Wikipedia

Connacht Schools Junior Cup

The Connacht Schools Junior Challenge Cup is an under-age rugby union competition for schools affiliated to the Connacht Branch of the IRFU.

Connacht Schools Junior Cup
SportRugby Union
Founded1913
No. of teams7 (season 2023-24)
Most recent
champion(s)		Marist College, Athlone (2024)
Most titlesGarbally College
42

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 edit

The Connacht Rugby Schools Cup is a three tier competition.

Junior Cup [Junior A Cup] edit

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] edit

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] edit

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 edit

School Outright Titles Shared Titles Runners-Up +1 Total Finals +2 Last Title
  Garbally College 43 7 50 2019
  St. Josephs College Galway (The Bish) 10 1 1 12 1991
  Marist College, Athlone 9 4 13 2024
  Sligo Grammar School 7 1 4 12 2008
 Colaiste Iognaid (The Jes) 4 6 10 1987
  Ranelagh College, Athlone 4 4 1929
  Rice College 2 1 3 2012
  Portumna Community School 2 1 3 2001
  Calasanctius College, Oranmore 2 1 3 2010
  Galway Grammar School 2 2 1958
  CBS Roscommon 2 1 3 2020
  Summerhill College, Sligo 1 2 3 2023
  St Geralds College, Castlebar 1 1 2014
  Clifden Community School 1 1 1976
  Galway Vocational School 1 1 1969
  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 edit

1910 edit

1920 edit

1930 edit

1940 edit

1950 edit

1960 edit

1970 edit

1980 edit

1990 edit

2000 edit

2010 edit

2020 edit

Other Cup Competitions edit

Junior Development Cup [Junior B Cup] edit

2010 edit

2020 edit

Junior Emerging Cup [Junior C Cup] edit

2010 edit

2020 edit

Other Competitions edit

Junior B Cup edit

Junior C Cup edit

Junior League edit

2000 edit

2010 edit

2020 edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Marist make history as Cooper seals cup double". Irish Independent. 21 March 2013. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
  2. ^ "ST GERALD'S COLLEGE CASTLEBAR WIN THE CONNACHT SCHOOLS JUNIOR CUP FINAL". Midwest Radio 96.1fm. 19 March 2014.
  3. ^ "CBS Roscommon captured the 2015 Connacht Schools Junior Cup". TheJournal.ie. 18 March 2015.
  4. ^ "Conteh and Hoare bag braces to seal cross-code double for Roscommon". Irish Independent. 17 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  5. ^ "In it to Winnett: Marist seal comprehensive win". Irish Independent. 17 March 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  6. ^ "Garbally Snatch Top Oil Junior Cup - Connacht Rugby". Connacht Rugby. 15 March 2017. Archived from the original on 16 March 2017. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  7. ^ "Marist regain Junior Cup with tense win over Garbally - Connacht Rugby". Connacht Rugby. 21 March 2018.
  8. ^ GBFM, Sport (13 March 2019). "School's Cup Rugby Final Day – Live". Galway Bay FM. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  9. ^ "Connacht Rugby - Tom Sheehan the hero as Marist take home Schools Junior Cup". Connacht Rugby. 30 March 2022.
  10. ^ "Connacht School's Junior A Cup final 2023". Connacht Rugby - Twitter.
  11. ^ "Marist claim Junior Schools Cup & League crowns". Connacht Rugby. 13 March 2024.
  12. ^ "Elvery's Connacht Schools Junior Development Cup Final: Gallen CS 32-3 Gortnor Abbey". www.gallencs.com.
  13. ^ "Calasanctius Take Development Title - Connacht Rugby". Connacht Rugby. 22 March 2017.
  14. ^ "Pres Athenry complete Schools Cup double with commanding win in Junior Development Cup Final - Connacht Rugby". Connacht Rugby. 15 March 2018.
  15. ^ "Connacht Rugby - REPORT: Schools Junior B Cup heading to Colaiste Bhaile Chláir". Connacht Rugby. 30 March 2022.
  16. ^ "Full-time in the 2023 Connacht Schools' Junior B Cup final". Connacht Rugby - Twitter.
  17. ^ "Abbey CC Clinch Junior Emerging Title - Connacht Rugby". Connacht Rugby. 22 March 2017.
  18. ^ "Abbey Community College claim Junior Emerging Schools Cup it tight encounter - Connacht Rugby". Connacht Rugby. 15 March 2018.
  19. ^ "Connacht Rugby - REPORT: Gort CS power their way to Junior C Cup glory". Connacht Rugby. 30 March 2022.
  20. ^ "ull-time in the 2023 Connacht School's Junior C final". Connacht Rugby - Twitter.
  21. ^ "Connacht Rugby - Community Fixtures & Results". Connacht Rugby.
  22. ^ Marist Rugby Twitter https://twitter.com/MaristRFC/status/1473361351007473670. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  23. ^ "Marist claim Junior Schools Cup & League crowns". Connacht Rugby. 13 March 2024.

External links edit

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