A stalemate and defeat in finals at Dexcom Stadium
ANOTHER Sunday at Galway’s Dexcom Stadium for Sligo Rugby Club and another day of contrasting fortunes for teams battling earnestly to do themselves proud in Sligo’s colours.
Sligo Rugby Club contested the Bank of Ireland Connacht Boys U-15 Cup final and the Bank of Ireland Connacht Boys U-17 Cup final, losing the former and drawing the latter, with Galway Corinthians the opposition in both deciders.
The Boys U-15 decider saw Sligo end up losing 21-14 as some spells of excellent play went unrewarded.
Sligo were 14-7 down at the break after they played against the wind in the opening half. A key moment came when it was 7-7. Sligo forced a turnover in their own ‘22’ and surged upfield for what would have probably have been a lead score.
But play was called back following a raised flag from one of the assistant referees and a penalty was awarded to Corinthians, who would bag a converted try.
Earlier in the opening period Sligo came from 7-0 down when Sean Cashell notched a five-pointer from a pick and go. Billy Filan converted.
A good start to the second-half saw Sligo level matters thanks to Sam Carnegie’s try and another successful kick from Billy Filan.
But a third converted try from the eventual winners left Sligo once
The number of points that Sligo trailed by at one stage of the Connacht Boys U-17 final. again trailing and despite laying siege to the Corinthians line for the last 10 minutes there was no late recovery.
Next up was the Boys U-17 showdown as Sligo took on Corinthians. Here the Galway club took a 10-0 advantage via a first-half penalty (the only score of the opening period) and then a converted try.
But Sligo dug deep and secured a replay thanks to tries from scrumhalf Andrew Ryan and winger Piotr Maciorowski, who got over in the corner with time running out.
Unfortunately for Sligo both of outhalf Cillian O’Neill’s conversion attempts were foiled by the tricky wind, with the second effort from an impossible position along the sideline.
The replay is scheduled for this coming Sunday, May 5, at the facilities of Castlebar
RFC in Mayo (12 noon start).