Connacht Schools Rugby Senior Cup Explained

Connacht Schools Senior Cup
Sport:Rugby Union
Founded:1913
Teams:9 (season 2023-24)
Champion:Sligo Grammar School (2024)
Most Champs:Garbally College
48

The Connacht School's Rugby Senior Cup is an annual rugby union competition for secondary schools affiliated to the Connacht Rugby Branch of the IRFU.

History

The Connacht School's Rugby Senior Cup is an annual rugby union schools competition organised by the Connacht Rugby Branch of the IRFU. Boys, usually of seventeen or eighteen years of age, compete for the cup with rival schools from within the province of Connacht. The competition was first held in 1913, with Garbally College, Ballinasloe the first Champions.

The first round matches are typically played towards the end of January, with the final being played in the Galway Sportsgrounds the week before Saint Patrick's Day.

Historically, Garbally College have been the most successful school in the competition lifting the cup 48 times, while Coláiste Iognáid have been the most successful team since the turn of the millennium winning eight titles in years 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2016 and 2017.

The current holders (2023) are Sligo Grammar School who defended the title won in 2022 by consecutively beating Marist College, Athlone by 28-07 on 22 March 2023, and again 29-18 on 13 March 2024 in the Galway Sportsgrounds.

Competition structure

The Connacht Rugby Schools Cup is a three tier competition;

Senior Cup [Senior 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.

The two other tiers cater for schools who cannot consistently compete at Senior Cup level by reason of playing population or experience.

In total 30 Schools representing all five provincial counties participated in the various Connacht Rugby Senior Schools Cups in 2019.

Connacht Senior Development Cup [Senior 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 Senior Cup Level.
Nine schools compete in three pools of three, leading to semifinals and a final.

Connacht Senior Emerging Cup [Senior 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 semifinals and a final.

The target is for schools to establish themselves within the lowest tier initially, and progress through to the highest tier.

Roll of honour

SchoolLocationOutright Titles Shared TitlesRunners-Up +1Total Finals +2Last Title
Garbally CollegeBallinasloe, County Galway4707542020
Colaiste Iognaid (The Jes)Galway, County Galway1404182017
Sligo Grammar SchoolSligo, County Sligo13015282024
St. Josephs College (The Bish)Galway, County Galway1314181994
Marist CollegeAthlone, County Westmeath30362013
Ranelagh College, Athlone (2)Athlone, County Westmeath20021923
Galway Grammar School (2)Galway, County Galway10011941
Collegians (2)Galway, County Galway11021951
St Sarans College (1)Ferbane, County Offaly10232004
Wilsons HospitalMultyfarnham, County Westmeath10121966
Clifden Community SchoolClifden, County Galway10011975
Summerhill CollegeSligo, County Sligo0022N/A
CBS RoscommonRoscommon, County Roscommon0011N/A
Portumna Community SchoolPortumna, County Galway0011N/A

Cup final results [Senior A Cup]

1910s

1920s

1930s

1940s

1950s

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

Other cup competitions

Connacht Senior Development Cup Results [Senior B Cup]

2010s

2020s

Connacht Senior Emerging Cup Results [Senior C Cup]

2010s

2020s

Galway City Senior Cup

Other competitions

Senior B Cup

Senior League

2000's

2010's

From 2014-15 onward the league competition winner is determined as the team finishing top after all rounds are completed.

For year 2017-18, the winner is determined after a playoff final between the winners of Two Group sections.

2020's

Senior and Junior Cup Doubles

Senior Cup and League Doubles

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Coláiste Iognáid grab their sixth title. The Irish Times. Linley. Mackenzie. 10 March 2011.
  2. News: Coopers star as Marist College claim title. The Irish Examiner. 15 March 2012.
  3. News: Back-to-back titles for balanced Marist . 14 March 2013 . . 14 March 2013.
  4. News: Sligo's late rally secures cup glory in Connacht . 28 March 2014 . . 28 March 2014.
  5. News: Keller the hero as Garbally take title Garbally College 19 Summerhill College 18 Connacht Schools Snr Cup final. 26 March 2015 . . 17 March 2015.
  6. News: Masterful Simon Keller boots Garbally College to 45th title. Irish Examiner. 9 March 2016 . 19 March 2015.
  7. News: Linley. MacKenzie. Jes win Connacht Schools Rugby Cup. Galway Advertiser. 16 March 2016.
  8. News: Codyre holds nerve to take glory for Jes. Irish Independent. 17 March 2016 . 19 March 2016.
  9. News: Coláiste Iognáid Win Top Oil Senior Cup - Connacht Rugby. Connacht Rugby. 15 March 2017. 15 March 2017. 16 March 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170316113132/http://community.connachtrugby.ie/colaiste-iognaid-win-top-oil-senior-cup/. dead.
  10. News: Small. Daragh. Moment of brilliance the difference as Coláiste Iognáid claim back-to-back Connacht Senior Cups. 15 March 2017. The42. en.
  11. News: Garbally are kings of Connacht again after Senior Cup success - Connacht Rugby. Connacht Rugby. 21 March 2018.
  12. Web site: GBFM . Sport . Double glory for Garbally on Schools Cup finals day . Galway Bay FM . 13 March 2019 . 13 March 2019.
  13. News: Three-in-a-row for Garbally as they survive second-half Sligo onslaught to clinch Connacht Schools Senior Cup . independent.ie . en.
  14. News: MacKenzie . Linlley . Garbally show resilience to retain their Connacht crown . The Irish Times . en.
  15. Web site: Connacht Rugby - Match Report: Sligo Grammar VS Colaiste Iognaid . Connacht Rugby . en . 15 March 2022.
  16. Web site: Connacht Rugby - Twitter . Twitter . Connacht Rugby . 22 March 2023 . en.
  17. News: Top Oil Senior Development Final 14/15 - Connacht Rugby. Connacht Rugby. 27 March 2015.
  18. News: Scoil Chuimsitheach Chiaráin Win Top Oil Senior Dev Cup in Thriller - Connacht Rugby. Connacht Rugby. 27 April 2016.
  19. Web site: Mayo leads the way in schooling new players. Independent.ie. 8 March 2018. en.
  20. News: Headford see off Gortnor in 11 try thriller to claim Senior Development Cup - Connacht Rugby. Connacht Rugby. 21 March 2018.
  21. Web site: GBFM . Sport . School's Cup Rugby Final Day – Live . Galway Bay FM . 13 March 2019 . 13 March 2019.
  22. Web site: Connacht Rugby - Community - Fixtures & Results . Connacht Rugby . en.
  23. Web site: Connacht Rugby - Match Report: St. Pauls Oughterard Vs Colaiste Einda . Connacht Rugby . en . 15 March 2022.
  24. News: Enniscrone Win Senior Emerging Cup - Connacht Rugby. Connacht Rugby. 22 March 2017.
  25. News: Five tries from Athenry claims Senior Emerging Schools Cup Final - Connacht Rugby. Connacht Rugby. 15 March 2018.
  26. Web site: Connacht Rugby - Community Fixtures Results . www.connachtrugby.ie . 27 March 2019.
  27. Web site: Connacht Rugby - Match Report: Pres Headford V Sancta Maria . Connacht Rugby . en . 15 March 2022.
  28. Web site: SG Rugby - Season 2015/2016. Sligo Grammar School Website.
  29. Web site: Ward. Tony. 2015/16 Connacht School-by-school guide. Irish Independent. 17 March 2016.
  30. News: League Table - Connacht Rugby. Connacht Rugby. en-US. 2017-01-02.
  31. News: Rugby League Cup Winners Sligo Grammar School. 2016-12-07. Sligo Grammar School. en-US. 2017-01-02.
  32. Web site: Connacht Schools Senior Rugby League 2017-18. 16 November 2017.
  33. Web site: School . Sligo Grammar . Grammar wins League against Garbally College today. Score: 21-12. You're Fantastic!!#sgsachievers . @SligoGrammar . en . 12 December 2019.
  34. Web site: Sligo Grammar win's 2022 Senior League . Twitter . Sligo Grammar . en.

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