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Details

Date Time Competition Season
19 December 2022 12:00 pm Connacht Schools Senior A Boys League 2022/23

Match Report

 

Grammar edge their rivals Summerhill for Senior A League crown

Sligo Grammar are the 2022 Connacht Senior A Schools League Champions after narrowly edging out their local rivals Summerhill in Heffernan Park this afternoon.

The Grammar were favourites going into the tie and have held onto their crown with consecutive league final victories, sets them up nicely for the Senior Cup in the new year.

It was a hotly contested opening to this final, two rivals going head to head for a chance at silverware, the exchanges were ferocious as both defences were well matched at keeping the other at bay, plenty chances for both but neither could find that little bit extra to take a score.

Points were proving hard to come by but with Summerhill awarded a penalty at close range, Oisin O’Neill opted for the posts and the fly-half made no error with the strike to put Summerhill 3-0 ahead on the half hour mark.

That score seemed to spark the contest into life as the previous exchanges were tight and compact between the teams, Sligo Grammar had a chance of a late score with a penalty shy on the Summerhill ten metre line but Norris opted to kick for touch, it would prove fruitful as the Grammar worked the phases well before Gareth McGinty was given space to exploit to get over the whitewash for the opening try just before the end of play, Norris converted from the tee for a 7-3 lead at the break for Sligo Grammar.

O’Neill attempted to cut the deficit shortly after the restart, the kicker set up a monster attempt from a penalty just outside the Grammar half in a central zone, but it just fell short of the posts as they could take possession and mount a counter offensive.

Again it was cagey in the second half with chances few are far between, late in the half Sligo had a chance to put the game to bed as George Barlow made a great burst of speed to break clear, Ambrose Bamber kept making ground but the pass to Norris was knocked forward and Summerhill had a chance to clear.

The clearance failed to make ground as Sligo Grammar managed to recycle the play and go again with Bamber the catalyst in making ground, eventually the referee awarded them a shot at the posts with replacement fly-half Mark Tempany splitting the upright to push the Grammar ahead 10-3 after the hour mark.

Grammar looked strong late on to add some extra points to ensure victory, but Summerhill just did not have an answer in the final quarter to come back and snatch it despite having possession in the final fleeting seconds of play, the Grammar defence did enough to hold out for the win.

Sligo Grammar

15Alex Harte 21 Full-Back
14George Barlow Winger
13Gerard Murtagh Centre
21Conor Creavan Centre
11Dara Holmes Winger
10Earl Norris Fly-Half 35'
9Gareth McGinty Scrum-Half 33'
1Arann Platt Prop
24William Ross Clarke Hooker
3Jack Deegan Prop
4Matthew Ryan 18 Lock
5Dylan McCloat Flanker
6Diarmaid O’Connell Flanker
7Max Hunter Hooker
8Ambrose Bamber No. 8
16Francis Ellison Flanker
17Senan Fallon Prop
18Paddy Wright 4 Lock
19Isaac Marsden Lock
20Jack Draper Scrum-Half
21Mark Tempany 15 Fly-Half 61'
22Liam Lee Winger
23Jacob Kilcoyne Scrum-Half

Summerhill College

Past Meetings

(Round 6)
12:00 pm
Connacht Schools Junior A Boys League
Hamilton Park

Summerhill College v Sligo Grammar School

(Round 6)
13 - 22
Connacht Schools Senior A Boys League
Hamilton Park

Summerhill College v Sligo Grammar School

Ground

Heffernan Park
Ballina Rugby Club, Creggs Road, Ardnaree North ED, Ballina Municipal District, County Mayo, Connacht, F26 P6C1, Ireland

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