Garbally all but book final spot after big win over Col Iognáid

Connacht Schools: Garbally College Ballinasloe 45 Coláiste Iognáid 0

Garbally College are within touching distance of a place in the Connacht Senior Cup final after sweeping aside Coláiste Iognáid side at Ballinasloe Rugby Club yesterday.

Sligo Grammar School and Summerhill College meet in a winner-take-all clash next Wednesday to conclude the group stages and only a win for Summerhill, with Grammar collecting two bonus points, will deny Garbally a place in the March 18 decider.

Dismal conditions didn’t deter Garbally from giving their backs plenty of possession yesterday and full-back Ian Fletcher rounded off one excellent move across the backline to open the scoring. Prop Niall Higgins (twice) and Dylan Connolly had tries to wrap up the bonus point by half time, while Frankie Hopkins and Noel Cotton added second half scores after Higgins completed his hat-trick when he finished off a five metre lineout and maul.

GARBALLY: I Fletcher; N Cotton, P Flannery, S Keller, C Payne; D Reilly, F Hopkins; N Higgins, R Khan, C Kenny; C Harewood, D Dent; M O’Neill, O Lyons, D Connolly.

Replacements: M Burnell for Higgins (42), S Kelly for Flannery (45), A Foulger for Dent (51), G Donohoe for Lyons (51), B Horkan for Payne (51).

COLÁISTE IOGNÁID: P Murphy; T Gavin, J Hill, C Gargan, C O’Flynn; E Kelly, J Byrne; S McKeogh, C Fallon, R Gorey; E Lally, C Parsons; M Codyre, J O’Connor, F Ó’Gríofa.

Replacement: D Burke for Parsons (49)

Referee: Shane Toolan (Ulster Society)