Since they first won the Munster Senior Cup, 78 years ago, Presentation Brothers College, Cork have been a vibrant force on the Munster scene, sending out a constant stream of players who leave their mark at the highest level of the game. Their great tradition is secure.

Yesterday at Thomond Park, PBC embellished their great record when they retained the senior cup, their fifth success in six years, by defeating Ard Scoil Ris 18-7.

The win marked a notable landmark in the annals of PBC as it was their 25th victory, a mark not attained by any other college. It leaves them three ahead in the roll of honour from Rockwell College and CBC, Cork.

By contrast, their opponents yesterday were contesting a senior cup final for the first time. While in the end they lost by 11 points, they' played with courage and resolution. They were 15 points behind at the interval and that kind of deficit, against such strong opponents could have diminished the will of a side of lesser character. But there was no passive acceptance or capitulation from Ard Scoil Ris. They played extremely well in the second half, during which they scored a converted try and held the winners to a solitary score, a penalty.

PBC played some great rugby in the initial period and built their 15-points advantage with two excellent tries, a penalty and conversion. It was unfortunate for the losers that they failed to capitalise on two penalty chances, but kicking in a difficult wind was not easy.

The PBC pack won very good possession in that initial period and Michael O'Driscoll won the line-out battle, while their back row, in which captain Tim Cahill was outstanding, gave Ard Scoil Ris a lot of trouble as they continuously broke the advantage line and created openings for a potent back division.

Scrum-half Peter Stringer had a fine match. He acted as a good link to his backs and, when the need arose in the second half, his defensive kicking was as astute as it, was effective. Left wing Darragh Morgan was very dangerous and, twice, almost most got through before being stopped by good tackles.

A penalty by Paul Barry gave PBC the lead after seven minutes. Six minutes later, PBC scored a try when Tim Cahill got over after Stringer and O'Driscoll combined to create the opening. Barry converted, and the holders led 10-0. The PBC backs were a constant, threat and it took some very good tackling to keep them out. In the 30th minute, P.B.C's. advantage moved to more intimidating proportions. Right wing Ciaran Ryan finished off an excellent movement to score a try in the right corner. Barry missed the difficult conversion, but a 15-points deficit gave Ard Scoil Ris a mountain to climb in the second period.

To their great credit, they fought, back magnificently. They cut down the PBC superiority in the line-out, where John Fitzgerald was outstanding for the losers. Their captain and flanker Declan Lynch was constantly at the heart of the challenge, and he got great support from Paul Neville. However, a few wrong options were taken in attacking positions. Ard Scoil Ris had also lost, their out-half Cormac O'Loughlin early on, and that did not help their, attacking capacity behind the scrum.

The forwards got just reward for their efforts when, with 17 minutes to go, Lynch scored a try after a series of assaults on the PBC line Donnacha Houlihan converted to leave his side eight points adrift and with a glimmer of hope. However the concession of a penalty in front of their posts enabled Barry to kick a goal for PBC. That gave his side an 11-points cushion and they held it to the end as they defied the full-hearted efforts of the Ard Scoil Ris pack to make a second breakthrough.