Marist College make it back-to-back Connacht Schools Cup triumphs with win over rivals Sligo Grammar

Ireland U19 Andrew Henson returned to the starting lineup and repeatedly punched holes in the Grammar backline through his pace

DOUBLE TROUBLE: Marist College’s captain Andrew Henson celebrates with the cup after the game. Pic: Nick Elliott/Inpho

Connacht Schools Senior Cup Final: Marist College 24 Sligo Grammar School 19.

Marist College are Connacht Schools Cup champions for the fifth time in their history and the second year in a row, but their deepening rivalry with Sligo Grammar School seemed to keep this afternoon’s final at the Dexcom Stadium far more competitive than it might have been, based on the Athlone school’s dominance of possession and territory over the course of the 70 minutes.

Ireland U19 international Andrew Henson returned to the starting lineup after an eight-week absence due to a hamstring injury and along with the centre partnership of Oisín O’Donoghue and Darragh Glennon, they repeatedly punched holes in the Grammar backline through their pace, handling and combinations.

Sligo GS, who upset Marist in the league final last November, never got their running game going to the same extent but an early try for Alastair Hewson kept them in the game, and even though Adam Peter Murphy replied for Marist, the contest was still finely poised approaching half-time.

Two tries for Ciarán West either side of the interval and a yellow card for Sligo winger Logan Markey-O’Neill, all in the space of six minutes, dramatically altered the course of the contest and left the Sligo boarding school facing a 21-5 deficit in their bid to record a Senior and Junior Cup double.

Sligo Grammar’s Aron Martin tackles Owen Egan of Marist College. Pic: Nick Elliott/Inpho

Sheer graft from players like Cathal Moffatt, Aron Martin and Hewson up front helped Grammar to eke their way back into the contest, with James McGettrick and Martin scoring tries.

Marist kicked one penalty from Henson and they had their chances to make the game safe, only to be undone by a marginal forward pass call just when it looked like Paul O’Sullivan was set to score and a Hewson penalty that struck the post. 

Despite leaving themselves exposed to a sucker punch, the Athlone side hung on to retain their Cup and make it two wins apiece in the last four finals, all contested by these two sides.

Scorers for Marist College: Tries: AP Murphy, C West (2); Cons: A Henson (3); Pens: A Henson.

Scorers for Sligo Grammar School: Tries: A Hewson, J McGettrick, A Martin; Cons: B O’Connor (2).

MARIST: A Henson; P O’Sullivan, O O’Donoghue, D Glennon, A Cotton; D Murray, O Egan; C West, AP Murphy, PD Sunny; J McSharry, P Bourke; R Colleran, J Finnan, K Byrne.

Replacements: H Hannon for Sunny (30), D Dullea for West (57), J Kelly for McSharry (64).

SLIGO: J McGettrick; K Kalu, B Hanrahan, A Deegan, L O’Neill Markey; B O’Connor, A Ryan; C Moffatt, W Draper, M Bradley; S Cashell, O McNamara; A Martin, A Hewson, R Mullan.

Replacements: R Burrows for Cashell (half-time), S Carnegie for Bradley (41), M O’Grady for O’Neill-Markey (57), E Barrett-O’Neill for McNamara (61), Cashell for McGettrick (67), A Symmons for Draper (70), L O’Connor for Hanrahan (70).

Referee: Shane Tuohy.