if they too might snatch a late try. Firstly, the move that brought Howell his score was nearly repeated but for the final pass going behind the onrushing winger.

McCarthy was then on hand to force CBC into a rushed clearance that gave his side a lineout on the five metre line with the ever impressive backs ready to pull something out of the bag. Once the referee adjudged Luke Tarbatt to have knocked on in the air it was Sisk who had the duty of putting the ball well outside the ground to finish the game.

Christians now progress to the final against Crescent College Comprehensive on St. Patrick’s Day whilst it was another semi-final heart-break for PBC who also saw their Senior side felled by a last minute score last week. The two colleges would like to thank Munster Rugby for facilitating use of the stadium dressing rooms and the playing pitch.

PBC: [15-9] Seán French, Ross Howell, Jonathan Wren, Sam O’ Donovan, Niall McCarthy, James Broderick, David Harrington.
[1-8] Kieran Nugent, Liam Ryan, Mike Varnam, Mark McCarthy, Luke Tarbatt, David Hyland, Cian Fitzgerald (Capt), Cathal Browne.
Subs: Charlie Ryan O’ Donovan, Ben Quigley, Mark Fitzgibbon, Dylan O’ Callaghan, Darragh O’ Callaghan, Max Walsh, Paul Kennedy, Louis Bruce.

CBC: [15-9] Robert Hedderman, Conor Shalloe, J.D. O’Hea, Eoghan Barrett, Daniel Galvin, Eoin Monahan (Capt), Colin Sisk.
[1-8] Luke Masters, Daniel O’ Connor, Robert Loftus, Eamonn Doyle, Anthony Ryan, Ronan Barry, Finn Burke, Ben Roche.
Subs: Liam McCarthy, Charlie Rasmussen, Paul Harrignton, Scott Buckley, Eamon O’Mahoney, Eoin Moloney, Sean Lynch, Louis Kahn.