CBC gained a well-earned victory over Rockwell in the final of the Munster Schools' Junior Cup at Thomond Park yesterday. It was the fourth time that Christians have completed the senior-junior double and it was their 11th title in all.
Rockwell, though, put up an admirable performance They led for much of the first half but were forced into submission in the second half by an outstanding CBC pack who had at their heels a real match winner in scrum-half Tomas O'Leary.
Christians led early on with a penalty by full-back Elliott Corcoran but gradually the Rockwell forwards, with number eight Michael Barry and flankers Frank Quinlan and Stephen Mee much to the fore, gained the upper hand. Barry charged over for a try after a tapped penalty close to the Cork line and the eventual outcome might have been a lot different had they been able to breach the Christians line again - as they threatened to do. However, the game probably turned on a Christians try touched down on the stroke of half-time by Corcoran after some outstanding play by O'Leary and right winger Patrick Crowley.
O'Leary, a son of former Cork hurler Seanie O'Leary, went over for a try himself after 40 minutes and the Cork boys clinched the laurels on 52 minutes with a superb try by Patrick Crowley.
CBC: E Corcoran; P Crowley, D Kelleher, J Rea, W Fitzgerald; K Mitchell, T O'Leary; S Gallagher, K Barry, D Cronin, T Healy, J Deane, D Blower, L Quaid (capt), S O'Halloran.
Rockwell: B Crowley; J Ryan, C O'Gorman, M Lyons, K Brennan; D Lyons, G Hurley; K Quinlan, D Fogarty, L Phelan, M Costello, C Walsh, S Mee, F Quinlan (capt), M Barry. Replacement: R Brosnan for Phelan (42 mins).
Referee: J Cole (Munster).
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