Connacht Senior Cup: Garbally College, the most prolific winners of the competition with 43 crowns, will meet the holders in the quarter-finals of the Connacht Schools Senior Cup. St Saran's became the first school since Wilson's Hospital, Multifarnham, in 1966 to add a new name to the trophy, and another new name will be added this year if the Ferbane side are again successful
The school is now known as Gallen Community School following an amalgamation with Ferbane Vocational School and they confirmed their favourites' tag when they defeated Coláiste Iognáid from Galway city 8-3 in the league final before Christmas.
Gallen CS eased their way to the quarter-finals with a 41-0 win over St Muredachs of Ballina, but now face a much sterner test from title specialists Garbally College.
The Ballinasloe nursery have not won the cup since 2001 and you have to go back almost a quarter of century to find the last time they went four seasons without taking the title.
Mind you, that barren period from 1978 to 1982 was followed by a glory era which saw them win nine of the next 10 crowns.
Garbally scored a 63-3 success over St Patrick's of Tuam to reach the quarter-finals, but St Joseph's College, Galway, the second most successful side in the competition with 13 victories, were knocked out by Gort Community School ( 20-5).
Gort CS will now play Marist Athlone in the quarter finals, following the Athlone school's 23-7 defeat of St Mary's, Ballygar. The winners of that clash will meet either Clifden CS or Coláiste Iognáid in the semi-finals.
Coláiste Iognáid remain strong title challengers, reaching the last eight with a 45-3 drubbing of Athlone Community College.
Clifden Community School scored six tries in their 38-0 win over Athenry Vocational School.
Last year's defeated finalists, Sligo Grammar School, have reached eight of the last 11 finals, and while they made winning appearances on just three of those occasions, they can never be discounted.
They will face a big test in the quarter-finals from an impressive Portumna Community School.
The final will take place at the Sportsground on Wednesday, March 16th. QUARTER-FINALS (TBC)
Portumna CS v Sligo Grammar
Clifden CS v Col Iognáid
Gort CS v Marist, Athlone
Gallen CS v Garbally College
