Controversy has arrived in the Leinster Schools Senior Cup, with the Wicklow derby between St. Gerard’s and Pres Bray ordered to be replayed over an ineligible player having played.
Gerard’s won the first-round battle at Donnybrook last week, after going 24-17 up in the 51st minute and maintaining that scoreline through to full-time.
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They had been set to face Blackrock in the second round, before an investigation by Leinster Rugby into a potential rules breach.
It has now been confirmed that Gerard’s fielded an ineligible player, and a replay has been ordered.
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Leinster Senior Cup: St. Gerard’s v Pres Bray to be replayed
28 January 2026; St Gerard’s School players celebrate with the O’Connor Cup after their side’s victory in the Bank of Ireland Leinster Rugby Boys Schools Senior Cup First Round match between St Gerard’s School and Presentation College Bray at Energia Park in Dublin. Photo by Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile
In a statement on Tuesday, Leinster Rugby said:
Following a meeting of the Leinster Rugby Schools Committee yesterday, it has been decided that the Bank of Ireland Leinster Rugby Boys Schools Senior Cup first round game between St Gerard’s School and Presentation College, Bray will be replayed on Friday, 6 February at 3.30pm at Greystones RFC andwill be streamed live on Leinster Rugby Plus.
The decision to replay the fixture follows a submission that St. Gerard’s School fielded an ineligible player during their first round 24-17 win over Presentation College, Bray in contravention of Regulation 7.1 of the Leinster Rugby Games Master’s Handbook and Schools Competition Regulations.
On the evidence available, it has been decided by the Leinster Rugby Schools Committee, to replay the game this Friday.
Regulation 7 of the aforementioned Leinster Senior Cup handbook refers to the eligibility of players.
In the most recent edition published online (from 2018), Regulation 7.1 is in relation to the attendance of players in the school they are representing:
In the event of a pupil being prevented by illness from giving full regular attendance during school hours, he/she shall not be disqualified if he/she can produce to the satisfaction of the Schools Committee and Schools Competition Committee a medical certificate covering his/her period, or periods of absence. In this Rule the words “full attendance” mean “full regular attendance at the school from which the pupil is entered.
A bizarre situation.
This is not the first such occurrence in recent years. In 2023, Clongowes were forced to replay their round one win over Terenure after fielding an ineligible player. On that occasion, the Kildare college had breached Regulation 8.6, meaning the player in question had not been in attendance at the school for 20 months or longer.
It will be a quick turnaround for the victors of Friday’s game, with either Gerard’s or Pres Bray scheduled to play Blackrock in the second round of the Leinster Senior Cup just four days later on Tuesday, February 10th.
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