Connaught ‘A’ Senior Rugby Cup 2025 - Round 2
Marist College - 29
St Joseph’s (The Bish) - 14
On Wednesday the 29th of January, after a six day turn around, faced league semi-finalists ‘The Bish’ in the 2nd round of the Senior Schools Cup.
In the aftermath of Storm Eowyn, the Marist Senior rugby squad made their way to Galway City to play their first away game of the Cup campaign. The two sides previously met in the league before Christmas where the Marist came out winners in a very tight contest.
The Marist were forced to play without their Captain Tom Sheehan, Prop Kailin Blessing and scrumhalf Owen Egan and everyone else on the squad knew that they would need to improve on their previous performances in order to make up for the injuries to these three players. Mr. Broderick and Sam Fogarty had to rejig the team and with only one training session before the game, a big task was asked of players to play out of their normal positions and step up into the starting team.
The weather was perfect for running rugby, in contrast to last week’s game, and the pitch conditions and facilities were ideal in the NUIG home ground. The Marist started this game with intent and big hits from Oisin O’Donoghue and Rueben Colleran really set the tone. The Bish were forced to kick long to relieve pressure but they were met with excellent mazing runs from the Marist back three of Tom Bourke, Kyle Mahon and Andrew Cotton. After about 10 minutes, Marist sucked in the Bish defence and then spread the ball wide, where Oisin O’Donoghue sprinted over to touch down in the corner. This score opened the flood gates where Thomas Cotton and Charlie O’Carroll struck as the backline began to dominate.
A bonus point win would guarantee a home Semi Final draw for the Marist and with only 30 minutes gone in the game, they found themselves one try away from that top seeding position. As Marist pushed, mistakes began to creep into their game and poor discipline punished them for field position. The Bish pounced just before halftime after some very poor defending and the sides took their break at a score line of 19 points to 7.
The Marist regathered themselves at halftime and almost immediately in the second half Thomas Cotton intercepted to score under the posts, securing the bonus point and all the Marist had to do now was win the game to have a home semi-final in March. The Marist game plan changed from here on in and field position and possession became the focus to close out the game. As the substitutes rolled on, players such as Darragh Glennon and Paul O’Sullivan showed their class and were unlucky not to get their names on the score sheet.
The game finished 29 – 14 and this was over all a very good and sporting performance from the Marist team. With so many influential players out with injury, it was a delight to the coaches that others could fit in seamlessly and the result never was in doubt. The Cup will now break for the mock exams and the Mid-term break and the semi-final will be played in the first week of March.
Scorers: Charlie O’Carroll, Tom Cotton x 2, and Oisin O’Donoghue
- O’Carroll (3 Conv.)
Team: 1. Ciarán West 2. Evan McMickan 3. H. Hannan 4. Max O’Sullivan 5. Peter Bourke 6. Oisin O’Donoghue 7. Kyle Byrne 8. Rueben Colleran 9. Owen Egan 10. Charlie O’Carroll 11. Conor Dowling 12. Tom Sheehan 13. Thomas Cotton 14. Thomas Bourke 15. Andrew Henson
Finishers: 16. James Kelly 17. John Okegbenro 18. Matthew Turner 19. Kyle Mahon 20. Paul O’Sullivan 21. Philip Finan 22. Alex Connor