Schools Finals Programme March 13
- No tags were found...
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
junior A and senior A, B, and C boys<br />
schools cup finals<br />
wednesday, <strong>13</strong>th march<br />
at dexcom stadium
fáilte go dtí<br />
dexcom stadium<br />
Connacht Rugby and Dexcom<br />
announce historic naming<br />
rights partnership
Chair of schools<br />
On behalf of the Connacht <strong>Schools</strong> committee<br />
it is my great pleasure to welcome everyone<br />
to Dexcom Stadium today for the 2023/24<br />
Connacht <strong>Schools</strong>’ Cup and League finals.<br />
Dexcom Stadium will play host to11 Connacht<br />
<strong>Schools</strong>’ Cup and League finals this year. The<br />
number of schools playing rugby in Connacht<br />
continues to grow with 80 boys schools teams<br />
and 41 girls schools teams participating across<br />
18 competitions.<br />
I wish to express my appreciation to all the<br />
principals, teachers, coaches, and staff in<br />
our schools for their continued support of<br />
the game. Your hard work has not gone<br />
unrecognised. I also wish to thank the<br />
members of the Connacht Rugby <strong>Schools</strong><br />
Committee for their work and help over the<br />
past year.<br />
If I may, a brief word to those who will be<br />
proudly donning their school jersey for<br />
the final time: this is only the start of a new<br />
journey. Join a local club or university team<br />
next year. The camaraderie and friendships<br />
forged through rugby will endure long after<br />
you have hung up your boots.<br />
in providing referees and other officials,<br />
without whom, we would not have any games.<br />
Therefore, I urge anyone who loves rugby to<br />
consider further contributing to the game by<br />
taking up the whistle.<br />
I know that today’s finals will provide an<br />
exciting conclusion to the season, and<br />
regardless of the results, I hope everyone<br />
thoroughly enjoys the day, creating magic<br />
memories to last a lifetime in the home of<br />
Connacht Rugby.<br />
Ádh mór oraibh go léir,<br />
Jean Mc Connell<br />
Connacht Rugby Chair of <strong>Schools</strong><br />
I would like to thank the Association of<br />
Referees Connacht Branch for their dedication
2022/23 Snapshots
Club and Community<br />
A word from Head of Club and<br />
Community, Joe Gorham<br />
<strong>Finals</strong> Day at the mecca that is<br />
Dexcom Stadium is the pinnacle<br />
of our Club and School players’<br />
ambitions. It is a day of celebration for<br />
the whole of Connacht Rugby.<br />
It is truly a memorable occasion for all<br />
concerned which, undoubtedly, will<br />
be a source of conversation with your<br />
teammates in the many years ahead.<br />
The sport of rugby allows for all our<br />
players to realise the limits of their<br />
ambitions, it allows us to create lifelong<br />
memories, however, most importantly,<br />
it is the maker of lifelong friendships.<br />
There is no better feeling than to lift<br />
a Cup, Plate or Bowl alongside your<br />
teammates while representing your<br />
club or school. It is all about People and<br />
Place.<br />
Sport also reflects life, in that, with<br />
every cup final there must be a winner
and a loser. Regardless of winning<br />
or losing, the hope is that everyone<br />
involved on <strong>Finals</strong> Days will have a<br />
quality experience on their big day.<br />
The advent of the new pitch at<br />
Dexcom Stadium has allowed Club<br />
and Community the opportunity to<br />
host additional Cup and League <strong>Finals</strong><br />
(male and female/Club & School)<br />
this season. In fact, we are hugely<br />
excited to host over 40 Club & School<br />
finals over the course of the next few<br />
months.<br />
Volunteers, Coaches and Managers<br />
to get you to this day. Volunteers<br />
are the life-blood of our sport and it<br />
would be remiss of me, on this day of<br />
celebration, not to say a huge thank<br />
you to each and every Club & School<br />
Volunteer for the magical work you<br />
put in day in and day out for the cause<br />
that is rugby in Connacht.<br />
Finally, we at Club & Community<br />
rugby wish all our finalists and their<br />
loyal supporters the very best of luck<br />
on the day.<br />
On <strong>Finals</strong> Days, we must never<br />
forget the huge amount of work and<br />
personal sacrifice put in by all the<br />
Connacht Abú.
senior c cup Final<br />
Referees: mark harrigan, joe o’donnell (ar1), matthew corcoran (ar2)<br />
st. gerald’s college castlebar
senior c cup Final<br />
Referees: mark harrigan, joe o’donnell (ar1), matthew corcoran (ar2)<br />
rice college westport
MANAGEMENT teams<br />
Paddy Durcan<br />
School Co-ordinator<br />
Paddy Flannelly<br />
School Co-ordinator<br />
Simon O’Malley<br />
School Co-ordinator<br />
Paul Coady<br />
Club Coach<br />
Christy Cusack<br />
Club Coach<br />
Robbie Cusack<br />
Club Coach<br />
Shay Cusack<br />
Club Coach<br />
Ken McInerney<br />
Club Coach<br />
Ger Prendergast<br />
Club Coach<br />
David O’Gorman<br />
Team Manager<br />
micheál David glennon<br />
Keogh<br />
Coach<br />
micheál Hugh glennon Ryan<br />
Coach
school Well-wishes!<br />
st. gerald‘s college castlebar MESSAGE<br />
“Best of luck to our Senior Rugby team, from all of us in<br />
St. Gerald‘s DLS College. Gerald‘s Abú!!“<br />
Shaun Burke<br />
Principal<br />
Team Sponsors: Casey Retail Group, Sherry FitzGerald Durcan & Elverys Intersport<br />
rice college westport MESSAGE<br />
“On behalf of myself, the staff and the students of Rice College Westport, I<br />
extend best wishes to our Senior Rugby team as they face St. Gerald’s in the<br />
Connacht Rugby Senior C Final<br />
On this potentially memorable day for our team, I want to express sincere<br />
gratitude for their unwavering dedication, pride and heart every time they<br />
step onto the pitch to represent our school and their club.<br />
A special note of thanks must go to the coaching staff and the supportive<br />
parents who serve as the backbone of our players’ rugby journey.<br />
Your commitment is instrumental in instilling the values of teamwork,<br />
resilience and respect – the very ethos of the sport of rugby.<br />
Wishing our Senior Rugby team the very best in the final.”<br />
Michael Rabbette<br />
Principal Rice College Westport
senior B cup Final<br />
Referees: cian hough, joe o’donnell (ar1), Ciaran harkin (ar2).<br />
Coláiste Bhaile Chláir
senior B cup Final<br />
Referees: cian hough, joe o’donnell (ar1), Ciaran harkin (ar2).<br />
Presentation college athenry
management teams<br />
Seamie kyne<br />
Coach<br />
Pádraic Seán O Tuairisg<br />
Coach<br />
Niall Shiell<br />
Coach<br />
Maeve Hackett<br />
Team Manager<br />
Kieran Concarr<br />
Head Coach<br />
Conor Galvin<br />
Assistant Coach<br />
Claude Geoghegan<br />
Assistant Coach<br />
Henry Lavelle<br />
Assistant Coach<br />
Aoife O’Boyle<br />
Physio<br />
Pauline Rohdich<br />
Mindset Coach<br />
Finn Rohdich<br />
PR Team<br />
Adam Casey<br />
PR Team<br />
Luke Flynn<br />
Multi Media Director<br />
James Cronnelly<br />
Water Boys<br />
Mike O’Rourke<br />
Kit Manager
school Well-wishes!<br />
Coláiste Bhaile Chláir MESSAGE<br />
„As the Connacht Final approaches, we stand united as a school community, behind<br />
each and every one of you. Your commitment, relentless hard work, and dedication<br />
have been nothing outstanding. Throughout the year, you’ve exemplified the true<br />
spirit of rugby, both on and off the field.<br />
To Our Players, thank you for pouring your heart and soul into every practice,<br />
every match, and every tackle. Your leadership has brought our school’s rugby to<br />
new heights. Remember that you carry the hopes and dreams of the entire community<br />
with you onto that field. Play with pride, play with heart, and leave it all out there.<br />
To Corinthians Rugby Club, your generosity in allowing us to use your exceptional<br />
facilities has been invaluable. You have been our partners in success. We extend our<br />
heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering support throughout the year. Together,<br />
hopefully we can grow and develop rugby in CBC even further.<br />
To Our Dedicated Coaches, Mr. Seamie Kyne and Mr. Pádraic Ó’Tuairisg, your tireless<br />
efforts have not gone unnoticed. Beyond the plays and tactics, you’ve instilled in<br />
our players the values of teamwork, discipline, and sportsmanship. Your passion<br />
for rugby and your commitment to nurturing young talent have left an indelible<br />
mark. We owe you a debt of gratitude for shaping not just athletes, but resilient<br />
individuals who carry the spirit of rugby wherever they go.<br />
As the Connacht Final beckons, know that our cheers will echo across the stadium,<br />
carrying the hopes of our entire school. Play with heart, and make us proud.<br />
Bring home the glory!<br />
With unwavering support,<br />
The Claregalway School Community<br />
Presentation college athenry MESSAGE<br />
“Rugby has continued to grow and this panel of players has helped to achieve<br />
this. We are proud of them for the way in which they have approached this season.<br />
They have enjoyed a successful campaign thus far winning the League in December.<br />
They epitomise all that is great about the Pres. They have spent long hours on<br />
the training field and always produced their best on matchday with tremendous<br />
leadership under the captaincy of Orin Burke. They have also had great fun along<br />
the way helped in no small way by their PR team led by Luke Flynn. Undoubtedly they<br />
have created memories that will last a lifetime. A special thanks to our teachers<br />
Ms Hackett, Mr Geoghegan and Mr Lavelle for all their efforts with the students. A<br />
special thanks also to Connacht Rugby for helping with coaching and making their<br />
flagship ground available for the finals.<br />
The Board of Management, staff and students would like to wish our Rugby panel<br />
and the management team of Ms Hackett, Mr Geoghegan and Mr Lavelle the very best<br />
in their attempt to create another piece of history by winning the Connacht League<br />
and Cup in the same season.<br />
Cathal Moore - Principal
Junior A cup Final<br />
Referees: siobhán daly, peter gaughan (ar1), katie kilbane (ar2)<br />
marist college athlone
Junior A cup Final<br />
Referees: siobhán daly, peter gaughan (ar1), katie kilbane (ar2)<br />
sligo grammar school
management teams<br />
Mick Loftus<br />
Coach<br />
Conor Galvin<br />
Coach<br />
Tony Dolan<br />
Coach<br />
Susie Burzawa<br />
Physio<br />
simon galvan<br />
Coach<br />
sean taylor<br />
S&C<br />
jimmy staunton<br />
Coach<br />
raymond byrne<br />
Physio
school Well-wishes!<br />
Marist college athlone MESSAGE<br />
“On behalf of all the pupils, staff and Board of Management of Marist<br />
College, I would like to take this opportunity to wish our Junior and Senior<br />
squads the very best in today’s finals at Dexcom stadium.<br />
Marist College has long had a tradition of sporting excellence and we<br />
pride ourselves in fostering the pursuit of excellence in a sport-for-all<br />
environment. Sport is an integral part of both curricular and extracurricular<br />
activities in the school.<br />
Thank you to all involved in Connacht Rugby, the <strong>Schools</strong> committee and<br />
the Referees Association for making this a day to remember for all of the<br />
<strong>Schools</strong> and players involved.<br />
Mr Michael Dermody<br />
Principal<br />
Marist College<br />
sligo grammar school MESSAGE<br />
“I am delighted to have this opportunity to wish Sligo Grammar School Senior 1st XV<br />
and Junior 1st XV every success in the Connacht School Cup Final.<br />
The teams form a very cohesive group who have worked tirelessly and supported<br />
each other throughout their campaigns.<br />
Early morning strength and conditioning coaching, skills training for backs<br />
and forwards, long days away to fulfil the fixture lists would not have happened<br />
without the volunteerism of our coaching staff, Mr James Gavin, Seán Taylor, Jimmy<br />
Staunton, Simon Galvan and physio Raymond Byrne.<br />
There is another group whose input to our schools sporting success cannot be<br />
underestimated and that is our supporters, pupils, parents and alumni. Throughout<br />
our campaigns they have been so proud of the respect they have given to their<br />
opponents and the support they have given to our teams.<br />
Sligo Grammar School is proud of its rugby pedigree and as the seniors walk onto<br />
the pitch with one eye on three consecutive Connacht Senior Championships we are<br />
hoping to open another chapter in the history of rugby at Sligo Grammar School.<br />
Yours truly,<br />
Michael hall<br />
headmaster
senior A cup Final<br />
Referees: cathal roddy, siobhán daly (ar1), peter gaughan (ar2).<br />
Marist College Athlone
senior A cup Final<br />
Referees: cathal roddy, siobhán daly (ar1), peter gaughan (ar2).<br />
sligo grammar school
management teams<br />
Shane Broderick<br />
Team Manager<br />
Graham Heaslip<br />
Forwards Coach<br />
Andy Evans<br />
Backs Coach and S&C<br />
jimmy gavin<br />
Coach<br />
sean taylor<br />
Coach<br />
jimmy staunton<br />
Team Manager<br />
raymond byrne<br />
Physio
school Well-wishes!<br />
Marist college athlone MESSAGE<br />
“On behalf of all the pupils, staff and Board of Management of Marist<br />
College, I would like to take this opportunity to wish our Junior and Senior<br />
squads the very best in today’s finals at Dexcom stadium.<br />
Marist College has long had a tradition of sporting excellence and we<br />
pride ourselves in fostering the pursuit of excellence in a sport-for-all<br />
environment. Sport is an integral part of both curricular and extracurricular<br />
activities in the school.<br />
Thank you to all involved in Connacht Rugby, the <strong>Schools</strong> committee and<br />
the Referees Association for making this a day to remember for all of the<br />
<strong>Schools</strong> and players involved.<br />
Mr Michael Dermody<br />
Principal<br />
Marist College<br />
sligo grammar school MESSAGE<br />
“I am delighted to have this opportunity to wish Sligo Grammar School Senior 1st XV<br />
and Junior 1st XV every success in the Connacht School Cup Final.<br />
The teams form a very cohesive group who have worked tirelessly and supported<br />
each other throughout their campaigns.<br />
Early morning strength and conditioning coaching, skills training for backs<br />
and forwards, long days away to fulfil the fixture lists would not have happened<br />
without the volunteerism of our coaching staff, Mr James Gavin, Seán Taylor, Jimmy<br />
Staunton, Simon Galvan and physio Raymond Byrne.<br />
There is another group whose input to our schools sporting success cannot be<br />
underestimated and that is our supporters, pupils, parents and alumni. Throughout<br />
our campaigns they have been so proud of the respect they have given to their<br />
opponents and the support they have given to our teams.<br />
Sligo Grammar School is proud of its rugby pedigree and as the seniors walk onto<br />
the pitch with one eye on three consecutive Connacht Senior Championships we are<br />
hoping to open another chapter in the history of rugby at Sligo Grammar School.<br />
Yours truly,<br />
Michael hall<br />
headmaster
Upcoming <strong>Finals</strong><br />
SUNDAY, 24th MARCH<br />
11am: bank of ireland Men’s Junior Plate FINAL<br />
1:30pm: bank of ireland MEN’S Junior Cup Final<br />
SUNDAY, 7th APRIL<br />
11am: bank of ireland Women’s Plate Final<br />
1:30pm: bank of ireland Women’s cup final<br />
SUNDAY, 14th APRIL<br />
11am: Bank of Ireland u14 girls cup final<br />
12:30pm: Bank of Ireland u16 girls cup final<br />
2:30pm: Bank of Ireland u18 girls cup final