Bank of Ireland Club Finals Preview

26 January 2024

Bank of Ireland Club Finals Preview

This Sunday, 28th January sees the first triple-header of the Bank of Ireland Club and Schools finals in Dexcom Stadium and it’s not to be missed. The U18 Girls’ Division 2 League Final will take place at 11:00 AM followed by the U18 Girls’ Division 1 League Final at 1:00 PM and then the U18.5 Boys’ Division 1 Final at 3:00 PM.

The first of the three finals is the Bank of Ireland U18 Girls’ Division 2 League Final which will see Corinthians RFC take on last year’s U18 Girls’ Div 2 champions Gort/Monivea RFC. Gort/Monivea overcame Sligo Black 20-15 in last year’s thrilling final in Claremorris RFC. This season, the only game Gort/Monivea have lost in their league campaign was a tight 15-10 loss to league newcomers Corinthians RFC. After a convincing 56-24 home semi-final win against a formidable Ballinrobe RFC team, Gort/Monivea will be looking to retain their champion title in the final. However, it won’t be easy as Corinthians RFC have had an impressive league campaign this season after rebuilding their team. They are coming into Sunday’s final with a clean 6-0 record and after a 17-14 home semi-final win against an impressive Loughrea RFC team and will look to catch Gort/Monivea on their heels in the final. The final is promised to be a thriller of a rematch between the two sides. The Bank of Ireland U18 Girls’ Division 2 League Final is at 11:00 AM on Sun, 28th January in Dexcom Stadium.

The second final of the day will see Creggs RFC take on Sligo RFC in the Bank of Ireland U18 Girls’ Division 1 League Final. This is sure to be a hotly contested game with two incredibly strong sides battling it out. After winning the Division 1 final in the 2021/22 season, Creggs fell 26-14 to Tuam/Oughterard in last year’s League final and will be looking to once again lift the trophy this year. Losing only to Sligo in their league campaign, Creggs otherwise recorded strong wins, including their home semi-final against last year’s champions, Tuam/Oughterard. Coming off their U16 Cup final win last season, this year’s Sligo U18 team was going to be strong. They only recorded one loss in the league which was against the team they would later face in the semi-final – Ballina RFC. After a semi-final replay and a 17-10 win over Ballina, Sligo will take the pitch against Creggs on Sunday. This will be a final not to be missed that could go in either direction. The Bank of Ireland U18 Girls’ Division 1 League Final is at 1:00 PM on Sun, 28th January in Dexcom Stadium.

The last final of the day will see Corinthians RFC face Galwegians RFC in the Bank of Ireland U18.5 Boys’ Division 1 League Final. A Galway City derby, this match between old rivals is sure to be a thriller of a final. These two sides met in round 5 of the league competition where Corinthians came away with just a 3-point victory. Both sides have shown impressive performances over the course of the league. Corinthians played Ballina RFC in their home semi-final – a match that was sure to be a good one after their last face-off when Corinthians won 20-19. This time, Corinthians came away with a 28-5 win to secure their spot in the final. Galwegians also saw a rematch in their semi-final against Buccaneers RFC after they came away with a narrow 31-28 away win in round 3 of the competition. In their home semi-final, Galwegians took the win with a score of 28-23 and will face their long-time rivals Sunday. The Bank of Ireland U18.5 Boys’ Division 1 League Final is at 3:00 PM on Sun, 28th January in Dexcom Stadium.

Fans are encouraged to buy their tickets in advance as all 2024 finals will be cashless. Tickets can be purchased here.

View the digital Match Programme HERE.