Bank of Ireland Munster Senior Challenge Cup Final

MUNSTER SENIOR CUP A TO Z
By Frank Byford,
Former Hon. Secretary,
Munster Branch
A - After a lapse of 31 years Bohemians regained the trophy in 1958 when they defeated
Highfield who were making their initial appearance in the decider at Thomond Park,
the successful XV was Paddy Downes, Paddy Moran (captain), Christy English, Basil
Fitzgibbon, Maurice Mortell, Mick English, Tom Cleary, William Slattery, Dermot Geary,
John Nagle, John Mulcahy, Ted Watson, John Ryan, Caleb Powell, Billy Hurley.
B - Bandon under the captaincy of Frank Levis became the first winners of the trophy in
1886 defeating Garryowen in a replay at the Cork Park.
C - Cup, the original trophy in 1886 was procured through the house of Messrs Martin Hall
& Co. of Sheffield. It was made specially to order and was described as ‘a valuable prize
and a beautiful exhibition of the silversmith’s art and skill’. It was valued at £65 sterling.
When the Branch replaced the famous old trophy in 1994, the cost had risen to 13K punts.
D - Draw for the initial competition in 1886 resulted as follows: Garryowen FC v Nenagh
RFC, Clanwilliam FC v Tralee RFC, Cork Football Club v Bandon RFC and Queen’s College
RFC v Limerick Football Club.
E - Equaliser – one of the most dramatic scores to draw a final occurred in the 1967
meeting of Cork Constitution and Highfield - Tony Loughry landed the equalising penalty
from the half way line with the last kick of the match, the ball going over after hitting the
crossbar – it was all the more remarkable as Loughry had been down injured for what
seemed like ages, before he was helped from the ground, dusted himself down before he
earned the ‘field’ a deserved draw.
F - Fire Station, Roches Street, Limerick, was the venue for the draw for the initial
competition in 1886.
G - Garryowen FC, found in 1884, became the first Limerick side to lift the trophy in 1889,
going on a dominant run with a further eight triumphs before the turn of the century.
H - Highfield won the first of their two titles in 1966 with a team that included Tony
O’Brien, Tony Loughry, Gary O’Reilly, Pierce McNamara, Donal Kiely, Billy O’Lehan, Finny
Pope, Sean Hayes, Liam Ormonde, Jim Dennehy, Joe McDonnell (captain), Dougie
Burke, Denis Dennehy, Terry Moore, Gary ‘Hank’ O’Reilly.
I - Initial match in the competition was played on Tuesday 23rd, February, 1886, at the
Markets Field, Limerick when Garryowen beat Nenagh Ormond by two goals and three
tries to nil.
J - Jack Horgan led University College Cork to victory in the 1950 decider over a fancied
Garryowen XV in Limerick.
K - Kiernan, Tom won seven cup winners medals between 1963 – 1973, the first with
University College Cork, and the remainder with Cork Constitution, while his brother Jim
was on the successful winning UCC (1955) and Cork Constitution (1957) XVs.
L - Last occasion that a final was refereed by an official from outside the province was
1936, when R.A.C. Barrett (Leinster Branch) took control of the University College Cork
and Cork Constitution decider.
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