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 2021-22)
Most recent
champion(s)		 Summerhill College, Sligo (2023)
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 seven times (2000, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2013, 2016 ,2018, 2022).

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
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 8 4 12 2022
Sligo Grammar School 7 1 3 11 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

1910

1920

1930

1940

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

2020

Other Cup Competitions

2010

2020

Junior Emerging Cup [Junior C Cup]

2010

2020

Other Competitions

Junior B Cup

Junior C Cup

Junior League

2000

2010

2020

See also

References
  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.
  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. "Elvery's Connacht Schools Junior Development Cup Final: Gallen CS 32-3 Gortnor Abbey". www.gallencs.com.
  12. "Calasanctius Take Development Title - Connacht Rugby". Connacht Rugby. 22 March 2017.
  13. "Pres Athenry complete Schools Cup double with commanding win in Junior Development Cup Final - Connacht Rugby". Connacht Rugby. 15 March 2018.
  14. "Connacht Rugby - REPORT: Schools Junior B Cup heading to Colaiste Bhaile Chláir". Connacht Rugby. 30 March 2022.
  15. "Full-time in the 2023 Connacht Schools' Junior B Cup final". Connacht Rugby - Twitter.
  16. "Abbey CC Clinch Junior Emerging Title - Connacht Rugby". Connacht Rugby. 22 March 2017.
  17. "Abbey Community College claim Junior Emerging Schools Cup it tight encounter - Connacht Rugby". Connacht Rugby. 15 March 2018.
  18. "Connacht Rugby - REPORT: Gort CS power their way to Junior C Cup glory". Connacht Rugby. 30 March 2022.
  19. "ull-time in the 2023 Connacht School's Junior C final". Connacht Rugby - Twitter.
  20. "Connacht Rugby - Community Fixtures & Results". Connacht Rugby.
  21. Marist Rugby Twitter https://twitter.com/MaristRFC/status/1473361351007473670. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
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