Connacht Schools Rugby Senior Cup

Schools rugby union competition in Ireland From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Connacht School's Rugby Senior Cup is an annual rugby union competition for secondary schools affiliated to the Connacht Rugby Branch of the IRFU.

SportRugby Union
Founded1913
No. of teams9 (season 2024-25)
Most recent
championMarist College, Athlone (2026)
Quick facts Sport, Founded ...
Connacht Schools Senior Cup
Connacht Rugby Schools Senior Cup
SportRugby Union
Founded1913
No. of teams9 (season 2024-25)
Most recent
champion		Marist College, Athlone (2026)
Most titlesGarbally College
48
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History

The Connacht School's Rugby Senior Cup is an annual rugby union schools competition organised by the Connacht Rugby Branch of the IRFU. Boys, usually of seventeen or eighteen years of age, compete for the cup with rival schools from within the province of Connacht. The competition was first held in 1913, with Garbally College, Ballinasloe the first Champions.

The first round matches are typically played towards the end of January, with the final being played in the Galway Sportsgrounds the week before Saint Patrick's Day.

Historically, Garbally College have been the most successful school in the competition lifting the cup 48 times, while Coláiste Iognáid have been the most successful team since the turn of the millennium winning eight titles in years 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2016 and 2017.

The current holders (2026) are Marist College, Athlone who defended the title by beating the previous three times consecutive champions Sligo Grammar School by 24-19 on 18 March 2026 at Dexcom Stadium, Galway.

Competition structure

The Connacht Rugby Schools Cup is a three tier competition;

Senior Cup [Senior 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 Senior Cup level by reason of playing population or experience.

In total 30 Schools representing all five provincial counties participated in the various Connacht Rugby Senior Schools Cups in 2019.

Connacht Senior Development Cup [Senior 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 Senior Cup Level.
Nine schools compete in three pools of three, leading to semifinals and a final.

Connacht Senior Emerging Cup [Senior 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 semifinals and a final.

The target is for schools to establish themselves within the lowest tier initially, and progress through to the highest tier.

Roll of honour

More information School, Location ...
School Location Outright Titles Shared Titles Runners-up +1 Total Finals +2 Last Title
Garbally College (3) Ballinasloe, County Galway 47 0 7 54 2020
Coláiste Iognáid, Galway Galway, County Galway 14 0 4 18 2017
Sligo Grammar School Sligo, County Sligo 13 0 17 30 2024
St. Josephs College (The Bish) Galway, County Galway 13 1 4 18 1994
Marist College Athlone, County Westmeath 5 0 3 8 2026
The Ranelagh School, Athlone (2) Athlone, County Westmeath 2 0 0 2 1923
Galway Grammar School (2) Galway, County Galway 1 0 0 1 1941
Collegians (2) Galway, County Galway 1 1 0 2 1951
St Sarans College (1) Ferbane, County Offaly 1 0 2 3 2004
Wilsons Hospital Multyfarnham, County Westmeath 1 0 1 2 1966
Clifden Community School Clifden, County Galway 1 0 0 1 1975
Summerhill College Sligo, County Sligo 0 0 2 2 N/A
CBS Roscommon Roscommon, County Roscommon 0 0 1 1 N/A
Portumna Community School Portumna, County Galway 0 0 1 1 N/A
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Cup final results [Senior A Cup]

1910s

1920s

1930s

1940s

1950s

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

Other cup competitions

Connacht Senior Development Cup Results [Senior B Cup]

2000s

2010s

2020s

Connacht Senior Emerging Cup Results [Senior C Cup]

2010s

2020s

Galway City Senior Cup

  • 2006 Coláiste Iognáid
  • 2007 Coláiste Iognáid
  • 2008 Coláiste Iognáid beat Calasanctius College, Oranmore
  • 2009 Coláiste Iognáid
  • 2010 Coláiste Iognáid
  • 2011 Coláiste Iognáid

Other competitions

Senior League

2000's

2010's

From 2014-15 onward the league competition winner is determined as the team finishing top after all rounds are completed.

For year 2017-18, the winner is determined after a playoff final between the winners of Two Group sections.

2020's

Senior and Junior Cup Doubles

Senior Cup and League Doubles

See also

References

External links

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