Connacht Schools Cup/Sligo GS 16 Gallen CS, Ferbane 6: Gallen CC surrendered their Connacht Senior Cup title in this, at times, error-strewn semi-final in Sligo yesterday.
The visitors rarely showed the polish that denied the Grammar School back-to-back Connacht titles in last year's decider, when the Offaly side were known as St Saran's.
The game started and finished on a disappointing note for the visitors. Irish Youths player Adrian Wynne saw his penalty attempt drop wide after two minutes of the first half, and his side were reduced to 13 players two minutes from full-time when Tom Gilligan and Paul O'Brien were sent to the sin bin.
Wynne opened the scoring with a penalty after 14 minutes.
Sligo fullback Ross Butler levelled the scores with a similar kick on the stroke of half-time.
Butler put Sligo 6-3 ahead after nine minutes of the second half, before Wynne squared the match on 14 minutes.
The game was then put out of the visitors' reach during a seven-minute spell of home dominance.
Finn Considine and Simon Gillespie were involved in a build-up that sent Butler in for a try. He converted to put the home side 13-6 in front, and the game was as good as over when he converted a penalty from near the half way line.
SLIGO GS: R O'Boyle; R Wasson, P Epert, B McCabe, J Barry; K Richardson, J Draper; S Dorran, F Considine, S Gillespie, B Mullen, D Draper, P Hunt, C O'Grady, R Butler. Replacement: D Torsney for Richardson (50 mins).
GALLEN COLLEGE: M Boland; G Grehan, J Rafferty, T Gilligan, A Egan; A Wynne, P Deeley; D O'Connor, G Kelly, C Malone, B McManus, P O'Brien, R Walsh, L Browne, C Higgins.
Referee: R Gibson (Connacht Branch).
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