Sport

Slick Sligo back into decider

CONNACHT SCHOOLS SENIOR CUP SEMI-FINAL/Sligo Grammar School 45 Gallen CS 13: THREE TRIES in a five-minute spell just before …

Wed Mar 03 2010 - 00:00

CONNACHT SCHOOLS SENIOR CUP SEMI-FINAL/Sligo Grammar School 45 Gallen CS 13:THREE TRIES in a five-minute spell just before the break sent last year's runners-up Sligo Grammar through to the final in what will be a repeat of last year's decider against a Coláiste Iognáid side bidding to complete a three-in-a-row for the first time.

Gallen CS battled bravely in the opening half as they played their second game in four days, and a shock seemed possible at Ferbane yesterday when they led 6-5 approaching half-time, having played against the wind.

Two penalties from impressive outhalf Callum Boland, either side of the opening try from Sligo full-back Scott Oates, gave Gallen a slender lead. But then the sheer power and pace of Sligo blew them away as the superb running of cousins David and Stephen Butler in the centre carved open the home defence.

Flanker Tom Callaghan got in for a try to put Sligo into the lead, and by half-time the game was over as a contest as tries from Aaron Spring and Gary McConnell established a 24-6 interval lead.

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The power of Spring, number eight Danny Qualter and prop Tom Ferrari, coupled with the excellence of outhalf Pat Hughes, was too much for Gallen.

Spring and Hughes crossed for second-half tries to seal the deal, but Gallen never gave up and were rewarded with a fine try from Clinton Auret in the closing stages.

But Hughes had the last word with Sligo Grammar’s final try.

SLIGO GS: S Oates; S Creamer, D Butler, S Butler, P Laffey; P Hughes, O Van der Grijn; T Ferrari, G McConnell, J Gill; J Clarke, E O’Donnell; A Spring, T Callaghan, D Qualter. Replacements: J Healy for S Butler (39 mins), B McCormack for Gill (51 mins), D Heath for Qualter (54 mins), E Doherty for D Butler (59 mins), C Brady for Ferrari, P Carson for Clarke (both 64 mins), D Rooney for McConnell (66 mins).

GALLEN CS: D Corbett; C Lowry, C Auret, L Claffey, J Egan; C Boland, W Healy; D Higgins, E O’Brien, G Dunne; G Duignan, E Casey; C Hanniffy, D Duignan, E Keena. Replacements: M Auret for Healy (47 mins), L Fox for Dunne (48 mins), A Kelly for G Duignan (65 mins), D Egan for Dunne, N Quinn for D Duignan (both 68 mins).

Referee: K Collins (CBIRFU).

Sligo Grammar will meet defending champions Coláiste Iognáid in the provincial decider this day week, March 10th, at the Galway Sportsground.