Coláiste Iognáid (The Jes) 29-7 Sligo Grammar
Top Oil Connacht Schools Senior Cup holders Coláiste Iognáid (The Jes) overcame Sligo Grammar in the Newcastle rain to secure their place in the final against Summerhill College.
The decider will be played at the Sportsground on Wednesday, March 15.
It was an outstanding display from The Jes as they ran in five tries against a Grammar side that fought to the bitter end on a very chilly Galway afternoon.
A dominant first half saw The Jes lead 17-0 at the break and although Sligo Grammar fought back strongly after the interval, they never looked like denying a very well-drilled Coláiste Iognáid.
Jes captain and out-half Diarmuid Codyre made a good start with his pack on the front foot and his side hit the front through a try from replacement Conor Briscoe in the right corner on 15 minutes.
It was no surprise when The Jes touched down again on 28 minutes as centre Tomás Forde crossed with Codyre converting and a third try from Jake Gallagher before the break after some excellent hands made it 17-0 at the interval.
Summerhill were much improved after the break with Kuba Wojtkowicz and Brian West prominent but Coláiste Iognáid proved too strong with Briscoe and Forde adding further tries in the second half. A late intercept try for Grammar captain Niall Gray, converted himself, was just rewards for their efforts but the Sligo school bow out at the semi-final stage with their heads held high.
Coláiste Iognáid (The Jes): Adam Cunningham; Cillian McCabe, Tomás Forde, Eamon Kelly, David Molloy; Diarmuid Codyre (C), Eavan Kenny; Adam Corbett, Conall Fallon, Gary Keane; Diorai O’Connor, Aaron Mannion; Jake Gallagher, Cathal McGuiness, Hugh Keaveney.
Replacements: Sean Monaghan, Cian Parsons, Thomas Power, Michael Higgins, Ciaran Anthony, Ruadhan Durkin, Conor Briscoe, Gareth Kenny.
Sligo Grammar: Philip Carter; Cian Whiteside, Graham Kerr, Sam Donaghy, Eoin McCormack; Niall Gray (C), Oisín Rouxel; Billy Dolan-Geary, Oisín Staunton, Kuba Wojtkowicz; Peadair Fraser-Murphy, Alex Walker; Michael Kilcoyne, Brian West, Jason Lawson-Kearns.
Replacements: Jude Perry, Lukas Del Valle, Ben Armstrong, Michael Archer, Josh Conway, James McDonough, Seamus Blackwell, Eoghan Donoghue.
Summerhill College 10-9 Garbally College
A Ross Hickey try, converted by out-half Brian Cox, proved the difference as Summerhill edged past Garbally in Sligo to claim their place in the Top Oil Connacht Schools Senior Cup final.
Two Colm Reilly penalties to one by Cox meant visiting Garbally led 6-3 at the break in very difficult conditions.
In a low-scoring affair, the first try was always going to be crucial and it was Summerhill star centre Hickey who touched down his fifth try in four Senior Cup games with the Cox conversion making it 10-6 to the hosts.
A third Reilly penalty narrowed the gap to a single point but Summerhill held on to claim their place in the Senior Cup final at the Sportsground on March 15.
Summerhill College: Hugh Kisby; Cormac Murray, Kevin Connell, Ross Hickey, Rett Solano; Brian Cox, Brendan Cunningham; Mark Keegan, Vincent Reynolds, Conor McGovern; Caoileann Carty, Gary Golden; Fiachra Doherty, Sean Wynne, Adrian Cummins (C).
Replacements: Ben Smith, Brian Flanagan, Andy Probst, Yusuf Shalabi, Darragh Feeney, Jack Gorevan, Thomas O Hehir, Ruairi Mulligan, Rodrigo Garcia.
Garbally College: Saul O’Carroll; Stephen Mannion, Shane Jennings, Joseph Devine, Nathan Horan; Colm Reilly, Aaron McGreal; Conor Smyth, Mark Burnell, Oisin Leyden; Nathan Cooley, Stephen Grenham; Matthew Comerford, Ciaran Tumulty, Iarla Muldoon.
Replacements: Conor Clarke, Jack Ryan, Barry Codyre, Jack Dempsey, Billy McKenna, Keoma O’Connor, Nathan Williams, Sean McGuinness.
Top Oil Connacht Schools Senior Cup Semi-Final Results
Coláiste Iognáid (The Jes) 29-7 Sligo Grammar, Hazel Park, Newcastle;
Summerhill College 10-9 Garbally College, Summerhill College;
