Bank of Ireland Munster Senior Challenge Cup Final
Nenagh Ormond RFC v Young Munster RFC
Nenagh Ormond RFC v Young Munster RFC
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Young <strong>Munster</strong>’s Alan<br />
Kennedy in action in last<br />
season’s Bateman <strong>Cup</strong><br />
<strong>Final</strong> in Musgrave Park<br />
A HISTORY OF THE BATEMAN CUP<br />
The <strong>Cup</strong> was presented<br />
to the IRFU by Godfrey<br />
Bateman, in memory <strong>of</strong> his<br />
sons Major Reginald John<br />
Godfrey Bateman, Canadian<br />
Infantry, who was killed in<br />
battle, in Dury, France, on<br />
the 3rd <strong>of</strong> September 1918,<br />
aged 34, and Captain Arthur<br />
Cyril Bateman, M.B. Dublin<br />
University, who died near<br />
Cambrai in France on 28th<br />
March 1918.<br />
The competition was<br />
played annually between<br />
the four provincial <strong>Senior</strong><br />
<strong>Cup</strong> winners on the last<br />
weekend <strong>of</strong> the season, with<br />
the exception <strong>of</strong> 1933 and<br />
1934 when a number <strong>of</strong> the<br />
provincial cup campaigns<br />
had not been completed<br />
on time. The tournament<br />
was finally terminated at<br />
the outbreak <strong>of</strong> the Second<br />
World War owing to the<br />
restriction on travel.<br />
Garryowen Football Club<br />
ran a once <strong>of</strong>f Bateman<br />
<strong>Cup</strong> style competition in<br />
the spring <strong>of</strong> 1975, this in<br />
conjunction with the IRFU<br />
Centenary Celebrations, the<br />
laurels eventually rested with<br />
St. Mary’s College.<br />
For the season 2010/11,<br />
the IRFU reverted back to<br />
the provincial structure<br />
having run with an open<br />
draw All-<strong>Ireland</strong> <strong>Senior</strong> <strong>Cup</strong><br />
competition for the five<br />
previous seasons.<br />
The Trophy has come to<br />
<strong>Munster</strong> on 11 occasions<br />
– Young <strong>Munster</strong> in 1928,<br />
University College Cork<br />
eight years later, Bruff in<br />
2011, Garryowen in 2012 and<br />
2019, and Cork Constitution<br />
in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016,<br />
2017 and 2020 (shared with<br />
Lansdowne).<br />
Cork Constitution (1922),<br />
by Frank Byford<br />
Garryowen (1925) and (1926)<br />
all fell to Leinster opposition<br />
at the final hurdle, before<br />
Young <strong>Munster</strong> came in<br />
1928, the boys from the<br />
‘Yellow Road’ won the<br />
<strong>Munster</strong> <strong>Senior</strong> <strong>Cup</strong> for the<br />
first time in thrilling fashion<br />
that year. Many pundits<br />
were <strong>of</strong> the opinion that this<br />
would be the limit <strong>of</strong> their<br />
ambitions, however, they<br />
surprised all and sundry by<br />
going on and winning the<br />
coveted trophy.<br />
Lansdowne who had<br />
enjoyed a very successful<br />
season, losing only 5 <strong>of</strong><br />
their 29 starts were the<br />
warmest <strong>of</strong> favourites<br />
to lift the trophy for the<br />
second time. As Instonians<br />
the Ulster standard<br />
bearers had withdrawn<br />
from the competition, the<br />
headquarters side were<br />
expected to have an easy<br />
passage. Young <strong>Munster</strong><br />
BANK OF IRELAND MUNSTER SENIOR CHALLENGE CUP 2022/23 13