After scoring two first-class tries in the opening quarter hour, Crescent looked set for a comfortable win over Rockwell in yesterday’s quarter-final of the Clayton Hotels Munster Schools Senior Cup at Rosbrien.

Connacht 50 Oyonnax 14: The road to Bilbao has now become clear for Connacht.

Connacht 55 Brive 10: Connacht coach Kieran Keane is relishing facing into three consecutive inter-pro derbies with a squad high on confidence after their latest European masterclass.

Zebre 24 Connacht 10: Michael Bradley knows all about building from the bottom in professional rugby — his seven years at the Sportsground took Connacht through the most difficult period in their history — and he is happy with the progress he is making in his first few months with Zebre. 

Connacht coach Kieran Keane says a resurgent Zebre will pose a huge threat in Parma this afternoon as his side aim to bounce back to winning ways before refocusing next week to the European Challenge Cup campaign.

Connacht 15 Worcester Warriors 8: You suspect the more Kieran Keane settles into life in Galway the more he appreciates exactly what his predecessor Pat Lam achieved, not just with limited resources but the manner in which he got them to play in the difficult climatic conditions.

Christian Brothers College Cork grabbed a last minute victory over holders Crescent College Comprehensive in a pulsating Clayton Hotels Munster Schools Junior Cup final at Musgrave Park today.

Crescent Comprehensive 19, Castletroy College 5: Holders Crescent qualified for the St Patricks Day final at Thomond Park when they scored a well deserved 19-5 victory over Castletroy College in the Clayton Hotels Munster Schools Junior Cup at  UL. 

Rockwell 5 Crescent 21: Holders Crescent remain on course for another crack at the Clayton Hotels Munster Schools Junior Cup after beating Rockwell 21-5 in yesterday’s quarter-final at Clanwilliam Park, Tipperary.

UUJ 1-7, Maynooth 4-23: A wonky Sat Nav and crazy five-hour bus journey didn’t upset the rhythm of Maynooth, who duly hammered University of Ulster to keep alive hopes of making the knockout stages of the Fitzgibbon Cup.

Bandon Grammar School 7 Crescent College Comprehensive 32: Holders Crescent College Comprehensive had to come from behind but still managed a fully deserved Clayton Hotels Munster Junior Schools win over Bandon Grammar in this second round “losers” tie at Musgrave Park yesterday.

UCC 5-13 Ulster University 2-4: With an 18-point winning margin, this Fitzgibbon Cup Group D clash might appear to have gone as expected. But it was never a cakewalk for UCC at the Mardyke yesterday.

Rhode (Offaly) 0-12 Sean O’Mahony’s (Louth) 1-5: Niall McNamee fired Rhode into their fifth Leinster final in 11 seasons as the Sean O’Mahony’s fairytale was finally halted in Drogheda.

Connacht will bid to make it eight wins from eight against Dragons in the Pro12 at Rodney Parade this evening and bounce back from their Leinster nightmare (kick-off 7.15pm).

The loss of Charles Piutau through injury has been softened by Tommy Bowe’s return to the Ulster side for the first time this season for tonight’s derby with Connacht at the Sportsground.

You would have thought Connacht’s bid to get their first points of the season would be the primary focus of this encounter, but the surprise midweek departure of Edinburgh coach Alan Solomons has changed the dynamic of this clash.

Scarlets 17 Connacht 8: After a third successive loss, Connacht are in choppy waters, and Edinburgh’s impending visit to the Sportsground has taken on a must-win feeling.

Only once before have Connacht lost their opening two league matches at the Sportsground but Pat Lam appreciates they must show significant improvement to prevent that happening again when Ospreys come to Galway this evening (7.35pm).

Ultra-experienced Meath attacker Steven Clynch decided a quite incredible Christy Ring Cup final replay with a 93rd minute winning point to seal a first ever title for the Royal County.

Dublin 2-18 Kilkenny 1-19: A dominant extra-time performance saw Dublin claim victory over holders Kilkenny in Saturday’s enthralling Electric Ireland Leinster MHC semi-final at Parnell Park.

The Galway Sportsground has played host to many magnificent occasions over the past eight months but they will struggle to match the atmosphere that will be generated for tonight’s Guinness PRO12 clash of Connacht and Munster.

St Kieran’s College (Kilkenny) 1-15 Ardscoil Rís (Limerick) 1-13: The terms of engagement may have been changed for this latest joust, but the students draped in black and white still prevailed.

Connacht 30 Scarlets 17: Connacht Rugby players take a deserved six-day break after finishing a run of 16 games with a European quarter-final in the diary and a top-four Guinness Pro 12 spot secure.

Connacht 47 Enisei-STM 5: France beckons again for Connacht in this year’s European Challenge Cup quarter-finals and a meeting with Bernard Jackman’s Grenoble in April.

Munster Schools Junior Cup 

Brive 21 Connacht 18: Connacht’s European hopes hang in the balance after what coach Pat Lam termed as “probably their worst game” this season.

Connacht 3 Ulster 10: Ulster’s European winning form continued in the Guinness Pro12 when they took the spoils in a tight festive derby at the Galway Sportsgound on St Stephen’s night.

Cardiff Blues 20 Connacht 16: Connacht’s poor record at the Arms Park continued last evening when they lost their grip on the lead of the Guinness Pro12 to a dogged Cardiff Blues.

John Muldoon becomes the first player to make 200 appearances in the Guinness Pro12 when he leads Connacht against Cardiff at Arms Park this evening (7.05pm).

Galway 3-10 Kilkenny 0-17: Galway boss Jeffrey Lynskey refused to apologise for Cian Salmon’s controversial late goal that stole a dramatic All-Ireland semi-final victory.