The Leinster Schools Senior Challenge Cup is the premier rugby union competition for secondary schools affiliated to the Leinster Branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU), and was first held in 1887.

Attendances are high for a schoolboy competition, with up to 25000 present at the final. This match traditionally took place on Saint Patrick's Day at Lansdowne Road. In 2008, the final was played at the Royal Dublin Society Grounds (RDS) after Donnybrook proved to be too small for the 2007 final, (Lansdowne Road was closed for redevelopment) and has been the home since. Since the move to the RDS and live television coverage, the attendance has decreased and is now typically 10,000 to 14,000.. Due to the redevelopment of the RDS finals are currently played in Tallaght Stadium

Blackrock College are the most successful school in the cup's history, having won 72 times, more than all other teams combined.

History

Three schools have won the cup at their first attempt; Blackrock College in the competition's maiden year in 1887, Castleknock College who won the first of their eight Leinster titles at the first time of asking when they defeated Blackrock in the 1913 final and Clongowes Wood College who first won the cup in 1926. St. Fintan's High School and Temple Carrig School are the most recent 'new' schools to the competition, making their debuts in the 2016/17 and 2019/20 seasons respectively.

To date, only six schools have achieved the Senior and Junior Cup "double". These are Blackrock, who have achieved this feat 26 times (1910, 1912, 1927, 1933, 1935–36, 1942–43, 1945, 1948, 1953–54, 1956–57, 1962, 1964, 1981–82, 1986–87, 1995, 2004, 2006, 2013–14, 2018), St Michaels twice (2012 & 2019), Newbridge (2020), Belvedere (2005), Terenure (1958) and Castleknock College (1920).

Even more rare is to lose both the Senior and Junior Cup Finals in the same year. This outcome has been experienced by seven schools on 12 occasions. Terenure College leads with 4 (1957, 1964, 1969 & 1987), followed by Belvedere College with 3 (1930, 1944 & 1962), next St Michaels College (2010), St Mary's College (1943), Newbridge College (1939), Cistercian College Roscrea (1910) and Blackrock College (2017) with 1 each. It happened to Blackrock College for the first time in 2017.

Blackrock College have only been defeated in successive finals on two occasions. In the 1920s they were runners up three times in a row, defeated by St Andrews in 1921 & 1922 followed by Belvedere in 1923. The second occasion was in 1979 & 1980 when they were defeated in successive finals by Terenure College.

The 91st Leinster Senior Schools Cup Final in 1977 was between Blackrock College and St Mary's College, and finished level at 12 points each at the end of normal time. Having played 70 minutes, the two sides now faced an additional 15 minutes extra time. Six minutes into extra time Blackrock got a try and conversion. Two further penalties in the second half of extra time sealed victory for Blackrock. The 1977 Leinster Senior Schools Cup Final was played on Sunday 20 March 1977 and not the normal St Patrick's Day. This decision was made to protect the Lansdowne Road pitch following poor weather prior to the Ireland v France Five Nations fixture on 19 March.

In September 1967, the then Minister for Education Donogh O'Malley introduced free secondary school education. Only very few rugby playing secondary schools opted to join the "Free Education" scheme. To date, only one of these non-fee paying schools has managed to win the Senior Cup. In 1983 and 1985, De La Salle Churchtown beat Castleknock College and Blackrock College.

Four captains have gained the distinction of lifting the cup twice, Larry McMahon (Blackrock College, 1929 and 1930), Garret Gill (Blackrock College,Leinster Schools Senior Rugby Cup Centenary Celebration 1886-1986 1962 and 1963), Jonny Mion (Blackrock College) in 1989 and 1990, Barry Gibney (Blackrock College) in 1995 and 1996.

The cup, and the schools who play for it, have a history of producing rugby players who have gone on to play for the Ireland national rugby union team. Players such as Denis Hickie, who captained his St. Mary's College team to win the cup in 1994, and Gordon D'Arcy have extensive Leinster Senior Cup records. The most international players produced have come from Blackrock College, with players such as Hugo MacNeill, Brendan Mullin, Brian O'Driscoll, Victor Costello, Shane Byrne, Bob Casey, Leo Cullen, Luke Fitzgerald, Ian Madigan, Jordi Murphy, Garry Ringrose and Joey Carbery.

The 2020 season could not be completed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and as a result the title was deemed shared for the first time by Clongowes Wood College and Newbridge College. It was also only the fourth time that no Dublin based school qualified for the final, 1932 (Pres Bray V Newbridge), 1941 (Newbridge V Roscrea), 2011 (Clongowes V Roscrea).

The 2021 cup campaign did not take place due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2023 first round tie between Terenure College and Clongowes Wood College, Clongowes won 17–15 in a very tight game. However it emerged afterwards that Clongowes fielded an illegible player and the Schools committee ordered a replay. Clongowes also won the replay 20–19 with Terenure hitting the posts with a last minute penalty attempt.

Roll of honour

School Location Titles Winning years Blackrock CollegeBlackrock, Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown 721887–88, 1890, 1893–97, 1900–05, 1907–1910, 1912, 1915–1919, 1925, 1927–1930, 1933–1936, 1939, 1940, 1942, 1943, 1945, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1956, 1957, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1967, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2024, 2025 SCT & JCT Double 26 times – 1910, 1912, 1927, 1933, 1935, 1936, 1942, 1943, 1945, 1948, 1953, 1954, 1956, 1957, 1962, 1964, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1987, 1995, 2004, 2006, 2013, 2014, 2018 Belvedere College Great Denmark Street, Dublin City 121923–24, 1938, 1946, 1951, 1968, 1971–72, 2005 (Double), 2008, 2016–17 Terenure CollegeTerenure, Dublin City 101952, 1958 (Double), 1979–80, 1984, 1992–93, 1997, 2001, 2003 Clongowes Wood College Clane, County Kildare 91926, 1978, 1988, 1991, 1998, 2000, 2010–11, 20202 Castleknock College Castleknock, Dublin 81913, 1920 (Double), 1931, 1937, 1944, 1947, 1959, 1965 St. Mary's CollegeRathmines, Dublin City 61961, 1966, 1969, 1994, 2002, 2026 St. Andrew's College Booterstown, Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown 4 1906, 1911, 1921, 1922 Newbridge College Newbridge, County Kildare 31941, 1970, 20202 (Double) St. Michael's CollegeAilesbury Road, Dublin 4 32007, 2012 (Double), 2019 (Double) De La Salle Churchtown Churchtown, Dublin 21983, 1985Corrig School4 (Closed)Monkstown, Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown21889, 1892 Gonzaga CollegeRanelagh, Dublin 1 2023 Cistercian College, RoscreaRoscrea, County Offaly 12015 C.B.C. MonkstownMonkstown, Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown11976 The High SchoolRathgar, Dublin 11973 Presentation College BrayBray, County Wicklow 11932 Mountjoy School / Mount Temple Comprehensive School1Malahide Road, Dublin City11914 Saint Columba's CollegeWhitechurch, South Dublin 1 1899 Wesley College Ballinteer, Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown 11898Rathmines School3 (Closed)Rathmines, Dublin City11891

1 Mountjoy School was amalgamated with other schools in 1972 to become Mount Temple Comprehensive School. 2 SCT Final not played due to COVID-19. Cup shared. 3 Rathmines school closed in 1899. 4 Corrig School (Monkstown Park School), a Protestant school closed in the first half of the 20th century and later in the 1950s the catholic CBC Monkstown transferred part of the school to the campus

Results