Horgan's two-try haul helps drive Pres Cork to cup glory

PBC 22 Rockwell College 10:DANIEL HORGAN was the toast of Cork city last night after his double-try salvo sent Pres on their way to Munster Senior Cup glory in a repeat of the 1991 final.

The classy centre dotted down either side of half-time to see off a spirited Rockwell side in front of almost 5,000 enthusiastic spectators at Thomond Park.

In truth, the result owed as much to the magnificent Pres forward unit as to any one performance in the backline.

Their pack proved too much to handle for Rockwell on the day, and it was no surprise when backrow flanker Jack Duffy was voted man-of-the-match after a superb display.

Credit, also, must be given to Rockwell for the manner in which they worked themselves back into the match after a harrowing opening spell. The unflappable JJ Hanrahan scored all their points on the day, and they fought on gallantly until the end.

But for all they offered in hunger and commitment, they simply could not match their Cork opponents for quality and were outscored three tries to one.

Pres came into the game as hot favourites to land their 28th senior cup title, and quickly underlined their credentials with a try after barely three minutes.

A quickly-taken free-kick inside the opposition 22 was driven on by Cathal O’Flaherty and his fired-up pack, and when the ball was recycled Horgan was on hand to make the most of an overlap and cut inside the last man to touch down.

Sean Óg Murphy nailed the conversion from a difficult angle and Pres had a healthy 7-0 lead.

The concession of such an early try had Rockwell in disarray for a spell, and only for some heroic last-ditch defending they could have found themselves further behind and out of touch with barely 20 minutes played.

As it happened, Hanrahan steadied their nerves with a well-struck penalty on 20 minutes, but any reprieve would be short-lived.

Pres were asking all the questions, and seemed to have rumbled over for their second try shortly before half-time but referee Leo Colgan deemed the ball had been held up.

Murphy did nail a penalty to restore his side’s seven-point advantage going in at half-time.

Rockwell got their act together after the restart and the second half was a much more evenly-contested affair in which defences dominated for long spells.

Horgan seemed to have scored the decisive try with 10 minutes of the game remaining when he latched on to a bobbling ball outside the opposition 22 to scoot home under the sticks.

But again Rockwell fought back bravely, and a close-range try by Hanrahan minutes from time set-up an exciting finale.

But this day belonged to Pres, and a memorable result was confirmed when substitute frontrower Killian Kingston emerged from the bottom of a pile of bodies having touched down for his side’s third and final try deep into injury-time.

SCORERS – Pres: Tries: Horgan 2, Kingston cons: Murphy 2 pens: Murphy Rockwell: Try: Hanrahan, con: Hanrahan, pen: Hanrahan. PRESENTATION COLLEGE, CORK: S Glynn; R Caplice, J Costigan, D Horgan, E Dennehy; S Óg Murphy, R Barry; C Keane, B Vaughan, N Scannell; R O’Herlihy, D O’Mahony (capt); B Carroll, J Duffy, C O’Flaherty. Replacements: R Murphy for Carroll 50 mins, K Kingston, B Scott, B Coughlan, E Mills, E O’Shaughnessy, R Cullinane all 65 mins.

ROCKWELL COLLEGE: B O’Rahelly; S Horgan, H McNulty, D McGillacuddy, R Mullane; JJ Hanrahan, T Rafferty; T Doyle, R Moran, C O’Donnell; S Maguire, S McCarthy; S Buckley (capt), J Magher, L Cahill. Replacements: B Haugh for Rafferty 62 mins, E Phelan, M Cummins, A O’Sullivan, M Coffey, D White, B Haugh, C Hyland all 65 mins.

Referee: L Colgan (Munster Branch).