Sligo Grammar finally put paid to the notion of being the also-rans of Connacht Schools' senior rugby when they outclassed St Joseph's, Galway, to win their sixth cup title at Galway Sports-ground yesterday.
Having lost finals on four successive occasions from 1994 to 1997, Sligo were determined to end the Millennium with the major prize. Three hard-fought semi-final clashes against Portumna CS might have aided their cause as they were well drilled and committed from the start.
Although full-back Oisin Grennan was just wide with a penalty in the first minute, he made amends when claiming the first of his side's four tries on 20 minutes, which left wing Gary Boland converted.
Always first to the breakdown, Sligo were rampant in the loose against a lack-lustre St Joseph's side. From a superb back-line move in which out-half Niall O'Hara handled twice, Grennan once again made the vital incision with number eight Ross Allen finishing in the left corner to make it 12-0 at half-time.
St Joseph's full-back David McLaughlin was wide with an early second-half penalty which could have ignited a recovery by the Galway boys. But although schools international second row Alan Maher tried hard along with flanker David Glynn until substituted in the second half, St Joseph's never looked like scoring.
Sligo continued their domination in all sectors and put the game out of reach after 49 minutes when centre Brian Parke slipped through after repeated assaults on the line. Boland landed the conversion.
A man-of-the-match winning performance from Allen saw him claim his second try with five minutes remaining. All St Joseph's could muster was a consolation try on the stroke of full-time from solid performing prop Ambrose Conboy. Meanwhile Presentation, Athenry, claimed their first rugby trophy when overcoming St Mary's, Ballygar, 7-5, in the senior development cup final.
Scoring Sequence: 20 mins: O Grennan try, G Boland conversion, 7-0; 27: R Allen try, 12-0; 49: B Parke try, G Boland conversion, 19-0; 65: R Allen try, 24-0; 70: A Conboy try, 24-5.
Sligo GS: O Grennan; R O'Gorman, T Sweeney, B Parke, G Boland; N O'Hara, N Draper; M Richardson, C Adamson, W Maxwell, C Richardson, W Tindal, D Beattie (capt), N Parson, R Allen.
St Joseph's Galway: D McLaughlin; K O'Brien, D Dixon, K Griffin, D Cluskey; B O'Dea, M O'Dea (capt); A Conboy, T O'Neill, M O'Dowd, A Maher, D Maher, P Lyons, D Glynn, G Horley. Replacements: I Griffin for D Maher, A Haverty for Cluskey (half-time), R Griffin for Glynn (51 mins).
Referee: P McCarthy.
