Spring League final at Castle Dargan GC

Rugby teens qualify for a Connacht final

Sligo Rugby Club’s Boys U-18.5 team are through to the Connacht Boys U-18.5 Cup final thanks to last Sunday’s 19-15 home defeat of Galwegians, who won this season’s Connacht Boys U-18.5 League Division One. Sligo, the defending champions, scored three tries at Hamilton Park, with Galwegians crossing the try line on two occasions.

Powerful Kealan Schoen bagged two tries and centre Ronan O’Connor also scored a try. Outhalf Mark Tempany kicked two conversions in the swirling wind.

This was a physical encounter, with the packs dictating the game’s sway, as Cathal Lang, James Gilmartin, Max O’Hehir, Aaron Platt, Max Hunter and Issac Marsden impressed for the hosts. Sligo also gained the upper hand in the lineout thanks to the secure hands of Aodhan Shovelin and Tom Walsh. Sligo will face either Ballina or Buccaneers in the final which is scheduled for Sunday, April 21, at Galway’s Dexcom Stadium.

Sligo Rugby Club Boys

U-18.5 squad (v Galwegians): Arann Platt, Max O’Hehir, Cathal Lang, Aodhan Shovelin, Tom Walsh, Kealan Schoen, Max Hunter, Isaac

Marsden, Joris Rooney,

Mark Tempany, Jack Draper, Eamon Keane, Ronan O’Connor, Diarmuid Gallagher, Clyde Regan, Aaron Gilgan, Evan O’Beirne, James Gilmartin, Jack McDaniel, Ben O’Hehir, Carlos Fernandez-Hatre, Adam O’Carroll, Kieran Roper, Brendan Hayes.

Fowley plays for Ireland at the RDS

Drumcliffe’s Nicole Fowley featured for the Ireland women’s rugby team in their 27-21 loss at home to Italy in a Guinness Women’s Six Nations Championship fixture place at the RDS Arena, Dublin, last Sunday. Fowley, the Galwegians and Connacht player, came on after 35 minutes at outhalf in place of the injured Lauren Delany. Ireland, who scored two tries in this game to go with a penalty try, trailed 15-7 at half-time against the Italians. This was their firstever home defeat to Italy and their seventh successive loss in the competition. Next up for Ireland is a home fixture against Wales on Saturday week, April 13. Wales lost 46-10 to England last Saturday.

Winners in Club Sligo’s March draw

The March draw for Club Sligo members was held on Wednesday evening last at Markievicz Park during the half-time interval of the Connacht GAA U-20 Football Championship game between Sligo and Roscommon. The draw was conducted by

Noel Gallagher, Sligo GAA vice-chairman.

There were six prize winners – the first prize was €500 along with five other prizes of €100 each. Sligo GAA thanks all those who have supported – and continue to support – Club Sligo, a vital fundraiser for the development of Gaelic football and hurling in the county. Membership is now open – for further details go online to www.sligogaa.ie/ ClubSligo.

CLUB SLIGO MARCH WINNERS: Dermot Gannon, Tubbercurry (€500); Gerry Quinn, Pearse Road, Sligo (€100); John Marren, Lavagh (€100); Michelle Lavelle, Enniscrone (€100); RSS Document Management, Collooney (€100); Andrew Kearns, Sooey (€100).

All-Stars’ rivals are beaten in a semi-final

Galway’s Maree Basketball Club, who overcame EJ Sligo All-Stars on the

Saturday before last in the Basketball Ireland InsureMyVan.ie Men’s Super League play-offs, were beaten by Griffith College Éanna in last Saturday’s semi-final. Maree, who overcame EJ Sligo All-Stars by eight points, 80-72, in a quarter-final played on March 23, lost out by 13 points to Griffith College Éanna, 90-77, at Calasanctius College, Oranmore. In the all-Dublin decider Griffith College Éanna will play Pyrobel Killester, who were 98-82 semi-final victors over UCC Demons at IWA Clontarf last Saturday.

Castle Dargan Golf Club’s Calor Gas Spring League final was held on Monday,

March 18. With points allocated to league position it was everything to play for on the day. The final results were as follows: 1, Mary Hodson, Joe Morris, Finnian Callaghan; 2, Ray O’Grady, Eugene Carroll, Thomas Casey; 3, Sean Heslin, Niall Fitzpatrick, Nora Teague. This competition had 13 teams and 40 competitors.

Good running from Emmett in Dunboyne

Dromore West native Emmett Dunleavy was the highest-placed Sligo competitor at the Athletics Ireland National 10k Championships that took place in Dunboyne, Co. Meath, on the Sunday before last. Sligo AC’s Dunleavy, now an athletics coach, was 71st overall in this road race – he clocked 33:51. The Male 40 runner helped Sligo AC to 15th place in the male club open teams category.

Also on this team were Martin Brennan (110th, 34:58), Declan Brennan (127th, 35:18) and Shane O’Reilly (251st, 38:07). North Sligo AC were the 24th team home in this section – their team featured Donal Egan (125th, 35:17), Niall Canning (187th, 36:52), Alan Wallace (240th, 37:49) and Alan Travers (334th, 39:49). North Sligo AC were 14th in the female club open teams category thanks to a combined time of 2:56:21. This team included Patricia McCosker (460th, 42:23), Aisling van Rensburg (518th, 43:27), Marie McDonald (565th, 44:22) and Marita McMorrow (655th, 46:10). The men’s title went to Sean Tobin (Clonmel AC) – he posted a time of 29:17 – and Shona Heaslip (An Riocht AC) was the first female finisher thanks to a course record of 32:49.

Away loss for Sligo Rugby’s first XV

The Sligo Rugby Club senior men’s team saw their unbeaten run come to an end last Saturday in the Energia All-Ireland League. Sligo, who were on a six-game winning streak in Division 2B, were beaten 32-20 away by Dungannon. The Tyrone outfit needed to win to move out of potential relegation trouble and Sligo, who are already in the promotion play-offs, remain in fourth place despite suffering a sixth loss in 17 games. Philip Carter scored two tries for Sligo and Rob Tiernan contributed one five-pointer. Euan Brown landed a penalty and provided one conversion.

Sligo complete their regular season this Saturday when they host Derry’s Rainey at Hamilton Park, Strandhill (2.30pm). Rainey, who are sixth in the standings, were beaten 33-31 by Sligo when the sides met at Hatrick Park, Magherafelt, on October 7 last. Sligo’s promotion playoff – against the team that finishes second from bottom in Division 2B – is scheduled for Saturday, April 20.

Sligo Rugby Club are into an U-16 final

Sligo Rugby Club’s Boys U-16s are through to the Connacht Boys U-16 Cup final thanks to last Saturday’s 18-14 away defeat of Galway Corinthians.

This was a comeback win from Sligo, who trailed 7-6 at the break – their first-half scores were a brace of penalties from John Paul Flanagan.

Cathal Moffatt’s try, which followed superb work from

Jay Kiernan and Ezema Ezema, brought Sligo into proceedings early in the second-half. A yellow card for Sligo was exploited by Corinthians, who regained the lead. But Sligo remained resolute and they scored what proved the winning try thanks to a sequence of forward carries – Bobby Irwin got over for the big score.

Sligo will take on Buccaneers in the final – the Athlone club were 19-12 winners away to Carrick-on-Shannon in the other semi-final which was also played last Saturday.

Meanwhile, Sligo Rugby Club have progressed to the Connacht Boys U-15 Cup semi-final. They topped their section, Pool ‘A’, with four convincing wins – the result that secured their place in the last four was Monday’s 38-19 away defeat of Ballinasloe.

Sligo scored six tries against the Galway club – the scorers were Billy Filan (2), Evan Barrett O’Neill, Oisin O’Connor, Jake Davey and Sam Carnegie. Sligo are away to Ballinrobe in this weekend’s semi-final. The other semi-final involves Galway Corinthians and Ballina.

Sligo Rugby Club Boys U-16 squad (v Galway Corinthians): Reuben Galvan, Hugh Óg Arnold, Angelo Nathan Jimenez, Owen McNamara, Fionn Kavanagh-Beirne, Jack Kells, Ezema Ezema, Cathal Moffatt, Giacomo Gambi-Whelan,

John Paul Flanagan, Daniel Allen, Ronan Mullan, Conor O’Hehir, Jay Kiernan, Liam McLoughlin, Donnacha Fahey, Connor Fayne, Bobby Irwin, Evan Rooney, Harry Lewis, Ryan Colreavy, Thomas Sexton, Tiernan O’Rourke, Tadhg Kelly.

Teenagers get a walkover in Plate semi-final

Sligo Rugby Club’s Girls U-18.5 team will contest this season’s Connacht Girls U-18.5 Plate decider. They were scheduled to play Buccaneers at Hamilton Park, Strandhill, in last Saturday’s semi-final but received a walkover from their opponents. Later this month Sligo will be at Galway’s Dexcom Stadium for a provincial final against Ballinasloe, who were 15-7 winners away to Galway Corinthians in Bank Holiday Monday’s semi-final. Sligo were Division One runners-up in this season’s Connacht Girls U-18.5 League. They were beaten by Creggs in the Division One final at the end of January.

Sligo Rugby Club Girls U-18.5 squad: Brooke Deighton, Ellen Hunter, Caragh Cooke, Maya Donaghy, Louise Robertson, Sara Mostafa, Lauren Hunter, Poppy Garvey, Sadhbh Hanley, Ailbhe O’rourke, Saoirse Lawley, Sarah Maye, Rebecca Doherty, Alanna Connolly, Ciara Kerrigan, Ellie Filan, Liana Heffernan, Melissa Higgins, Lara Clinch, Faílenn McLoughlin.