Connacht Schools Senior Cup Final
Sligo Grammar School 28
Marist College, Athlone 7
Kevin Egan reports from the Sportsground
CONNACHT RUGBY POWERHOUSE Sligo Grammar School are back-to-back Senior Cup champions after they came through a tough physical test against a young but rapidly-improving Marist College side in this afternoon’s final at the Sportsground in Galway.
It was the greater strength of Jimmy Staunton’s second and back row that proved crucial in setting up the chances that Earl Norris converted to keep the Grammar boys in control up until a late flourish, when Jacob Kilcoyne and Arann Platt crossed the line to give the scoreboard an emphatic look.
A typically-raucous crowd and typically-wild Galway spring weather greeted the teams, and it was a robust and aggressive Marist College test that Sligo Grammar had to face, with all the play in the opening quarter-hour taking place within 30 metres of the Grammar goal line.
Conor Sheehan’s block on an attempted clearance from Gerard Murtagh opened up a chance for Marist to draw first blood and they came agonisingly close to doing so, with Danny Reid ultimately held up by brilliant last ditch Grammar school defending.
Outstanding counter-rucking and poaching at the breakdown was the key ingredient for Marist, but their achilles heel was tackling, and they paid a heavy price for that failing when Sligo Grammar School opened the scoring in the 15th minute through a magnificent solo effort from George Barlow.
There looked to be no threat when the winger took possession on the halfway line with three Marist defenders lurking and ready to crash him into touch, but he danced his way out of trouble and then exploded through the line to open up a straight run under the posts.
A youthful Marist side, with six Transition Year students n their starting line-up, fell further behind to an Earl Norris penalty in front of the posts but they gave themselves a lifeline before half-time when outhalf James Clarke’s skip pass put Tom Sheehan into space, and Sheehan duly sent Conor Dowling over in the corner.
Charlie O’Carroll’s touchline conversion made it 10-7 at half-time, but Sligo Grammar used their experience brilliantly after half time and controlled possession and territory, without making another breakthrough until very late on. Ambrose Bamber, Diarmaid O’Connell and Matthew Ryan were outstanding in controlling the play, consistently hitting rucks and giving Sligo Grammar front foot ball.
Two further Earl Norris penalties made life that bit more comfortable for Sligo and as their maturity and physicality came to bear, they were able to set up late tries for Jacob Kilcoyne and Arann Platt, rounding off an unbeaten season and an incredible two-year period that has seen them accumulate league and cup doubles in 2022 and 2023.
Scorers for Sligo Grammar School
- Tries: George Barlow, Jacob Kilcoyne and Arann Platt
- Conversions: Earl Norris (2)
- Penalties: Earl Norris (3)
Scorers for Marist College
- Try: Conor Dowling
- Conversion: Charlie O’Carroll
Sligo Grammar School: Alex Harte; Dara Holmes, Gerard Murtagh, Conor Creaven, George Barlow; Earl Norris, Gareth McGinty; Arann Platt, Quentin Moughty, Jack Deegan; Matthew Ryan, Paddy Wright; Diarmaid O’Connell, Dylan McCloat, Ambrose Bamber.
Replacements: Jack Kilcoyne for Norris (7-10 mins, blood) Max Hunter for Wright (half-time), Kilcoyne for McGinty (52), Francis Ellison for Ryan (67), Milo Holmes for D Holmes (70)
Marist College: Danny Reid; Conor Dowling, Thomas Cotton, Tom Sheehan, Tom Burke; James Clarke, Charlie O’Carroll; Leon Cassidy, Eoin Naughton, Bobbie Foxe; Conor Sheehan, Luca Giles; Paddy Egan, Callum Kelly, Niall Tallon.
Replacements: Evan McMickan for Foxe (half-time), Foxe for Naughton (50), Éanna McDonnell for Burke (54), Seán Doyle for Kelly (62), Vinnie Meyer for Sheehan (69)
Referee: Johnny Quinn