Details

Date Time Competition Season
8 March 2023 1:00 pm Connacht Schools Senior Cup 2022/23

Match Report

Sligo Grammar set up Marist Senior Cup Final Clash

Sligo Grammar's masterclass at home against the Jes has set up a Senior Cup Final clash with Marist in two weeks time. 

The Grammar were clinical from the off and made every error pay as they ran home six tries through six different scorers including five in the opening half. 

The Jes will be disappointed with some minor errors in the game but it was an extremely tough task coming into the home of the reigning champions and causing an upset.

To get to this stage, Sligo Grammar topped their group with victories over CBS Roscommon and Marist but for their opponents today it was a bit less straightforward. The Jes came out on the right side of a one point victory over Garbally to open but fell to a strong Summerhill side in round two. It was all to play for in the final fixture in which once again Iognaid showed incredible battle to be on the right side of a victory by the narrowest of margins. These two sides met in last year's final and the Jes knew what to expect travelling up to Sligo. 

Sligo Grammar started the stronger of the sides and made their early pressure count as from a lineout, Quentin Moughty got over the line to give the hosts an early lead. Earl Norris was able to add the conversion from close to the sideline.

It wasn’t long until the Grammar got over again as they looked to put the sword to the Jes early on, this time a great drive lead to Arann Platt got over the whitewash to extend their lead to 12 but Norris unable to add the extras on this occasion. 

It didn’t take long for the away side to respond though. From a Sligo offside penalty, the Jes took advantage of a quick restart and a great dummy pass left Bobby Power the space to get over the line and bring this game back to a one-score fixture. Elwood was clinical from his first kick of the afternoon as the Galway side were beginning to show the spirit that has got them this far in the competition. 

Despite the Jes looking the stronger of the two sides it was the Grammar who struck next, Gerard Murtagh with a fantastic piece of individual skill to break a tackle and get through to touch down and extend his sides lead back to 10 points. Norris kicked the extra two to extend the hosts lead out to 12. 

There were signs of nerves coming from the away side. A handling error on the dead ball line for Kelly giving the Grammar a five-metre scrum and they took full advantage of this with Ambrose Bamber breaking away from the pack to get over for the hosts fourth try of the half. Norris made it three from four from the boot.

It seems as though halftime couldn’t come quick enough for the Jes but there was further punishment to come. Conor Creaven offloaded to Bamber who gave it to Dara Holmes who went in under the posts to put massive daylight between the sides just before the break. The hosts lead at halftime on a massive scoreline of 33-7. 

George Barlow with a little kick through that he got on the end of himself to touch down opened the scoring at the start of the second half to put whatever momentum and life the Jes came out of halftime with to bed. 

The Jes did not let their heads drop as they spent the majority of the second half pushing to get back on the board but the second-half defensive performance from the Grammar was as much as impressive as the first-half attacking display as they forced the away side into errors and did not let their opponents back into the game. 

Sligo Grammar will head to the Sportsgrounds with a massive favourites tag as they look to regain their title once more but Marist have already shown Summerhill that they are well capable of an upset. Definitely not a final to be missed.

Sligo Grammar

15Alex Harte Full-Back
14Dara Holmes 22 Winger 33'
13Gerard Murtagh Centre 27'
12Conor Creavan Centre
11George Barlow 18 41'
10Earl Norris 21 Fly-Half 8', 27', 31', 33'
9Gareth McGinty Scrum-Half
1Arann Platt 23 Prop 17'
2Quentin Moughty Hooker 7'
3Jack Deegan 16 Prop
4Matthew Ryan Lock 70'
5Paddy Wright 17 Lock
6Diarmaid O’Connell 20 Flanker
7Dylan McCloat Flanker
8Ambrose Bamber No. 8 31'
16Francis Ellison 3 Flanker
17Max Hunter 5 Hooker
18Senan Fallon 11 Prop
19Isaac Marsden Lock
20Ambrose Devine 6
21Jacob Kilcoyne 10 Scrum-Half
22Milo Holmes 14
23Jack Draper 1 Scrum-Half

Colaiste Iognaid

15Johnny Kelly Grealy 21 Full-Back
14Ben Wall Cooke Centre
13Jamie Cunningham Centre
12Robert McHugh Centre
11Manus Sheridan Winger
10Calum Elwood Fly-Half 23'
9Charlie Gleeson Scrum-Half
1Liam Cloherty Prop
2Marco Mitchell Hooker
3Tommy O’Connor Prop
4Josh Gibson Scrum-Half
5Niall Mannion
6Bobby Power Flanker 22'
7Shay McGovern Flanker
8Jack Quinn No. 8
16Cillian Daly Prop
17James Fahy Prop
18Tom Ryan Lock
19Diarmuid Hayes Flanker
20Stephen Parkinson Scrum-Half
21Hugh Kelly 15 Full-Back
22Louis O’Connor Winger
23Luke Brennan Winger

Past Meetings

(Round 1)
46 - 5
Connacht Schools Junior Cup
Sligo Grammar School

Sligo Grammar School v Colaiste Iognaid

(Round 4)
14 - 22
Connacht Schools Senior A Boys League
Crowley Park

Colaiste Iognaid v Sligo Grammar School

(Round 4)
12 - 55
Connacht Schools Junior A Boys League
Crowley Park

Colaiste Iognaid v Sligo Grammar School

(Final)
10 - 15
Connacht Schools Senior Cup
Dexcom Stadium

Colaiste Iognaid v Sligo Grammar School

Ground

Sligo Grammar School
The Mall, Sligo, County Sligo, Ireland

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