Galway Corinthians RFC’s U20 team will look to continue the start of 2024 like they finished 2023 with a win when they host Wanderers in Corinthian Park on Sunday afternoon at 2.30.
In a league that has seen the Galway side top the group and remain unbeaten after seven games, a win will be important as they look to win the league outright and become the first Connacht team to do so.
The Leinster JP Fanagan League has been in existence for some time but only in the last ten years have we seen Connacht clubs involved. A Corinthians/University of Galway combination finished bottom of the Premier 2 in the 2015/16 season with just two points from their fourteen games and a staggering -436 points difference. Following a hiatus of three years, the club returned for the short lived 2019-20 season where they finished seventh out of eight teams when the season was curtailed due to the Covid pandemic.
With no games played at all the following season, Corinthians attacked the 21/22 season with gusto and an early win over Dublin University showed that this team were determined to do well. Defeats to Galwegians and Seapoint rocked them slightly but as the season continued, the performances improved and two wins over Seapoint and Galwegians in the return fixtures had them in contention. However, the mixed start came back to haunt them, and they had to settle for third which was still one of the highest finishes ever by a Connacht team in this competition.
If there was a feeling of success in that season, the following one was even better. Opening wins over Buccaneers, Seapoint and Wanderers put them top of the league and beating Dublin University gave a feeling that this team could do the unlikely in some eyes and take the title. However, they would come up against a Terenure side who were unstoppable and two defeats to the eventual league champions and a draw against Wanderers would spell the end of their challenge. A further defeat to Naas made no difference as they were already guaranteed second place, a stunning result for the team and the club.
This season has seen Corinthians explode into life. The appointment of Anthony Leifi as Head Coach and Morgan Conneely as assistant along with manager Maggie Newell has paid dividends with seven wins out of their opening seven games. No mean feat considering the team has faced quality opposition in those games.
Having made it through the qualifiers to Premier League 2 by finishing second after they were beaten by Buccaneers on the final day, Corinthians set off in extraordinary fashion beating Dublin University by a point on the opening weekend followed by wins over Wanderers, De La Salle Palmerston and then exacting revenge over their Connacht neighbours Buccaneers.
That was followed by further wins over St Mary’s College and Greystones before their most emphatic win to date, an eight try 50-0 hammering of UCD in Corinthian Park in December. That win keeps Corinthians top and with their game against second placed Dublin University last Sunday called off due to the Red Storm Warning, it does set the scene for what could be an interesting game against a Wanderers side who have struggled all season and who are bottom of the division.
Head Coach Anthony Leifi is pleased with the season so far but is also very aware of the challenges that are to come in the New Year. “We were all delighted to head into the Christmas break unbeaten in the Leinster league. The team put in a lot of hard work and the results show that. But we also know that teams will now want to get one over us and we are working hard to ensure we can emulate that success rate in the back end of the season.”
Wanderers may be bottom, but the Corinthians Head Coach points out that the table counts for nothing when it comes to game time and the effort that is needed to keep their excellent run going.
“Wanderers will come to Corinthian Park this Sunday ready to put up a stiff challenge against us. Their league form does not reflect how they have played this season, which has been exceptionally good at times. We must be ready for that and to play our game. We must ensure we do the basics well and enjoy every minute on the field. No one is looking beyond Sunday next. We have to take it week by week as the season progresses and keep putting the work in.”
While their form has been spectacular, there is no doubting the determination that flows through the team at the minute. There is also absolutely no complacency in this team. If their form continues through the rest of the season like it has so far, it could be a historic one for Corinthians.
