The Connacht Schools Junior Challenge Cup is an under-age rugby union competition for schools affiliated to the Connacht Branch of the IRFU.
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 seven times (2000, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2013, 2016 ,2018, 2022).
Competition structure
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.
Performance by School
+1 Since 1989 (Excluding 1992-4) +2 Only counting wins and losing finals since 1989 Last Updated 15/03/2023
Results
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