Connacht Schools Junior Cup Explained
The Connacht Schools Junior Challenge Cup is an under-age rugby union competition for schools affiliated to the Connacht Branch of the IRFU.
Competition is confined to students under the age of 16. The final is held in March each year in the Galway Sportsgrounds. It is usually seen as a good forecast as who will win the Connacht Schools Senior Cup in the following years.
Garbally College have been the most successful school in the competition lifting the cup 42 times. They are followed by St Joseph's College, Galway (10 times), Sligo Grammar School (7 times), Coláiste Iognáid, Marist College, Athlone and Ranelagh College (4 times) and Calasanctius College, Oranmore (2 times)
Marist College, Athlone have been the most successful team since the turn of the millennium winning the Junior cup Nine times (2000, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2013, 2016,2018, 2022, 2024).
Competition structure
The Connacht Rugby Schools Cup is a three tier competition.
Junior Cup [Junior A Cup]
The premier competition played by the strongest rugby playing schools in the region. Current competition format is two pools [A & B] of three teams playing each other round robin.The Winners & Runner Up in each pool proceeding to the Semi-Finals.
- Winner Pool A vs Runner Up Pool B
- Winner Pool B vs Runner Up Pool A
The two other tiers cater for schools who cannot consistently compete at Junior Cup level by reason of playing population or experience.
In total 30 Schools representing all five provincial counties participated in the various Connacht Rugby Junior Schools Cups in 2019.
Connacht Junior Development Cup [Junior B Cup]
Is the Second Tier Competition for schools with established Rugby programs but who due to lower playing numbers or do not have the high level of population experience to consistently compete at Junior Cup Level.
Nine schools compete in three pools of three, leading to semi-finals and a final.
Connacht Junior Emerging Cup [Junior C Cup]
Is the Third Tier Competition for Schools who have recently introduced Rugby programs within their schools.
Nine schools compete in three pools of three, leading to semi-finals and a final.
The target is for schools to establish themselves within the lowest tier initially, and progress through to the highest tier.
Performance by School
+1 Since 1989 (Excluding 1992-4)+2 Only counting wins and losing finals since 1989
Results
1910
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
- 2010 Calasanctius College, Oranmore beat Rice College by 17-5
- 2011 Rice College, Westport beat Calasanctius College, Oranmore by 26-18
- 2012 Rice College, Westport beat Sligo Grammar School by 6 - 3 (Replay after 10-10 draw on 13/03/12)
- 2013 Marist College, Athlone beat Sligo Grammar School by 22 - 8 [1]
- 2014 St. Gerald's College, Castlebar beat CBS Roscommon 36 - 22 [2]
- 2015 CBS Roscommon beat Coláiste Iognáid, Galway 36 - 0 [3] [4]
- 2016 Marist College, Athlone beat Garbally College by 25 - 0 [5]
- 2017 Garbally College, Ballinasloe beat Colaiste Iognaid by 17-13 [6]
- 2018 Marist College, Athlone beat Garbally College by 20-17 [7]
- 2019 Garbally College, Ballinasloe beat Colaiste Iognaid by 22 – 15.[8]
2020
Other Cup Competitions
Junior Development Cup [Junior B Cup]
2010
- 2010 Clifden CS beat Rice College by 13-7
- 2011 Sligo Grammar School beat St. Geralds College, Castlebar by 10-5
- 2012 Marist College, Athlone beat Roscommon CBS by 17-5
- 2013 Gallen Community School, Ferbane beat Coláiste Iognáid, Galway by 13-7
- 2014 Gallen Community School, Ferbane beat Gortnor Abbey by 32-3 [12]
- 2015
- 2016
- 2017 Calasanctius College beat Coláiste Bhaile Chláir, Claregalway by 19-16 [13]
- 2018 Presentation College, Athenry beat St. Jarlath's College, Tuam by 30-5 [14]
- 2019 St. Jarlath's College, Tuam beat Presentation College, Athenry by 22-15
2020
Junior Emerging Cup [Junior C Cup]
2010
- 2010 Calasanctius College, Oranmore beat Coláiste Iognáid, Galway (The Jes) By 8-6
- 2011 Coláiste Iognáid, Galway (The Jes) beat St Josephs College, Galway)
- 2012 St Josephs College, Galway beat Colaiste Einde Galway
- 2013 St Josephs College, Galway beat Colaiste Einde Galway
- 2014
- 2015 St. Jarlath's College, Tuam beat St Tiernan's College, Crossmolina by 19-14
- 2016
- 2017 Abbey Community College Boyle beat St Joseph's, Foxford by 24-18 [17]
- 2018 Abbey Community College Boyle beat St Joseph's, Foxford by 8-5 [18]
- 2019 Athlone Community College beat Scoil Chuimsiteach Chiarain, Carraroe by 28-0
2020
Other Competitions
Junior B Cup
Junior C Cup
Junior League
2000
2010
2020
See also
External links
Notes and References
- News: Marist make history as Cooper seals cup double . 21 March 2013 . . 21 March 2013.
- News: ST GERALD'S COLLEGE CASTLEBAR WIN THE CONNACHT SCHOOLS JUNIOR CUP FINAL. Midwest Radio 96.1fm. 19 March 2014.
- News: CBS Roscommon captured the 2015 Connacht Schools Junior Cup. TheJournal.ie. 18 March 2015.
- News: Conteh and Hoare bag braces to seal cross-code double for Roscommon. 26 March 2015 . . 17 March 2015.
- News: In it to Winnett: Marist seal comprehensive win. 17 March 2016 . . 17 March 2016.
- News: Garbally Snatch Top Oil Junior Cup - Connacht Rugby. Connacht Rugby. 15 March 2017. 15 March 2017. 16 March 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170316114724/http://community.connachtrugby.ie/garbally-snatch-top-oil-junior-cup/. dead.
- News: Marist regain Junior Cup with tense win over Garbally - Connacht Rugby. Connacht Rugby. 21 March 2018.
- Web site: GBFM . Sport . School's Cup Rugby Final Day – Live . Galway Bay FM . 13 March 2019 . 13 March 2019.
- Web site: Connacht Rugby - Tom Sheehan the hero as Marist take home Schools Junior Cup . Connacht Rugby . en . 30 March 2022.
- Web site: Connacht School's Junior A Cup final 2023 . Connacht Rugby - Twitter . en.
- Web site: Marist claim Junior Schools Cup & League crowns. . Connacht Rugby . en . 13 March 2024.
- News: Elvery's Connacht Schools Junior Development Cup Final: Gallen CS 32-3 Gortnor Abbey. www.gallencs.com.
- News: Calasanctius Take Development Title - Connacht Rugby. Connacht Rugby. 22 March 2017.
- News: Pres Athenry complete Schools Cup double with commanding win in Junior Development Cup Final - Connacht Rugby. Connacht Rugby. 15 March 2018.
- Web site: Connacht Rugby - REPORT: Schools Junior B Cup heading to Colaiste Bhaile Chláir . Connacht Rugby . en . 30 March 2022.
- Web site: Full-time in the 2023 Connacht Schools' Junior B Cup final. . Connacht Rugby - Twitter . en.
- News: Abbey CC Clinch Junior Emerging Title - Connacht Rugby. Connacht Rugby. 22 March 2017.
- News: Abbey Community College claim Junior Emerging Schools Cup it tight encounter - Connacht Rugby. Connacht Rugby. 15 March 2018.
- Web site: Connacht Rugby - REPORT: Gort CS power their way to Junior C Cup glory . Connacht Rugby . en . 30 March 2022.
- Web site: ull-time in the 2023 Connacht School's Junior C final . Connacht Rugby - Twitter . en.
- Web site: Connacht Rugby - Community Fixtures & Results . Connacht Rugby . en.
- Web site: https://twitter.com/MaristRFC/status/1473361351007473670 . Marist Rugby Twitter . en.
- Web site: Marist claim Junior Schools Cup & League crowns. . Connacht Rugby . en . 13 March 2024.