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This Sunday, 28th April sees the next, and last, round of Bank of Ireland Club and Schools finals in Dexcom Stadium with the remaining Boys Cup Finals. The U13 Boys’ Cup Final will take place at 12:00 PM followed by the U15 Boys’ Cup Final at 1:30 PM and the U17 Boys’ Cup Final at 3:30 PM.
The first final of the day is the U13 Boys’ Cup Final which will see Buccaneers RFC take on first-time U13 finalists Carrick-on-Shannon RFC in what will be a thriller of a contest. Both teams got a great warm-up in the U13 Non-Competitive fixtures at the start of the season, seeing both sides face a multitude of different opponents and build on their game for the Cup. Buccaneers started their Cup campaign with a win on the board against Ballinasloe RFC and then went on to face Loughrea RFC in a thriller of a Cup Quarterfinal seeing the game ending in a draw, meaning a replay was needed. This time, Buccaneers made no mistake on seizing the win over the Loughrea side with a 24-5 win. However, making the final wasn’t a breeze as once again their Semi-Final match against Gort RFC ended in a draw! The replay saw Buccaneers claim the victory with a 15-13 win over Gort. Carrick-on-Shannon hit the ground running immediately in their Cup campaign, coming out victorious against Connemara/Oughterard RFC and going on to also best Ballina Green, and then Sligo Rugby in their Cup Quarterfinal. This put them at the top of the table, meaning they faced Galway Bay RFC in their home Semi-Final. Galway Bay were worthy opponents, but Carrick were able to solidify their place in the final with a 15-12 win. Two very exciting young teams who are sure to show amazing displays of rugby, Wednesday’s final is a game not to be missed. The U13 Boys’ Cup Final is at 12:00 PM on Sun, 28th April in Dexcom Stadium.
The second final of the day will see the first of a Corinthians RFC vs Sligo Rugby double-header at Dexcom Stadium with the U15 Boys’ Cup Final. Corinthians have seen an impressive season, fielding two teams in both the League and the Cup, both of whom topped their pool tables to begin the year. Corinthians Black went on to face Sligo in the Division 1 League Final where they came out victorious with a 22-5 win. In their Cup Campaign, Corinthians Black maintained a clean record with wins over Westport RFC, Connemara/Oughterard RFC, Corinthians Blue, and a 34-5 win over Ballina RFC in their away Semi-Final, making sure they would be the team once again facing Sligo in a Final, this time in Dexcom Stadium. Sligo also had an impressive League with wins over Ballina RFC, Westport RFC, Creggs RFC, Galway Bay/Galwegians RFC, and only recording losses to Buccaneers RFC and Corinthians Black. In their Cup Campaign, Sligo also kept a clean sheet, building on their league successes with wins over Creggs, Loughrea, Ballinasloe, and then Ballinrobe RFC in their away Semi-Final where they won 22-12 meaning they booked their place in the Final against Corinthians Black. As Sligo was in Pool A in the Cup campaign, this will be the first time the two teams have faced off since their League Final. Sure to be an electric final, make sure to get your ticket ahead of time. The U15 Boys’ Cup Final is at 1:30 PM on Sun, 28th April in Dexcom Stadium.
The third, and last, final of the day will once again see Corinthians RFC face off against Sligo Rugby. As runners-up in last year’s U17s final, Corinthians will be looking to take home the trophy this year. With an impressive League showing and only one loss against last year’s U17s winners Buccaneers RFC, Corinthians faced Sligo in their Semi-Final where they were able to put away a decisive win, meaning they would face Buccaneers again in their League Final. Unfortunately, they fell just short losing 15-10 to the Buccaneers side. This only drove them on in their Cup campaign where they stormed through their pool games, winning all of them meaning the only thing standing between them and the Final was Buccaneers. This time, the Corinthians side made no mistake and came away with a 22-11 win to see them into the final. Sligo also showed a strong start in the League, only recording two tight losses against Buccaneers and Corinthians. Falling to Corinthians in their Semi-Final, Sligo picked themselves up and hit another gear in the Cup competition, winning all of their pool games and their home Semi-Final against a strong Carrick RFC side. With both teams more than ready for a rematch, this is sure to be a fabulous game of rugby by the two sides in what will be a hotly contested final. The U17 Boys’ Cup Final is at 3:30 PM on Sun, 28th April in Dexcom Stadium.
Fans are encouraged to buy their tickets in advance as all 2024 finals will be cashless. Tickets can be purchased here.
Match Day Programme can be found here.
