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Connacht Schools Junior Cup

{{Short description|Under-age rugby union competition in Ireland}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}

{{Infobox sports league

|title=Connacht Schools Junior Cup

|sport=Rugby Union

|logo=

|caption=Connacht Rugby Schools Junior Cup

|founded=1913

|teams=7 (season 2023-24)

|champion=Marist College, Athlone (2024)

|most_champs=Garbally College
42

}}

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

class="wikitable"

! School

! Outright Titles

! Shared Titles

! Runners-Up +1

! Total Finals +2

! Last Title

23x23px Garbally College

| 43

|

| 7

| 50

| 2019

23x23px St. Josephs College Galway (The Bish)

| 10

| 1

| 1

| 12

| 1991

23x23px Marist College, Athlone

| 9

|

| 4

| 13

| 2024

23x23px Sligo Grammar School

| 7

| 1

| 4

| 12

| 2008

23x23pxColaiste Iognaid (The Jes)

| 4

|

| 6

| 10

| 1987

23x23px Ranelagh College, Athlone

| 4

|

|

| 4

| 1929

23x23px Rice College

| 2

|

| 1

| 3

| 2012

23x23px Portumna Community School

| 2

|

| 1

| 3

| 2001

23x23px Calasanctius College, Oranmore

| 2

|

| 1

| 3

| 2010

23x23px Galway Grammar School

| 2

|

|

| 2

| 1958

23x23px CBS Roscommon

| 2

|

| 1

| 3

| 2020

23x23px Summerhill College, Sligo

| 1

|

| 2

| 3

| 2023

23x23px St Geralds College, Castlebar

| 1

|

|

| 1

| 2014

23x23px Clifden Community School

| 1

|

|

| 1

| 1976

23x23px Galway Vocational School

| 1

|

|

| 1

| 1969

23x23px St Muiredachs College, Ballina

|

|

| 2

| 3

| N/A

+1 Since 1989 (Excluding 1992-4)

+2 Only counting wins and losing finals since 1989

  • Last Updated 15/03/2023

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 {{cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/marist-make-history-as-cooper-seals-cup-double-29144690.html|title=Marist make history as Cooper seals cup double |accessdate=21 March 2013 |work=Irish Independent |date= 21 March 2013}}
  • 2014 St. Gerald's College, Castlebar beat CBS Roscommon 36 - 22 {{cite news|title=ST GERALD'S COLLEGE CASTLEBAR WIN THE CONNACHT SCHOOLS JUNIOR CUP FINAL|url=http://midwestradio.ie/index.php/sport/19612-st-gerald-s-college-castlebar-win-the-connacht-schools-junior-cup-final|publisher=Midwest Radio 96.1fm|date= 19 March 2014}}
  • 2015 CBS Roscommon beat Coláiste Iognáid, Galway 36 - 0 {{cite news|title=CBS Roscommon captured the 2015 Connacht Schools Junior Cup|url=http://www.the42.ie/connacht-schools-rugby-1999519-Mar2015/|publisher=TheJournal.ie|date= 18 March 2015}}{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/schools-rugby/conteh-and-hoare-bag-braces-to-seal-crosscode-double-for-roscommon-31078809.html|title=Conteh and Hoare bag braces to seal cross-code double for Roscommon|accessdate=26 March 2015 |work=Irish Independent |date= 17 March 2015}}
  • 2016 Marist College, Athlone beat Garbally College by 25 - 0 {{cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/schools-rugby/in-it-to-winnett-marist-seal-comprehensive-win-34547670.html|title=In it to Winnett: Marist seal comprehensive win|accessdate=17 March 2016 |work=Irish Independent |date= 17 March 2016}}
  • 2017 Garbally College, Ballinasloe beat Colaiste Iognaid by 17-13 {{cite news|title=Garbally Snatch Top Oil Junior Cup - Connacht Rugby|url=http://community.connachtrugby.ie/garbally-snatch-top-oil-junior-cup/|work=Connacht Rugby|date=15 March 2017|access-date=15 March 2017|archive-date=16 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170316114724/http://community.connachtrugby.ie/garbally-snatch-top-oil-junior-cup/|url-status=dead}}
  • 2018 Marist College, Athlone beat Garbally College by 20-17 {{cite news|title=Marist regain Junior Cup with tense win over Garbally - Connacht Rugby|url=https://community.connachtrugby.ie/marist-regain-junior-cup-tense-win-garbally/|work=Connacht Rugby|date=21 March 2018}}
  • 2019 Garbally College, Ballinasloe beat Colaiste Iognaid by 22 – 15.{{cite web |last1=GBFM |first1=Sport |title=School's Cup Rugby Final Day – Live |url=https://galwaybayfm.ie/sports/schools-cup-rugby-final-day-live/ |website=Galway Bay FM |accessdate=13 March 2019 |date=13 March 2019}}

=2020=

  • 2020 CBS Roscommon beat St Muredach's College, Ballina by 12-5
  • 2021 - Suspended due to COVID-19 restrictions.
  • 2022 Marist College, Athlone beat Sligo Grammar School by 10-7 {{cite web |title=Connacht Rugby - Tom Sheehan the hero as Marist take home Schools Junior Cup |url=https://www.connachtrugby.ie/tom-sheehan-the-hero-as-marist-take-home-schools-junior-cup/ |website=Connacht Rugby |language=en |date=30 March 2022}}
  • 2023 Summerhill College, Sligo beat Marist College, Athlone by 18-3{{cite web |title=Connacht School's Junior A Cup final 2023 |url=https://twitter.com/connachtrugby/status/1636038656015192065 |website=Connacht Rugby - Twitter |language=en}}
  • 2024 Marist College, Athlone beat Sligo Grammar School by 22-14 [Fixture doubled as Junior League Final also]{{cite web |title=Marist claim Junior Schools Cup & League crowns. |url=https://www.connachtrugby.ie/news/marist-claim-junior-schools-cup-crown/bp2924/ |website=Connacht Rugby |language=en |date=13 March 2024}}
  • 2025 Marist College, Athlone beat Sligo Grammar School 31-29 {{cite web |title=Junior A Schools Cup Final Match Report |url=https://www.connachtrugby.ie/news/junior-a-schools-cup-final-match-report/bp3382/ |website=Connacht Rugby |language=en |date=10 April 2025}} (After 15-15 draw)

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 {{cite news|title=Elvery's Connacht Schools Junior Development Cup Final: Gallen CS 32-3 Gortnor Abbey|url=http://www.gallencs.com/gallen-cs-news-updates-april-1st-2014/|work=www.gallencs.com}}
  • 2015
  • 2016
  • 2017 Calasanctius College beat Coláiste Bhaile Chláir, Claregalway by 19-16 {{cite news|title=Calasanctius Take Development Title - Connacht Rugby|url=https://community.connachtrugby.ie/oranmore-take-development-title/|work=Connacht Rugby|date=22 March 2017}}
  • 2018 Presentation College, Athenry beat St. Jarlath's College, Tuam by 30-5 {{cite news|title=Pres Athenry complete Schools Cup double with commanding win in Junior Development Cup Final - Connacht Rugby|url=https://community.connachtrugby.ie/pres-athenry-complete-schools-cup-double-commanding-win-junior-development-cup-final/|work=Connacht Rugby|date=15 March 2018}}
  • 2019 St. Jarlath's College, Tuam beat Presentation College, Athenry by 22-15

==2020==

  • 2020 Athlone Community College & [https://www.colaisteeinde.ie/ Colaiste Einde] Galway - Shared due to COVID-19 restrictions.
  • 2021 No Competition due to COVID-19 Pandemic
  • 2022 Coláiste Bhaile Chláir beat [https://www.colaisteeinde.ie/ Colaiste Einde] Galway by 15-12 {{cite web |title=Connacht Rugby - REPORT: Schools Junior B Cup heading to Colaiste Bhaile Chláir |url=https://www.connachtrugby.ie/report-schools-junior-b-cup-heading-to-colaiste-bhaile-chlair/ |website=Connacht Rugby |language=en |date=30 March 2022}}
  • 2023 Gort CS beat [https://www.colaisteeinde.ie/ Colaiste Einde] Galway by 13-10{{cite web |title=Full-time in the 2023 Connacht Schools' Junior B Cup final. |url=https://twitter.com/connachtrugby/status/1635978057734299648 |website=Connacht Rugby - Twitter |language=en}}
  • 2024 Presentation College, Athenry beat Colaiste Bhaile Chlair by 23-5.{{cite web |title=GALLERY: Junior B Schools Cup Final - 25th April 2024 - News |url=https://www.connachtrugby.ie/news/gallery-junior-b-schools-cup-final/bp3004/ |website=Connacht Rugby |language=en |date=25 April 2024}}
  • 2025 Rice College, Westport beat Presentation College, Athenry by 26-10{{cite web |title=Rice College Westport Storm to Victory in the Junior B Cup Final {{!}} 26th March 2025 {{!}} News |url=https://www.connachtrugby.ie/news/rice-college-westport-storm-to-victory-in-the-junior-b-cup-final/bp3352/ |website=Connacht Rugby |language=en |date=26 March 2025}}

=Junior Emerging Cup [Junior C Cup]=

==2010==

==2020==

  • 2020 Sancta Maria College, Louisburgh & Jesus & Mary Secondary School, Enniscrone - Shared due to COVID-19 restrictions.
  • 2021 No Competition due to COVID-19 Pandemic
  • 2022 Gort CS beat St. Raphael's College, Loughrea by 19-5{{cite web |title=Connacht Rugby - REPORT: Gort CS power their way to Junior C Cup glory |url=https://www.connachtrugby.ie/report-gort-cs-power-their-way-to-junior-c-cup-glory/ |website=Connacht Rugby |language=en |date=30 March 2022}}
  • 2023 St. Jarlath's College, Tuam beat Jesus & Mary Secondary School, Enniscrone by 20-10. {{cite web |title=ull-time in the 2023 Connacht School's Junior C final |url=https://twitter.com/connachtrugby/status/1636007749334061056 |website=Connacht Rugby - Twitter |language=en}}

Other Competitions

= Junior League =

= 2000 =

= 2010 =

= 2020 =

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20070312101730/http://www.connachtrugby.ie/newspage/72965.html Connacht Rugby Schools Cup Roll of Honour]
  • [http://www.sligogrammarschool.org/ Sligo Grammar School]

{{Rugby union in Ireland}}

Category:High school rugby union competitions in Ireland

Category:Rugby union competitions in Connacht

Category:1915 establishments in Ireland