Back to league action after cup break

Fri, Feb 19, 2016

After a few weeks of action in the Connacht Junior Cup it is back to the home ranch for the sides in the Connacht Junior League this weekend. Last weekend Westport booked their place in a third successive Connacht Junior Cup final with a 30 point win over Tuam last Sunday in Carrowholly. There could yet be an all Mayo final with Ballina currently waiting for Monivea and Galwegians to get to grips with each other this weekend to see who they will face in the semi-final on Sunday week.

Connacht sign off 16-week run with Pro 12 and European targets ticked

Fri, Feb 05, 2016

Connacht players are taking a well deserved holiday this week after a perfect finish to an exhaustive run of 16 games on the trot. A bonus-point victory over top-of-the-table Scarlets ensured Connacht remain in the Guinness Pro 12 top four, and are level on points with Scarlets, who continue to hold pole position due to a superior win count.

Connacht aim to consolidate top four position against leaders Scarlets

Fri, Jan 29, 2016

Connacht wrap up a tough run of 16 games on the trot this weekend with high hopes of remaining in the Guinness Pro 12 top four. Top-of-the-table Scarlets are the visitors to the Sportsground on Saturday (3pm), and Pat Lam will be urging his squad for one big push before they can take a well-earned break after this unprecedented four months of non-stop competitive action.

Big guns enter the action

Fri, Jan 29, 2016

The first round proper of the Connacht Junior Cup kicks off this weekend, with all the big guns getting their first outing in the competition. The preliminary round of the competition took place last weekend and Ballinrobe exited the competition by the narrowest of margins going down 5-3 to Dunmore on the road.

Seamus O'Toole's men came up just short against the the Galway men, with each side only registering one score over the 80 minutes plus additional time, but unfortunately for the south Mayo men, it was Dunmore who touched down for a try, while his side could only muster a penalty in reply from the boot of Dave Reilly and they were not able to make other chances count on the scoreboard. Also exiting the competition on Friday night were Claremorris who went down 14-0 on the road to Tuam in their preliminary round contest.

Henshaw expected to return for Connacht in ‘do or die’ Euro match

Fri, Jan 22, 2016

Ireland centre Robbie Henshaw is set for a return to action in Connacht's final European pool fixture at the Galway Sportsground on Saturday (3pm).

Junior cup kicks off for lower level sides this weekend

Fri, Jan 22, 2016

The premier cup competition for junior rugby sides in Connacht kicks off this evening, with Claremorris the first Mayo side into the competition taking on Tuam in north Galway at 8pm. The south Mayo team who are operating in Junior 1C this year will face a tough test against the north Galway side who are sitting in third place in the table in the division above them in the league with eight wins from their 10 games.

On Sunday Ballinrobe, who warmed up with a 30-10 win over the aforementioned Claremorris in the league last weekend, will take to the road and head to Dumore for a place in the next round, where all the big boys enter the competition. Theses two sides have been battling it out at the top of Division 1C all year and when they met in the league their most recent contest ended in a 13-13 draw in Ballinrobe, while Ballinrobe had 19-7 win in their last meeting in Dunmore. If Ballinrobe get over Dumore the prize for them is an away trip to last year's cup winners Westport in Carrowholly the following weekend.

Connacht must deliver the knock-out blow to qualify

Fri, Jan 15, 2016

Connacht's European qualifications face a huge test on Saturday when they travel to France for a crunch Challenge Cup fixture against Brive.

Bulls bounce back to the top of the table

Fri, Jan 15, 2016

After going down to local rivals Ballina a fortnight ago, the brave bulls from Westport got back to winning ways last weekend and moved back to the top of the table in division 1A of the Connacht Junior League with a comprehensive 23-7 win over Galwegians in Carrowholly. The victory was the Bulls' fifth in eight outings this season and sent them three points clear at the top of the table. However they could slip back into second place in the standings this weekend if Wegians, as expected, see off a Buccaneers side who have registered just one win from their six games so far this season, with Westport having the weekend off.

Westport's win last weekend came thanks to a fantastic 18 point haul from Seán Tobin, who scored a try and chipped in with two conversions and three penalties over the 80 minutes with Kevin Corcoran touching down for a try also. Westport had trailed by 7-3 at the break but a fantastic final 40 minutes where they put up 20 points without reply sealed the win and sent them back to the top of the table.

Ballina look to keep new year run going

Fri, Jan 08, 2016

Ballina kicked off the new year with a seven-point win over fellow Mayo side Westport in the top division of the Connacht Junior League last weekend. The north Mayo's 10-3 win at home saw them do the double over the Bulls this season, following their opening day win in Carrowholly. Ballina's win came thanks to a closing quarter performance where they put their total tally on the scoreboard.

Westport had led 3-0 for most of the game thanks to a Sean Tobin penalty midway though the first half. Darragh Whyte, who came on as a sub, leveled the game up 15 minutes from the end; this was followed by a try from Conor Mason and Whyte added the extras to seal a memorable win for the Heffernan Park-based side. That win was Ballina's fourth from six games so far this season and on Sunday they will host Ballinasloe, with the visitors sitting just three points in front of them in the league table in third place, but Ballina have played two games fewer than their guests at this stage of the season.

Connacht prepare for Newcastle backlash

Fri, Dec 18, 2015

Connacht's injury woes may continue, but so do the victories in the European Challenge Cup, and coach Pat Lam will be hoping his injury-hit squad can lift themselves one more time to see off Newcastle before the break.

Injury-hit Connacht prepare to fight Falcons to maintain top spot in European pool

Fri, Dec 11, 2015

Connacht face a fresh injury crisis this week as they return to the Sportsground to take on visitors Newcastle in this evening's European fixture (7.05pm). In this first of the back-to-back pre-Christmas fixtures, coach Pat Lam has been left with just 23 players of his European squad fit after last weekend's bonus-point loss to Cardiff in the Pro 12.