Munster Schools Rugby Senior Cup

The Munster Schools Senior Cup or Munster Senior Cup is the under-age rugby union competition for schools affiliated to the Munster Branch of the IRFU.

Schools rugby is seen by the IRFU as one of the two channels for players to learn their rugby and advance to senior levels. This notwithstanding, the schools competitions generate significant interest in their own right[1] whilst old rivalries are re-awakened,[2] and nostalgic memories abound ensuring that nobody who has been through the system remains untouched.[3]

The inaugural Munster Schools Senior Cup took place in 1909 and since then Cork City's two all-boys schools have been very much to the fore, as the only rugby playing schools in the city. Christian Brothers College and Presentation Brothers College both have 29 titles each. Rockwell College (26) were once the team to beat in the competition, holding the record of most wins until the 1970s. However, Rockwell have only won the cup six times since.

Limerick's dominant club scene, smaller population and larger number of competing schools has led to more modest achievements. Limerick CBS (4) won Limerick's first trophies in the 1920s and 30s, followed by Crescent College¹ (11) which contributed three in the 1940s and 50s whilst St. Munchin's (5) added their first in 1968. Mungret College, merged into Crescent College¹ in 1974, took the trophy once in 1941. In addition Ardscoil Rís, and St. Enda's have all competed in finals. Glenstal Abbey is the most recent winner and their 2018 win is the first in their history.

The competition's final generally takes place every year on St. Patrick's day and alternates between being played in Thomond Park or Musgrave Park — unless there are two teams from one city playing, in which case the game takes place in that city.

Many players that have taken part in (and won) the Senior cup have gone on to represent Munster and Ireland. Former winners of the Cup include:, Ronan O'Gara (PBC), Peter Stringer (PBC), Simon Zebo (PBC), David Wallace (Crescent), Donnacha Ryan (St. Munchin's) and Keith Earls (St. Munchin's). Jerry Flannery (St. Munchin's) and Paul O'Connell (Ardscoil Rís) also played Senior Cup rugby for their respective schools.

The competition is currently sponsored by the Clayton Hotels Group.

Top Winners

Team Winner Winning Years
1 Presentation Brothers College, Cork 29 1918, 1920, 1927, 1932, 1935, 1939, 1945, 1946, 1948, 1952, 1954, 1957, 1958, 1965, 1966, 1969, 1975, 1978, 1981, 1987, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2017
Christian Brothers College, Cork 29 1909, 1913, 1916, 1919, 1922, 1924, 1925, 1936, 1943, 1944, 1956, 1962, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2009, 2016
2 Rockwell College, Cashel 26 1910, 1911, 1912, 1914, 1915, 1917, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1937, 1940, 1942, 1950, 1953, 1955, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1964, 1967, 1970, 1985, 2001, 2011, 2012, 2015
3 Crescent College, Limerick 11 1947, 1949, 1951, 1963, 1983, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1994, 2013, 2014
4 St. Munchin's College, Limerick 5 1968, 1982, 2002, 2004, 2006
5 Limerick CBS 4 1926, 1931, 1933, 1934
6 The Abbey, Tipperary 1 1921
P.B.C. Cobh 1 1938
Mungret College, Limerick 1 1941
Castletroy College, Limerick 1 2008
Glenstal Abbey School, Limerick 1 2018

Honours

1900s

1910s

1920s

1930s

1940s

1950s

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/schools-rugby/breaking-new-ground-1608345.html
  2. ↑ http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/schools-rugby/from-little-acorns-1608328.html
  3. ↑ http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/schools-rugby/then-a-hero-comes-along-1608326.html
  4. ↑ Avonmore Senior Cup 2006/7 Archived 2007-09-08 at the Wayback Machine.
  5. ↑ "Rockwell win 25th title in 2012". Irish Examiner.
  6. ↑ "Classy Crescent blow Rock away to collect 10th title". Irish Examiner. 19 March 2013. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  7. ↑ "A comprehensive final victory". Irish Examiner. 18 March 2014. Retrieved 19 March 2014.
  8. ↑ "Rockwell College deny Ardscoil Rís a first ever Munster Senior Cup title". Irish Independent. 17 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  9. ↑ "Cork's CBC crowned Munster Schools Senior Cup champions". Irish Independent. 13 March 2016. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  10. ↑ "Sean French fires PBC past Glenstal Abbey for 29th crown". Irish Examiner. 18 March 2017. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  11. ↑ "'It wasn't about competing; it was about winning'". Irish Examiner. 19 March 2018. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
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