Connacht Senior Cup Preview: Coláiste Iognáid, the reigning Connacht Schools Senior Cup holders, will have to do it the hard way if they are to win back-to-back titles for the first time since 1928.
The Galway city school, despite a rich rugby tradition, have been infrequent visitors to the winners' rostrum, and last year's cup final win over Sligo Grammar was only their sixth at this level.
The school that produced Eric Elwood now have a great chance to retain the crown, with a dozen of last year's winning squad still available to coach Steve Parkinson.
But success will not come easy. True, they scored a 24-0 win over St Calasanctius from Oranmore in the opening round, though they were without skipper Robert Hurley, but they will face a more formidable test from Portumna Community School in the quarter-finals.
Portumna have nearly all of last year's pack and boast Joe Canning at outhalf - the Galway hurler will be bidding to win a third All-Ireland minor medal later this year.
But with Pádraig Cuddy impressive at the back and number eight Hugh O'Donnellan leading up front, the champions should advance.
The task is only likely to get more difficult at that stage, assuming Garbally College see off the challenge of St Brigid's Vocational School from Loughrea in the quarter-finals.
The Ballinasloe outfit have not won the title since 2001 - poor form for a school with 43 senior cups - but they hammered St Joseph's from Galway 71-0 in the opening round.
Garbally tellingly won the league final by defeating Coláiste Iognáid 19-12 and it would be no surprise if they were to regain the Senior Cup this year.
On the other side of the draw, an improving Clifden Community School will meet Rice College from Westport in one quarter-final, while last year's beaten finalists, Sligo Grammar, take on St Muireadach's from Ballina.
Sligo Grammar have regularly faltered at the final hurdle. Last year's loss to Coláiste Iognáid was their sixth defeat in nine finals.
With players like Ross Butler, Phillip Hunt, flanker Geoffrey Drapper and outhalf Simon Gillespie, they should advance to another final, where they will hope for better fortune this season.
Quarter-finals (details to be confirmed): Rice College Westport v Clifden Community School; St Muireadach's College Ballina v Sligo Grammar School; Coláiste Iognáid v Portumna Community School; Garbally College Ballinasloe v St Brigid's Vocational School Loughrea.
