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. The trophy is named after Garrett Fitzgerald former CBC coach, Munster coach and Munster CEO.
The inaugural Munster Schools Senior Cup was held in 1909, and since then, two all-boys schools in Cork city have been prominent as the only rugby-playing schools in the city. Presentation Brothers College (PBC) and Christian Brothers College (CBC) have won the tournament the most times; As of 2025, both schools have each won 32 titles. [1] Rockwell College (with 26 titles) were once the team to beat in the competition, holding the record for most wins until the 1980s. However, Rockwell have only won the cup five times since.
Limerick CBS (4) won Limerick's first trophies in the 1920s and 1930s, followed by Crescent College Comprehensive (12) which contributed three in the 1940s and 1950s, whilst St. Munchin's (5) won their first in 1968. Mungret College, which merged into Crescent College in 1974, also won the trophy once in 1941. In addition Ardscoil Rís and St. Enda's have competed in finals. As of 2025, the most recent winners were CBC, who overcame a PBC team to win the 2025 final 17–10. [1]
The competition's final generally takes place every year around Saint Patrick's Day, and alternates between being played in Thomond Park or Musgrave Park, unless there are two teams from one city playing; in that case, the game takes place in that city.
Schools rugby is seen by the IRFU as one of the two channels for players to learn their rugby and advance to senior levels.[ citation needed ]
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), Peter O'Mahony (PBC), David Wallace (CCC), Donnacha Ryan (St. Munchin's), Conor Murray (St. Munchin's), 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.
| Team | Winner | Winning Years (Bold denotes winning Snr/Jnr Cup Double) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Presentation Brothers College, Cork | 32 | 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, 2020 (shared), 2023, 2024
|
| 1 | Christian Brothers College, Cork | 32 | 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, 2019, 2020 (shared), 2025 |
| 3 | 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
|
| 4 | Crescent College, Limerick | 12 | 1947, 1949, 1951, 1963, 1983, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1994, 2013, 2014, 2022 |
| 5 | St. Munchin's College, Limerick | 5 | 1968, 1982, 2002, 2004, 2006 |
| 6 | Limerick CBS | 4 | 1926, 1931, 1933, 1934 |
| 7 | The Abbey, Tipperary | 1 | 1921 |
| P.B.C. Cobh | 1938 | ||
| Mungret College, Limerick | 1941 | ||
| Castletroy College, Limerick | 2008 | ||
| Glenstal Abbey School, Limerick | 2018 |