Ready for Connacht Cup final

SLIGO native and current Academy player Cillian Gallagher made his first start for Connacht in the Challenge Cup clash away to Brive last Saturday. Cillian, a former Summerhill College student, started playing rugby with Sligo RFC U14s and continued up to senior level. He was first selected for Connacht for the U15 development squad and then for the U16 and U17 squads, However it wasn’t till he was at the U18 level that he started to seriously focus on rugby, and managed to secure a place in the Connacht sub academy. The former Ireland U20 captain had made his Connacht debut off the bench in the Challenge Cup win over Worcester in October. On Saturday, played the whole game at blindside in a back row that included Eoghan Masterson at openside and Captain John Muldoon at number 8. Connacht came from 16 points down to score a brilliant comeback win and claim the full 5points in Brive, with a final score of 31-38.

Connacht stepped up to the Pool 5 summit with a fiercely contested victory at the Stade Amedee-Domenech.Fly-half Jack Carty was influential throughout, tallying 23 points in total, including four penalties, three conversions and a try as the Irish province moved three points clear of Worcester Warriors at the head of the Pool 5 ladder. The sides meet again in the Sportsground on Saturday for what should be another mammoth feast or rugby at 3pm.

Cillian was congratulated on getting his first start with Connacht from his fans back home in Sligo with lots of goodwill messages on social media. Sligo RFC said they were extremely proud of his achievement, adding ‘Well done Crouchy!’ while Sligo RFC Head Coach Ross Mannion said: “Cillian is really excelling up there and he has huge potential. It’s a huge achievement and he’s a fantastic player.”