Rossies help Marist College take Connacht Rugby Schools' Cup crown
Ciarán West celebrates after scoring one of his tries for Marist College during Wednesday's Connacht Rugby Schools' Senior A Cup final against Sligo Grammar at Dexcom Stadium. Picture: INPHO/Nick Elliott
Five Roscommon players saw action with Ciarán West making it a particularly special day, as he touched down two tries in Marist College’s five-point victory over Sligo Grammar School in what was the fourth consecutive final between these two leading lights in Connacht Schools Rugby on Wednesday.
Paul O’Sullivan and Andrew Cotton filled the two wing positions with Joe McSharry locking down in the second row, later to be replaced by James Kelly, while a handful more Roscommon natives were part of Mick Loftus’ wider panel.
Ireland U-19 international Andrew Henson returned to the Marist starting line-up and he electrified a backline that was always threatening, even if it turned out that all three Marist tries were scored by the front row.
After conceding the opening score to Alastair Hewson, Marist took over and went 21-5 ahead shortly after half time, having taken full advantage of a yellow card for Grammar winger Logan Markey O’Neill.
Grammar themselves scored twice in the aftermath of a yellow card for Marist flanker John Finnan, but despite missing a couple of scoring chances late in the game, the Athlone school held firm to record their fifth senior cup in all, and their second back-to-back, having first done so in 2012 (with Robbie Henshaw) and 2013.
Earlier in the day, there were dramatic scenes in the Senior B Cup final where St. Raphael’s of Loughrea held on to narrowly scrape past Rice College of Westport, 27-26.
MARIST COLLEGE: Andrew Henson; Paul O’Sullivan, Oisín O’Donoghue, Darragh Glennon, Andrew Cotton; Darragh Murray, Owen Egan; Ciarán West, Adam Peter Murphy, Peter Daniel Sunny; Joe McSharry, Peter Bourke; Rueben Colleran, John Finnan, Kyle Byrne. Replacements: Hugo Hannon for Sunny (30), Donnacha Dullea for West (57), James Kelly for McSharry (64).
SLIGO GRAMMAR SCHOOL: James McGettrick; Kelvin Kalu, Bobby Hanrahan, Andrew Deegan, Logan O’Neill Markey; Ben O’Connor, Andrew Ryan; Cathal Moffatt, William Draper, Mark Bradley; Seán Cashell, Owen McNamara; Aron Martin, Alistair Hewson, Ronan Mullan. Replacements: Ryan Burrows for Cashell (half-time), Sam Carnegie for Bradley (41), Matthew O’Grady for O’Neill-Markey (57), Evan Barrett-O’Neill for McNamara (61), Cashell for McGettrick (67), Arran Symmons for Draper (70), Luke O’Connor for Hanrahan (70).
Referee: Shane Tuohy.
