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The Connacht Schools Junior Challenge Cup is an under-age rugby union competition for schools affiliated to the Connacht Branch of the IRFU.
| Sport | Rugby Union |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1913 |
| No. of teams | 7 (season 2023-24) |
| Most recent champion(s) | Marist College, Athlone (2024) |
| Most titles | Garbally College 42 |
Competition is confined to students under the age of 16. The final is held in March each year in the Galway Sportsgrounds. It is usually seen as a good forecast as who will win the Connacht Schools Senior Cup in the following years.
Garbally College have been the most successful school in the competition lifting the cup 42 times. They are followed by St Joseph's College, Galway (10 times), Sligo Grammar School (7 times), Coláiste Iognáid, Marist College, Athlone and Ranelagh College (4 times) and Calasanctius College, Oranmore (2 times)
Marist College, Athlone have been the most successful team since the turn of the millennium winning the Junior cup Nine times (2000, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2013, 2016 ,2018, 2022, 2024).
The Connacht Rugby Schools Cup is a three tier competition.
Junior Cup [Junior 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 Junior Cup level by reason of playing population or experience.
In total 30 Schools representing all five provincial counties participated in the various Connacht Rugby Junior Schools Cups in 2019.
Connacht Junior Development Cup [Junior 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 Junior Cup Level.
Nine schools compete in three pools of three, leading to semi-finals and a final.
Connacht Junior Emerging Cup [Junior 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 semi-finals and a final.
The target is for schools to establish themselves within the lowest tier initially, and progress through to the highest tier.
| School | Outright Titles | Shared Titles | Runners-Up +1 | Total Finals +2 | Last Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Garbally College |
43 | 7 | 50 | 2019 | |
 St. Josephs College Galway (The Bish) |
10 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 1991 |
| Marist College, Athlone |
9 | 4 | 13 | 2024 | |
 Sligo Grammar School |
7 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 2008 |
 Colaiste Iognaid (The Jes) |
4 | 6 | 10 | 1987 | |
 Ranelagh College, Athlone |
4 | 4 | 1929 | ||
 Rice College |
2 | 1 | 3 | 2012 | |
 Portumna Community School |
2 | 1 | 3 | 2001 | |
| Calasanctius College, Oranmore |
2 | 1 | 3 | 2010 | |
| Galway Grammar School |
2 | 2 | 1958 | ||
 CBS Roscommon |
2 | 1 | 3 | 2020 | |
 Summerhill College, Sligo |
1 | 2 | 3 | 2023 | |
| St Geralds College, Castlebar |
1 | 1 | 2014 | ||
 Clifden Community School |
1 | 1 | 1976 | ||
| Galway Vocational School |
1 | 1 | 1969 | ||
 St Muiredachs College, Ballina |
2 | 3 | N/A |
+1 Since 1989 (Excluding 1992-4) +2 Only counting wins and losing finals since 1989
- Last Updated 15/03/2023
1910
- 1915 Galway Grammar School
- 1916 Garbally College
- 1917 Ranelagh, Athlone
- 1918 Colaiste Iognaid
- 1919 Ranelagh, Athlone
1920
- 1920 Suspended
- 1921 Suspended
- 1922 Suspended
- 1923 Suspended
- 1924 St Josephs College, Galway
- 1925 Garbally College
- 1926 Ranelagh, Athlone
- 1927 Garbally College
- 1928 St Josephs College, Galway
- 1929 Ranelagh, Athlone
1930
- 1930 St Josephs College, Galway
- 1931 Garbally College
- 1932 Suspended
- 1933 Suspended
- 1934 Garbally College
- 1935 Sligo Grammar School
- 1936 Suspended
- 1937 Garbally College
- 1938 Garbally College
- 1939 Garbally College
1940
- 1940 Garbally College
- 1941 Garbally College
- 1942 Suspended
- 1943 Suspended
- 1944 Suspended
- 1945 Suspended
- 1946 Suspended
- 1947 Suspended
- 1948 Suspended
- 1949 Garbally College
1950
- 1950 Garbally College
- 1951 Garbally College
- 1952 Garbally College
- 1953 Garbally College
- 1954 Garbally College
- 1955 Garbally College
- 1956 Garbally College
- 1957 Garbally College
- 1958 Galway Grammar School
- 1959 Sligo Grammar School
1960
- 1960 St. Joseph's College, Galway (The Bish)
- 1961 Sligo Grammar School/ St Josephs College, Galway
- 1962 Sligo Grammar School
- 1963 St Josephs College, Galway
- 1964 St Josephs College, Galway
- 1965 Suspended
- 1966 Sligo Grammar School
- 1967 Suspended
- 1968 Suspended
- 1969 Galway Vocational School
1970
- 1970 Garbally College
- 1971 Garbally College
- 1972 Garbally College
- 1973 Garbally College
- 1974 Garbally College
- 1975 St Josephs College, Galway
- 1976 Clifden Community School
- 1977 Garbally College
- 1978 Colaiste Iognaid
- 1979 Garbally College
1980
- 1980 Garbally College
- 1981 Colaiste Iognaid
- 1982 Garbally College
- 1983 Garbally College
- 1984 Garbally College
- 1985 Garbally College
- 1986 St. Joseph's College, Galway (The Bish)
- 1987 Colaiste Iognaid
- 1988 Garbally College
- 1989 Sligo Grammar School beat Colaiste Iognaid
1990
- 1990 St Josephs College, Galway beat Garbally College
- 1991 St Josephs College, Galway
- 1992 Garbally College
- 1993 Garbally College
- 1994 Garbally College
- 1995 Garbally College beat Marist College, Athlone
- 1996 Garbally College beat St Josephs College, Galway
- 1997 Portumna Community School beat St Muredach's College, Ballina
- 1998 Garbally College beat Portumna Community School
- 1999 Garbally College beat Colaiste Iognaid
2000
- 2000 Marist College, Athlone beat Garbally College
- 2001 Portumna Community School beat Sligo Grammar School
- 2002 Marist College, Athlone beat Garbally College
- 2003 Sligo Grammar School beat Garbally College
- 2004 Garbally College beat Marist College, Athlone
- 2005 Marist College, Athlone beat Summerhill College, Sligo
- 2006 Garbally College beat Colaiste Iognaid by 20-12
- 2007 Marist College, Athlone beat Garbally College by 10 - 6
- 2008 Sligo Grammar School beat Marist College, Athlone by 8 - 5
- 2009 Calasanctius College, Oranmore beat Summerhill College, Sligo by 20 - 15
2010
- 2010 Calasanctius College, Oranmore beat Rice College by 17-5
- 2011 Rice College, Westport beat Calasanctius College, Oranmore by 26-18
- 2012 Rice College, Westport beat Sligo Grammar School by 6 - 3 (Replay after 10-10 draw on 13/03/12)
- 2013 Marist College, Athlone beat Sligo Grammar School by 22 - 8 [1]
- 2014 St. Gerald's College, Castlebar beat CBS Roscommon 36 - 22 [2]
- 2015 CBS Roscommon beat Coláiste Iognáid, Galway 36 - 0 [3][4]
- 2016 Marist College, Athlone beat Garbally College by 25 - 0 [5]
- 2017 Garbally College, Ballinasloe beat Colaiste Iognaid by 17-13 [6]
- 2018 Marist College, Athlone beat Garbally College by 20-17 [7]
- 2019 Garbally College, Ballinasloe beat Colaiste Iognaid by 22 – 15.[8]
2020
- 2020 CBS Roscommon beat St Muredach's College, Ballina by 12-5
- 2021 - Suspended due to COVID-19 restrictions.
- 2022 Marist College, Athlone beat Sligo Grammar School by 10-7 [9]
- 2023 Summerhill College, Sligo beat Marist College, Athlone by 18-3[10]
- 2024 Marist College, Athlone beat Sligo Grammar School by 22-14 [Fixture doubled as Junior League Final also][11]
Junior Development Cup [Junior B Cup]
2010
- 2010 Clifden CS beat Rice College by 13-7
- 2011 Sligo Grammar School beat St. Geralds College, Castlebar by 10-5
- 2012 Marist College, Athlone beat Roscommon CBS by 17-5
- 2013 Gallen Community School, Ferbane beat Coláiste Iognáid, Galway by 13-7
- 2014 Gallen Community School, Ferbane beat Gortnor Abbey by 32-3 [12]
- 2015
- 2016
- 2017 Calasanctius College beat Coláiste Bhaile Chláir, Claregalway by 19-16 [13]
- 2018 Presentation College, Athenry beat St. Jarlath's College, Tuam by 30-5 [14]
- 2019 St. Jarlath's College, Tuam beat Presentation College, Athenry by 22-15
2020
- 2020 Athlone Community College & Colaiste Einde Galway - Shared due to COVID-19 restrictions.
- 2021 No Competition due to COVID-19 Pandemic
- 2022 Coláiste Bhaile Chláir beat Colaiste Einde Galway by 15-12 [15]
- 2023 Gort CS beat Colaiste Einde Galway by 13-10[16]
Junior Emerging Cup [Junior C Cup]
- 2008 St Josephs College, Galway) beat Coláiste Iognáid (The Jes)
- 2009 Calasanctius College, Oranmore beat Coláiste Iognáid, Galway (The Jes) By 7-5
2010
- 2010 Calasanctius College, Oranmore beat Coláiste Iognáid, Galway (The Jes) By 8-6
- 2011 Coláiste Iognáid, Galway (The Jes) beat St Josephs College, Galway)
- 2012 St Josephs College, Galway beat Colaiste Einde Galway
- 2013 St Josephs College, Galway beat Colaiste Einde Galway
- 2014
- 2015 St. Jarlath's College, Tuam beat St Tiernan's College, Crossmolina by 19-14
- 2016
- 2017 Abbey Community College Boyle beat St Joseph's, Foxford by 24-18 [17]
- 2018 Abbey Community College Boyle beat St Joseph's, Foxford by 8-5 [18]
- 2019 Athlone Community College beat Scoil Chuimsiteach Chiarain, Carraroe by 28-0
2020
- 2020 Sancta Maria College, Louisburgh & Jesus & Mary Secondary School, Enniscrone - Shared due to COVID-19 restrictions.
- 2021 No Competition due to COVID-19 Pandemic
- 2022 Gort CS beat St. Raphael's College, Loughrea by 19-5[19]
- 2023 St. Jarlath's College, Tuam beat Jesus & Mary Secondary School, Enniscrone by 20-10. [20]
Junior B Cup
- 2010 Clifden Community School
- 2011 Sligo Grammar School
- 2012 Marist College
- 2013 Gallen Community School, Ferbane
- 2014 Gallen Community School, Ferbane
- 2015
- 2016
- 2017 Calasanctius College
- 2018 Presentation College Athenry
- 2019 St. Jarlath's College, Tuam
- 2020 Athlone Community College shared with Colaiste Einde
- 2021 Cancelled due to Covid 19
- 2022 Coláiste Bhaile Chláir beat Colaiste Einde by 15-12
- 2023 Gort C.S beat Colaiste Einde by 13-10
Junior C Cup
- 2008 St Joseph's College 'The Bish'
- 2009 Calasanctius College
- 2010 Calasanctius College
- 2011 Coláiste Iognáid 'The Jes'
- 2012 St Joseph's College 'The Bish'
- 2013 St Joseph's College 'The Bish'
- 2014
- 2015 St Jarlath's College
- 2016
- 2017 Abbey Community College Boyle
- 2018 Abbey Community College Boyle
- 2019 Athlone Community College
- 2020 Sancta Maria College shared with Jesus & Mary, Enniscrone
- 2021 Cancelled due to Covid 19
- 2022 Gort Community School
- 2023 St Jarlath's College
2000
- 2005 Garbally College beat Coláiste Iognáid, Galway by 15-13
- 2006
- 2007 Shared between Marist College, Athlone and Cilfden C.S
- 2008
- 2009 Calasanctius College, Oranmore beat Sligo Grammar School by 7-0
2010
- 2010 The Bish beat Marist College, Athlone
- 2011 Sligo Grammar School
- 2017 Garbally College beat Marist College, Athlone by 32-05
- 2018 Garbally College beat Marist College, Athlone by 31-17
- 2019 CBS Roscommon beat Garbally College, Ballinasloe by 15-7 [21]
2020
- 2020 - No Competition due to COVID-19 restrictions.
- 2021 - Marist College, Athlone beat St Josephs College, Galway The Bish by 31-24 [22]
- 2022 - Sligo Grammar School beat Marist College, Athlone by 27-7
- 2023 - Marist College, Athlone drew with Sligo Grammar School 12-12
- 2024 - Marist College, Athlone beat Sligo Grammar School by 22-14 [Fixture doubled as Junior Cup Final also][23]
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