Sligo RFC made history by becoming the first Connacht club to win outside the province in the All Ireland Junior Cup when they travelled to and defeated Munster Junior challenge cup finalists Clonmel RFC on Saturday.

Sligo made light of difficult weather and underfoot conditions when they scored 11 points without reply on their way to a well deserved victory.

Sligo kicked off, and their hardworking pack immediately imposed themselves on the Clonmel eight. Pressure on the home scrum and lineout gave the north westerners a foothold in the Clonmel half and this pressure was rewarded on 13 minutes when Clonmel were penalised at the breakdown on their 10 metre line. Full back Jack Macklin stepped up and bisected the posts with a well struck kick to put his side three points to the good.

Clonmel’s restart kick did not travel the required 10 metres and Sligo opted to take a scrum on the halfway line. The Sligo backline lined up as if to go left but scrum half Billy Leahy fed Jordan Farrington down the right side. Farrington chipped ahead and sped past the turning winger before brilliantly regathering and crashing over for the only try of the game. Macklin was wide with the difficult conversion attempt.

This score prompted a resurgence from the home team and their well judged kick and chase game forced Sligo to concede a scrum 5 yards from their own line. Clonmel launched a series of attacks at the Sligo line but big tackles by Cathal Culhane, Jamie Bowes and Trevor Sweeney ensured that their line remained intact. Eventually, the home outfit conceded a penalty which allowed Sligo outhalf Niall O Hara the chance to relieve the pressure. Sligo then applied pressure of their own but were unable to add to their tally before half time.

The second half began much as the first ended with the visitors looking to increase their advantage. James Wilson and Peter Mullan were beginning to dominate the lineouts and Sligo’s front row of Jason East, Gary Conneely and Adrian Mc Hale were giving their opposite numbers a difficult time in the scrums.

Fifteen minutes into the half Sligo were awarded a penalty for offside on the home ten metre line. Macklin opted to go for the posts and his ambition was rewarded when his kick successfully crossed the bar, despite the ball brushing the left hand post.

Sligo tried to add to their 11 point lead and were almost successful in the 65th minute when a well judged Niall O Hara cross kick was expertly plucked from the air by David Gerrity . The winger was hauled down a metre short of the line but the ball was lost forward in the resulting ruck allowing the home outfit the chance to relieve the pressure. Another promising move almost came off when Cathal Culhane collected a Clonmel clearance kick on the 10 metre line. The flanker carried forward before releasing veteran centre Gavin Foley with a perfectly timed pass. Foley sped down the wing but was stopped five metres short of the try line with a last ditch tackle.

Clonmel again went on the attack and threw everything at the visitors to try to get a score on the board but some super Sligo tackling, with one particularly noteworthy effort from winger Gary Collins , coupled with fine kicking by Niall O Hara ensured that the Sligo line was kept intact.

Sligo now go on to meet Leinster side Tullamore in the quarter final. This match is scheduled for the 21st of November. Tullamore are the current holders of the All Ireland Junior cup and will provide stiff opposition for the visiting Sligo team.

Sligo: Jack Macklin, David Gerrity, Jordan Farrington, Gavin Foley, Gary Collins, Niall O Hara, Billy Leahy, Adrian Mc Hale, Gary Coneelly, Jason East, James Wilson, Jamie Bowes, Peter Mullan, Cathal Culhane, Trevor Sweeney. Subs Thomas Gormaley for Mc Hale, Ross Mannnion for Coneelly, Simon Coulter for Bowes, Ted Mulvaney for Macklin, Joe Sweeney for Culhane

Clonmel: Greg Carroll, Paddy Long, David Joyce, Kieran Lyons, Robbie Carroll, Brian Lonergan, Brendan Leo, Owen Anderson, John Gallagher, Brendan Mullan, Krzyfztof Wojciefzak, Stephen Pyke, Enda O Connor, Padraig Leahy, John Long.

Sligo RFC are celebrating a 40 year reunion for the Connacht Junior Cup winning side of 1969 and a 10 year reunion of the Connacht Cup winning side of 1999.  What promises to be an excellent social gathering of ex players along with their partners (and indeeed a few current ones also) takes place on Friday 13th in the Glasshouse, Sligo at 9pm.  All are members past and present are more than welcome.

The ideal candidate will be available to attend Magners League matches on each match weekend from December through to the ML Grand Final next May. Developing relationships with key personnel and media from each of the provinces, the successful candidate will work with the Setanta Sports production team in interviewing players and fans and providing in-match summaries, in addition to maintaining their own blog and continuously looking for opportunities to drive the profile of the League.

The chosen candidate will have strong communication and interpersonal skills and be able to build relationships with all Magners League partners. He/She will have strong presentation skills, will enjoy working with people and will be innovative and creative with a can do attitude.

Orlaith Fortune, Marketing Manager Bulmers said, “If you think you have what it takes and you want to be part of the League’s most exciting season ever, then all you have to do is apply… If you are passionate about sport, hard-working and not shy in front of a camera, then this is the job for you!”

The 2009/10 Magners League has all the makings of another all-action tournament brimming with clashes high in both intensity and quality between teams from Ireland, Scotland and Wales. With the introduction of play-offs for the four leading sides, this season promises to be one of the most thrilling ever.

For details on how to apply visit [ http://www.bulmers.ie/profan ]www.bulmers.ie/profan
Applications will be taken up until November 24th 2009.

So far in this seasons league campaign Sligo’s expansive rugby has delighted their followers with a total of 24 tries scored in 5 matches with the majority of these tries coming through their exciting backline.
However, as is often quoted in rugby circles “Forwards win matches and backs decide by how much” and the work of the Sligo pack has been instrumental in the Sligo success story so far.

Coach Simon Galvan has the enviable task of selecting a team from one of the strongest squads assembled in Sligo in recent years. Props Jason East and Adrian Mc Hale look set to start with Martin Feeney another possible option. The hooking berth is currently filled by Gary Conneely but Ross Mannion is an equally capabable alternative for this position.  The Second Row is likely to be filled by James Wilson and Jamie Bowes but the form of second team player Dermot Kiely has given the coach something to thinkabout. Trevor Sweeney has being wearing the No.8 jersey to date with Cathal Culhane and Peter Mullan packing down at open and blindside respectively. Billy Leahy and Paddy Pearson have struck up a good partnership at half back and will be hoping to make effective use of the ball provided by their pack. Veteran Gavin Foley looks set to continue his centre partnership with the creative Jordan Farrington. Andrew Feeney and Jack Macklin also give the coach options in this area. Three from a list including David Gerrity, Julian Rippon, Ted Mulvaney, Gary Collins, Andrew Feeney and Jack Macklin will make up the back three combination.

The game kicks off at 2.30 at Clonmel RFC next Saturday.

More information regarding ordering tickets can be found on the membership resources section of this site (link).

A new look Sligo XV lost their first league outing on Sunday last in Strandhill.

This season the management have to plan their side with the loss of 3 top players Niall Keneally, Tighe Power and Chris Nairn who have joined the UL Bohs academy in Limerick  and a decision has also been taken to minimise the number of club games for Grammer School senior players who have a full schedule at this time.

The upside of this is that a number of new and old faces turned out for the club for Sunday’s game and gave a good display.

Galwegian’s started the game with the aid of a strong breeze and put immediate pressure on the Sligo line and from a close in scrum they crossed under the posts and then later added a second try from a rolling maul to leave the score 14- 0 at half time.

The Sligo pack was under a lot of pressure in the loose but were holding their own in the tight with the front row of David French,  Donal Rooney and Gerard Keaney doing well.

Sligo had two debutants in the second row in CJ Mc Carrick and Simon Lynch  and while they had mixed luck in the line outs they got through a lot of work around the park.

In the back row Sligo welcomed back James Clarke and Tomas Mc Munn both who had not played for the last 3 seasons and both had excellent outings, Craig Adams filled in an unfamiliar position for him at no 6 but also gave a good  account of himself.

In the second half the constant pressure from the first half began to tell and as the tiredness set in, Galwegians hit Sligo for 3 further try’s in a 10 minute spell.

However Sligo regrouped and finished on a high note when substitute Robbie Keegan at scrumhalf darted over for a well taken try and Sligo  had opportunities to add some more points but poor handling stopped them for adding a few more scores..

Overall the half backs of Donal Brady and Stephen Butler combined well and Butler did not put a foot wrong throughout the game. Cian Henry from Drumcliff also making his debut on the wing looked very comfortable throughout and club stalwart Adam Donnellan did everything asked of him. At full back Cathal Finneran caught and kicked very well and looks a very promising prospect.

Sligo have 4 more league games in November and hopefully the side can continue to improve as the management  focus to bring more depth to the squad.

Best of luck to Aaron Spring in his international trials this week hopefully he will be available later in the league campaign.

Everyone at Sligo Rugby Club wishes him well.

Persistent rain through the night and early morning resulted in very slippery conditions for Sligo’s third outing in the U-17 League. Last season both the U15 and U16 teams travelled to Westport and conceded league points. However, there was a palpable resolve in the Sligo camp to prevent a recurrence in this season’s campaign.

Westport RFC v Sligo RFC U17 League – Images by Shooting Stars

The conditions made it difficult for players to settle into the game and the opening minutes same handling errors on both sides. A dream start for the visitors seemed on the way when, five minutes into game, Sligo recycled possession a number of times and sent Diarmuid O’Dowd Hill powering towards the line with out-half Michael Martin and winger David Burke in support. David received the ball 10 metres from the line and crossed over for a touchdown but play was called back for an infringement.

In the ensuing period play was largely between the respective 22-metre lines. However, it was in this period that Sligo dominance in the set pieces came to the fore. In the scrummage Sligo’s front five comprising the Davey twins, Gerard Melly, Diarmuid O’Dowd Hill and Daragh Tonry were formidable while the line-outs saw excellent jumping and first-rate handling by Sean Donnelly and Jake Roemer.

The first score of the game came in the 17th minute when the Sligo team was awarded a scrum on the opposition 22-metre line. A solid Sligo scrum moved play towards the line and, in a pick-and-drive, the back row advanced further and in the final phase Diarnuid O-Dowd Hill broke from the ruck, was tackled but not held, and crossed to put points on the board. Jimmy Mullins scored the conversion.

Fired-up by this setback the Westport team attacked the Sligo lines from the restart and in the ensuing passage of play a penalty was awarded to the home side and was ably scored by the outhalf.

The next period of play belonged to Sligo and the efforts were rewarded when, on the 26th minute, the home side was penalised for not releasing and James Mullin tapped over to give Sligo a seven-point advantage.

However, the Sligo score drew a similar attacking response from the Westport because, two minutes after the penalty, the home side worked the way deep into Sligo territory and, in an impressive passage of play, crossed over for a try in the corner. However, the conversion attempt failed leaving Sligo with a two-point advantage at the interval.

In the third quarter the Sligo side sought to bring more variation into their game and, from quality-ball from set pieces and broken play, the back line attempted to work the ball wide but simply couldn’t get to terms with the playing conditions.

The final quarter saw the Sligo pack’s most impressive display of the game when opting to retain possession and starve the opposition of opportunities. The line-out performance, rucking and mauling were very impressive.

The final talking point of the game arose when the Westport back line sought to play from a deep defensive position. Good containment by the visiting forwards led to a breakdown followed by a kick-ahead towards the in-goal area; the ensuing scramble saw Sean Conlon narrowly miss a try-scoring opportunity as the opposition cover secured the touchdown. Moments later the final whistle sounded leaving Sligo unbeaten run intact.

Sligo’s 2nd’s team emulated their senior counterparts with another well deserved win over local rivals Ballina in this Junior league B encounter at Hamilton Park on Sunday. The home outfit have won all their games to date in this division and are starting to build momentum for a sustained challenge for league honours. Sligo ran in a total of 8 tries in a complete team performance to earn a bonus point and outclass the visitors. Tries from James Coulter, Donal Finneran, Matt Drury, Clive Morris, Stephen Kilgallon, Seamie O’Hara coupled with a brace from ‘man of the match’ Joe Sweeny and two Frankie Feeney conversions saw off the challenge of the Moysiders. Prop forward Phiilip Allen was the pick off the forwards and the returning from injury Niall O Hara gave a noticeable display.