The Junior Cup competition will be the first big exposure these under 16 players will get. A gruelling cup campaign gives them a small insight into what professional rugby might be like, and sets them up well for an assault on the Senior Cup competitions in the following three years.
Started two years after the Senior Cup competition, Galway Grammar School won the first Junior Cup 99 years ago. Garbally won their first competition the following year, and are the competition’s most successful school winning a further 40 times, most recently in 2006. They are in an extremely tough pool, with current champions Marist and 2012 champions Rice College. Pool C is completed with the powerful Colaiste Iognaid.
2010 winners, and beaten finalists the next two years, Sligo Grammar are in Pool A and will have a local derby matchup with Summerhill. St. Gerald’s of Castlebar, Gort Community School will also be pushing to qualify. St. Gerald’s of Castlebar will be a big challenger from this Pool after winning the Junior League this season.
Pool B will see three counties represented, with St. Muiredach’s of Mayo, the Bish and Clifden CS from Galway and CBS Roscommon. The Bish have won the u14 title for the last three years in a row, were junior league semi finalists last year and were beaten in the final of this year’s Junior League.
Pool A:
Fixtures:
Week 1:
14/01/2014 1.30pm: Sligo Grammar 56-0 Gort CS
POSTPONED: Summerhill v St. Gerald’s
Week 2: 22/01/2014
12.30 pm: St. Gerald’s v Gort CS
2.30pm: Summerhill v Sligo Grammar
Week 3: 29/01/2014 1pm:
Gort CS v Summerhill
St. Gerald’s v Sligo Grammar
Squads:
St. Gerald’s, Castlebar
Summerhill, Sligo
Gort CS
Pool B:
Fixtures:
Week 1: 15/01/2014 1pm:
Clifden CS v The Bish POSTPONED
St. Murdeach’s v CBS Roscommon
Week 2: 22/01/2014 12.30pm:
The Bish v CBS Roscommon
Clifden CS v St. Murdeach’s
Week 3: 29/01/2014 1pm:
CBS Roscommon v Clifden CS
The Bish v St. Murdeach’s
Squads:
St. Murdeach’s, Ballina
St. Joseph’s, Galway – The Bish
Clifden CS, Connemara
Pool C:
Fixtures:
Week 1: 15/01/2014
POSTPONED: Rice College v Colaiste Iognaid
Garbally College 34-7 Marist College
Week 2: 22/01/2014 1pm:
Marist College v Colaiste Iognaid
Garbally College v Rice College
Week 3: 29/01/2014 1pm:
Colaiste Iognaid v Garbally College
Marist College v Rice College
Squads:
Colaiste Iognaid, Galway – The Jes
Rice College, Westport, Mayo
Marist College, Athlone
Garbally College, Galway