Tony Ward’s Junior Cup preview
Big guns will lift the silverware but watch out for new faces, says Tony Ward
WELL, it didn’t take a ‘Seamus Darby moment’ for St Michael’s to prevent Blackrock making it five titles in a row at JCT for the very first time in 2017. It took a replay in the end as the Rock lads gave it their best shot before going down to the strongest squad in last year’s tournament by a distance.
It was in many ways the reverse of the year before when Gavin Jones and Rock justified the pre-competition favourites tag by getting the better of Mark Hernan’s Ailesbury Road side in another highly competitive final.
And this year it could be going full circle as the Williamstown school field one of the strongest squads ever (in terms of strength in depth) at this level. Before a ball is kicked they are the red-hot favourites, but what a draw. And here Dan Leavy can take a Lion’s share of the blame after managing along with Stuart Lancaster to pull the big Spiritan two out of the bag for the opening round.
In Leinster, unlike Connacht and Munster (where the small number of schools dictates otherwise), there is no second chance. And might I add that given the excellent competitive structures long in place, Leinster schools rugby does not need to go down the back-door or Champions League route, however populist it might seem to push that cause.
The shadow competition (the Fr Godfrey Cup) from which the two finalists will gain entrance to the main event kicks off on Monday, with five ties down for decision including two in Donnybrook where Dundalk Grammar School and St Patrick’s Classical School Navan meet Mount Temple College and Gorey Community School respectively. Four counties represented on the one field on the one afternoon reflects some fairly inclusive organisation to me.
The eight ties in the Junior Cup kick off with that mouth-watering repeat of last year’s final when Rock and Michael’s come head to head on Sunday February 4. The following afternoon another school on the rise (and representing yet another county) Temple Carrig spring into action against Clongowes.
With Headmaster Alan Cox and teachers Mark Crean and Henry Hurley the inspiration, the Co. Wicklow school, just four years in existence, has already taken the Fr Godfrey trophy back to Greystones in 2017 as well as qualifying for the cup for the second year running when finishing second in the League, only losing out to Roscrea (32-29) at the death (having led 29-13 going into the final quarter) in a cracking semi-final. Remember the name and watch them grow from here.
On the same day G on zag a and Castleknock meet (at Castle Avenue) for the second time in a massive game within a couple of months. This impressive Castleknock squad got the better of Gonzaga (16-6) in the preChristmas semi-final before going on to take the under-16 trophy when beating Roscrea (26-15) in the League final. This game will be every bit as close again but a very talented Knock squad will carry the mantle of favourite.
On Tuesday at Donnybrook, Newbridge and St Mary’s meet for the second year running in Round 1, with the Kildare school (yet another county beyond the metropolis) taking last year’s tie convincingly (21-0).
On Wednesday, CU Sand Belvedere meet in Donnybrook and here I suggest a competitive clash that might well have slipped under the radar. Belvo field another strong side, probably second only to Rock in the bookies’ minds, but they are up against a particularly strong CUS squad that is big and talented. I have watched them develop through under-14 and under-15 and on that very concrete evidence I will be very surprised if the Great Denmark Street school’s credentials are not tested to the full.
On Thursday February 8 at Donnybrook, the final three first-round ties will take place, with Terenure fancied to get the better of League runners-up Roscrea. However, they will have their work cut out. The Fr Godfrey Cup qualifier 1 will meet CBC at the same venue, leaving qualifier 2 and St Gerard’s to battle at a venue to be confirmed.
Of course so much will depend on the luck of the draw after that but if Rock hit the ground running and overcome that big first-round hurdle, it is difficult to look beyond title number 51 making its way to Williamstown.
In Munster, PBC (29) lead the way with ten Junior titles more than Rockwell (19) and 12 ahead of fellow city rivals CBC (17). That said, and despite Pres taking the cup in 2014, it is Crescent (7) and Christians who have dominated the under-16 age grade down south this decade. Indeed, one or other has been in every final from 2010 to 2017 inclusive.
They have contested the last three JCT finals, with Christians winning (22-10) in 2015, Crescent getting revenge in a replay (17-7) after a 16-16 draw in 2016 and then retaining the trophy (21-19) in last year’s thrilling final. However, even though they haven’t won the Munster Junior Cup since 1998, this could be St Munchin’s year. Word is of a vibrant attacking team with an outstanding playmaker and scrum-half in Donnacha O’Callaghan (a name that shouldn’t be too difficult to retain).
Munchin’s are pre-cup favourites, with CBC very close behind. The feeling is that if these two can avoid each other, another Limerick/Cork Final could be on the cards. PBC and a promising Castletroy side could be next in that order.
The Corbally school go to Bandon in the opening round and here they would want to be on their guard as apparently another substantial cup team representing BGS is emerging.
All pre-tournament evidence points to Munchin’s or CBC, and we too go along with that.
In the Connacht Junior Cup roll of honour, one school stands apart and, as with Blackrock in Leinster and PBC in Munster, that school is St Joseph’s College, Garbally. They’ve taken the cup back to Ballinasloe 42 times, with the most recent return 12 months ago.
Already Garbally, in tandem with their Seniors, have taken the League title for a Junior and Senior League double. They topped Pool 2 in the pre-Christmas competition, winning four from four. In Pool 1, Marist finished ahead of the rest also by way of a blemish-free record. However, here again in line with their Seniors against the Jes, Garbally proved much too strong for Marist in the final (32-5).
Garbally have recorded 24 Junior and Senior Cup doubles since the first, way back in 1916. All pretournament evidence, specifically the League, points to hitting that quarter-century mark in 2018.
In Ulster the Medallion Shield works in the same way as the Senior Cup in terms of tiered entry. There are a number of extra teams this time around, including Craigavon Senior High and Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock.
Here again the top-seeded eight will join in at Round 4 with RBAI, Methody, Campbell, Ballymena Academy, Enniskillen Royal Grammar, Belfast Royal Academy (in place of Ballyclare High), Royal School Armagh and Wallace High joining their Senior brethren in the final 16.
Most encouragingly at Medallion in recent years we have had relative minnows like Limavady Grammar and Friends School, Lisburn, threatening that big breakthrough, while the current holders, Royal School Armagh, despite nine Senior titles in the locker, took the under-16 trophy back to College Hill for the very first time 12 months ago.
And while again it is difficult to look beyond the big Belfast twins, RBAI and Methodist College (locked together on 35 Shields apiece with three shared), the hitherto ‘lesser’ schools are making their mark. So for the Enniskillen RGS team, opportunity knocks, as at Senior, to add another new name to the mix.