Clifden outfit round off great season with big home win over Westport

CONNEMARA RFC were crowned the Connacht J1A league champions at the Monastery Field on Saturday afternoon, finishing 13 points clear at the top of the table.
Coached by Henry O’Toole and Bernard Keaney, Connemara won 13 of their 14 games, with the only blip coming on the opening weekend last September away to Monivea, when many of the starting 15 were missing due to their GAA commitments.
The high pressure point of the season came in early February when Connemara travelled to Creggs RFC for the top of the table clash. The champions won that game by five points, and with that went four points clear at the top of the table.
The league was wrapped up two weeks ago when they scored a bonus point win at home over Sligo and Creggs lost out to Buccaneers, meaning Connemara couldn’t be caught at the top of the table.
They then defeated Westport by 47 points on Saturday before lifting the trophy. Connemara and Creggs will revisit their rivalry on March 24 in the Connacht Junior Cup final at the Sportsground.
■ Pictured above are Connemara RFC Connacht J1A league champions. Back row, left to right: Manager Joe O’Connell, manager, Dylan Slator, Fionn Heffernan, Ian Staunton, Paul Lee, TJ Berry, David McDonagh, Michael O’Toole, Eoin Bourke, David O’Reilly, Conor O’Malley, Shane Sweeney, Eugene Conroy, Nick Demange, Gerard Faherty, Henry O’Toole (coach), PJ Heffernan, Club President. Front row: Colm Sales McNamara, Patrick Keaney, Bernard Keaney (coach), Michael McDonald, Barry Gibbons, Mark Kilkenny, Niall Staunton, Peter O’Toole (captain), Henry O’Toole Jnr, Marty Conneely, Thomas Sicre, Emmet Fearon, Ian Heanue, Kevin Keogh.