Cork minor GAA stars to the fore as Pres outclass St Munchin's in Munster Schools Senior Cup
PBC full-back Ben O'Connor is congratulated by Rory O'Shaugnessy and Scott Sexton at Musgrave Park. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
PBC 31 St Munchin's 12
PRES ensured a Cork derby with the old enemy, CBC, in the semi-final of the Pinergy Munster Schools Senior Cup following an impressive win over St Munchin's at Musgrave Park on Wednesday.
They combined the power of a Jacob Sheahan-led forward pack with some slick back-line play, inspired by full-back Ben O'Connor, captain of last year's Cork All-Ireland-winning minor hurling team. Former Cork minor football captain Rory O'Shaughnessy also impressed.
Pres crossed five times and surged 26-0 clear early in the second half before St Munchin's finally came to life as an attacking force, scoring twice in eight minutes through James O'Brien and a fine Oisin Pepper effort, converted by Cillian O'Connor.
Pres lost scrum-half Harry Coughlan to a yellow card for a late hit in between, but they had last say with a 58th-minute try.
A superb driving maul down the left ended with Rory O'Shaughnessy held short before Fionn Rousell followed up to score.
O'Connor's influence became apparent as early as the fourth minute, when he opened the scoring with the first try, touching down between the uprights after the forwards did all the spadework. His conversion made it 7-0.
Pres doubled their advantage seven minutes later with a quality try, O'Connor's entry to the line and flat pass sending centre Scott Sexton clear before he off-loaded to Condon. O'Connor added the extras with a brilliant touchline conversion, 14-0.
St Munchin's rarely threatened though they didn't have much luck with the bounce of the ball at times and out-half O'Connor pulled a kick-able penalty mid-way through, as well.
He wasn't helped by the delay following an injury to a touch judge and the subsequent search for a replacement.
Then, just before the interval Pres struck again with Condon bagging his second try in the Dolphin corner after O'Connor's well-timed pass presented the opportunity for the flying wing to round a defender on halfway before speeding away with the full-back converting, 21-0.
St Munchin's knew it wasn't going to be their day when centre Gordon Wood was shown a yellow card for tackling an opponent in the air from the re-start.
And Pres took only 90 seconds into the second half to stretch further in front with O'Connor again highly influential, jinking inside the visitors' 22 before passing for right wing Adam Twomey to score, 26-0.
Tries: S Condon (2), B O'Connor, A Twomey, F Rousell. Cons: B O'Connor (3).
Tries: J O'Brien and O Pepper Con: C O'Connor.
B O'Connor; A Twomey, S Sexton, R O'Shaughnessy, S Condon; H Coughlan, M Murphy; F Cowhig, D Sheahan, S Ventura-Patricio; L Herdman, J Lynch; F Rousell, J Sheahan, captain, I Dennehy.
Subs: P Doyle, M O'Sullivan, T McCarthy, D Noonan, D Healy, L Tuohy, G Kareem-O'Leary, A Cooke, Z Dinan, J Wixted.
O Pepper; R Naughton, J O'Brien, G Wood, R Deegan; C O'Connor, J O'Riordan; C O'Brien, P Dougan, M Imbierowski; M Walsh, T Foley; T O'Brien, L Angermann, O Minogue.
B Noonan, M Corrigan, H Bennis, C Black, D Williamson, R McDermott, C McCarthy, M te Pou, J Madden, E Walsh, A Cusack.
B O'Connell (MAR).
App?
