SCHOOLS RUGBY MUNSTER SENIOR CUP:AN INTRIGUING Munster Schools Senior Cup final is in prospect at Musgrave Park tomorrow (3.0pm) when two traditional powerhouses of the province, Christian Brothers College, Cork, and Tipperary's Rockwell College, meet in what is the competition's Centenary final.
Judging the probable outcomes of schools cup finals is a precarious business; sometimes form goes out the window when studying prospective winners. More likely, the adage “it’s all on the day” attaches itself to these occasions and this decider is no different.
Christians have been tipped from early in the season to attain their first title since 2003 and hence go top of the roll of honour on 28 titles. Indeed, tomorrow’s final sees Christians, winners of the inaugural competition in 1909, hoping to bring the title – 100 years on – back to Sidney Hill.
Rockwell, meanwhile, bid for a 24th title, their last coming in 2001 with a team that included future Munster players Denis Fogarty, Mark Melbourne and Gerry Hurley.
CBC look the real deal, and if they can maintain the challenge for the full 70 minutes the Cork school should prevail.
CBC:R Clune; E O'Donnell, B O'Leary, J Holland, G Mackesy; D Dunne, B Slater; C Corkery, K Stokes, D Attridge; B Hayes (capt), S Hanbridge; E Doyle, R Barry, W Ryan. Replacements: R Martin, M O'Mahony, E O'Sullivan, Y Browne, J Maloney, S Barry, C Quinn.
ROCKWELL:P McEvoy; K O'Dwyer, D Ryan, B Smith, W O'Connor; JJ Hanrahan, E Ahern; T Doyle, L O'Donnell, B Cullinane; S Buckley, S O'Flynn; S Maguire, J Nolan, P Butler. Replacements: Cian O'Donnell, Colm O'Donnell, L Horgan, J Lonergan, T Raferty, R Mullane, B O'Rahilly.
Referee:Peter Fitzgibbon (MAR).
Verdict:CBC.
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