U16 Boys 27 – Monivea 20

Under the bright spring sunshine and perfectly calm conditions at the home of Connacht Rugby, Galwegians U16s secured a hard-fought 27-20 victory over Monivea to clinch the Connacht Cup and complete a historic season double.

Despite a lopsided 47-7 result the last time these two sides met, the stakes of a final at Dexcom Stadium promised a tighter contest. From the opening whistle, however, Galwegians looked like a side in total control. The "Boys in Blue" dominated every facet of play in the opening 30 minutes, showcasing a clinical edge that left Monivea scrambling.

A relentless offensive display yielded three tries. Two from Mark Allnutt one from Dylan McCullough and a successful penalty kick from Dara McGrath, while Monivea were restricted to just two penalties for their efforts. Halftime would see Galwegians with a commanding 22-6 lead.

The second half began with more of the same dominance. Following a powerful 5m scrum, Rory Bourke showed great vision to pick and go, powering over for Galwegians’ fourth try. At 27-6, it appeared to be "just another day at the office" for the blues.

However, the final twenty minutes saw a dramatic shift in momentum. Monivea, refusing to go quietly, set up camp inside the Galwegians 22. The pressure eventually forced a lapse in discipline and a string of penalties led to two yellow cards for Galwegians, leaving them to defend their lead shorthanded.

Monivea would manage to cross the line twice inside this period leaving the final score at 27-20.

Tries on the day from Mark Allnutt (2), Dylan McCullough and Rory Bourke. Man of the match Sean Deely.