Sport

Gilligan drives Garbally

Connacht Schools' Senior Cup/Garbally College 25 Marist College 18: Garbally College secured their first Connacht Schools' Senior…

Wed Mar 14 2007 - 00:00

Connacht Schools' Senior Cup/Garbally College 25 Marist College 18:Garbally College secured their first Connacht Schools' Senior Cup since 2001, their 44th overall, with victory over Marist College at the Sportsground yesterday.

Garbally laid the foundation in the first half when playing with the wind and by half-time they led 25-3.

Garbally's number eight Robert Gilligan was one of their many heroes as he ran in two first-half tries. Gilligan got his first after a superb break down the left on nine minutes to push Garbally 8-0 in front, outhalf Robert O'Beirne having opened their scoring with a penalty three minutes earlier.

The running, handling and kicking of O'Beirne kept Garbally on the front foot and he set up fullback Niall Dolan for their second try three minutes from the break.

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By that stage O'Beirne had traded penalties with David Fagan but Marist's hopes were dealt another blow when Dolan, John O'Brien and O'Beirne were involved in a move that ended with Gilligan getting his second try. O'Beirne added the points to make it 25-3.

Marist outhalf Adam Kennedy gave his side hope 11 minutes after the restart when he spotted a gap and burst over from close range. Fagan added the points to make it 25-10.

Another penalty from Fagan was as much as Marist had to show for a sustained period of pressure, but they reduced the margin to a converted try in stoppage time when Jack Keegan dived over.

SCORERS: Garbally College - Tries,Gilligan (2), Dolan; Cons, O'Beirne (2); Pens,O'Beirne (2). Marist College - Tries,Kennedy, Keegan; Con, Fagan; Pens,Fagan (2).

GARBALLY COLLEGE:N Dolan; C Loughrey, J O'Brien, C Hughes, R Ahern; R O'Beirne, P O'Toole; T English, B Gibbons, JJ Carey; C King, K Headd; G Mooney, E Cullinane, R Gilligan. Replacements:C Soughtgate for Ahern (half-time); M Ward for King (50 mins); E Tiernan for Hughes (55 mins); D Fenton for Carey (57 mins).

MARIST COLLEGE:C Worley; A Farrell, D Fagan, B Henshaw, C Molloy; A Kennedy, M Dolan; G Thompson, D Burns, T Thompson; C McManus, D Henshaw; M Cullen, J Keegan, D Kelly. Replacements:R Reid for Kelly, C Harrington for Worley, K Naughton for Molloy (all half-time); S Colgan for B Henshaw (40 mins).

Referee: D O'Brien.