On behalf of the Connacht Schools committee it is my great pleasure to welcome everyone to Dexcom Stadium today for the 2025/26 Connacht Schools’ Cup finals. The number of Boys' and Girls' schools teams playing rugby in Connacht continues to grow each year.
I wish to express my appreciation to all the principals, teachers, coaches, and staff in our schools for their continued support of the game. Your hard work has not gone unrecognised. I also wish to thank the members of the Connacht Rugby Schools Committee for their work and help over the past year.
If I may, a brief word to those who will be proudly donning their school jersey for the final during this season: this is only the start of a new journey. Join a local club or university team next year. The camaraderie and friendships forged through rugby will endure long after you have hung up your boots.
I would like to thank the Association of Referees Connacht Branch for their dedication in providing referees and other officials, without whom, we would not have any games. Therefore, I urge anyone who loves rugby to consider further contributing to the game by taking up the whistle.
I know that today’s finals will provide an exciting conclusion to the league and, regardless of the results, I hope everyone thoroughly enjoys the day, creating magic memories to last a lifetime.
Ádh mór oraibh go léir,
Jean McConnell
Connacht Rugby Chair of Schools
Match Preview
This Wednesday, 18th March sees the third day of Finals back in Dexcom Stadium post-holidays with the Boys' Junior Development, Junior B, Senior B and Senior A Schools Cup Finals. The Junior Development Schools Cup Final will take place at 11:00 AM followed by the Junior B Boys’ Schools Cup Final at 12:30 PM, the Senior B Boys’ Schools Cup Final at 2:00 PM and the Senior A Boys’ Schools Cup Final at 4:00 PM.
The first final of a thrilling four match day is the Junior Development Boys' Schools Cup Final which will see a Portumna Community School take on Clarin College Athenry.
The Junior Development Boys' Schools League earlier in the season kicked off with Clarin College in Pool A and Portumna CS in Pool B. Both teams had good starts to their season with Clarin College recording 2 wins against St. Raphael's Loughrea and Abbey CC and only one narrow 4-point loss to Gallen Community School. However, they had done enough to top the group and make the League Semi-Final where they were to face Portumna CS.
Portumna CS had also had a successful league campaign with a clean slate against Merlin College and St. Paul's Oughterard. They travelled to Athenry for their Semi-Final against Clarin College in which it was Portumna CS that edged out the home side with a 22-17 win. They eventually went on to win the League title after a decisive performance in the final against Coláiste na Coiribe.
Now, looking ahead to the Cup final, both teams find themselves once again facing off in the closing stages of the competition. Both sides topped their respective groups with records of 3 wins and no losses seeing Clarin College defeat St. Paul's Oughterard in their home Semi-Final while Portumna CS overcame St. Brigid's Loughrea at home.
Sure to be an electric final not to be missed, the Junior Development Boys' Schools Cup Final is at 11:00 AM on Wed, 18th March in Dexcom Stadium.
A word from Head of Club and Community, Joe Gorham
Finals Days are the pinnacle of our Club and School players’ ambitions. It is a day of celebration for the whole of Connacht Rugby. It is truly a memorable occasion for all concerned which, undoubtedly, will be a source of conversation with your teammates in the many years ahead.
The sport of rugby allows for all our players to realise the limits of their ambitions, it allows us to create lifelong memories, however, most importantly, it is the maker of lifelong friendships.
There is no better feeling than to lift a Cup, Plate or Bowl alongside your teammates while representing your club or school. It is all about People and Place.
Sport also reflects life, in that, with every cup final there must be a winner and a loser. Regardless of winning or losing, the hope is that everyone involved on Finals Days will have a quality experience on their big day.
The advent of the new pitch at Dexcom Stadium has allowed Club and Community the opportunity to host additional Cup and League Finals (male and female/Club & School) this season. In fact, we are hugely excited to host over 40 Club & School finals over the course of the next few months.
On Finals Days, we must never forget the huge amount of work and personal sacrifice put in by all the Volunteers, Coaches and Managers to get you to this day. Volunteers are the life-blood of our sport and it would be remiss of me, on this day of celebration, not to say a huge thank you to each and every Club & School Volunteer for the magical work you put in day in and day out for the cause that is rugby in Connacht.
Finally, we at Club & Community rugby wish all our finalists and their loyal supporters the very best of luck on the day.
Connacht Abú.
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Portumna Community School Management: Head Coach Head Coach Assistant Coach Assistant Coach Transition Year Assistants | Image
Clarin College Athenry Management: Manager/Coach Coach Team Support Team Assistants |
Senior Development Boys Schools Cup Final
Referee: Stephen Gregory | AR1: Mark Harrigan | AR2: Norman Tierney | 4th Official: Peter Gaughan |
Portumna Community School
Clarin College Athenry
Portumna Community School Substitutes
Clarin College Athenry Substitutes
Portumna Community School Message of Support
Portumna Community School would like to wish our Junior Boys Rugby team the very best of luck in the Junior Development Boys Cup Final on March 18th against Clarin College.
We are incredibly proud of the commitment, teamwork and determination our boys have shown throughout the season.
A huge thank you to head coaches Nicholas Plews (teacher) and Ian Bloomer (parent and Portumna RFC), assistant coaches Colm Fogarty (teacher) and Mark Scannell (parent and Ballinasloe RFC) for all their dedication and hard work.
We would also like to thank Portumna RFC and Connacht Rugby for their continued support.
A special thank you as well to our school coaches Nicholas Plews, Leo Smith and Deirdre Durack who helped reintroduce boys' and girls' rugby to PCS over the last eight years.
Best of luck to the team: the whole Portumna CS community is behind you!
- Principal Shane McClearn and Deputy Principal Elaine Shanahan-Dunne
Clarin College Athenry Message of Support
All at Clarin College would like to wish our Junior Boys Rugby Team and their coaches Ms Anne-Marie Hession & Sean Lelievre the very best of luck in the Connacht Junior Boys Rugby Final.
Reaching a Connacht final is a fantastic achievement and reflects the hard work, dedication and teamwork shown by the players and their coaches throughout the season. We are extremely proud of your commitment and the manner in which you represent our school.
Our staff, students and parents are all behind you as you take on this challenge. Enjoy the experience and give it your all.
Go n-éirí an t-ádh libh!
- Susan McGann, Acting Principal
