Connacht Rugby’s final homegame family fun day roared into action shortly before 3pm Saturday drawing close to a thousand children on the side pitch.

Connacht domestic rugby staff, contracted Academy players and Gort’s Garrett Piggott, refereed, minded, cajoled and co-erced dozens upon dozens of budding Connacht stars to ply their talents before the main game kicked off against the nearly-departed Aironi.

Despite two kiddie castles, face-painting, a rugby-skills assault course, and game of "touch" the greatest stream of kids parked up several metres from Connacht Rugby logistics manager Martin Joyce’s pass-trainer hoop. The contraption, which features a 40cm sock-and-hole system helps hone passing accuracy for the province’s elite players. On Saturday it stood in as a low-maintenance babysitter while kids pre-school to fifth and sixth-class fired ball after ball into its jaws. 

Down the road at the Carlton Hotel, Domestic Rugby Manager Lyndon Jones and Branch President John Carr hosted a creche of their own, for husbands. Attended by club and college dignitaries from about the Connacht catchment, enthusiasm there rivalled that at the park.

OLBC’s Debbie Crowley, and Dunmore rugby Godmother Helen Gunning evened up the gender disparity and were on hand as President Carr acknowledged the support of Mazda, ESB and Supermacs with framed and mounted senior team photos.

Connacht's outgoing chief executive Gerry Kelly regaled all there in his own inimitable fashion; Connacht's inaugural chief of rugby's professional era.

Ulster-based IRFU committee man Stephen Hilditch MBE resumed where CEO Kelly left off and on behalf of the Branch acknowledged three service records with crystal tankards. 

Dr Willie O'Flynn, still active in the Branch as medical team committee chair and chief advisor, devoted much of his rugby career (and professional) to the medical side of amateur and professional sport. UCG by allegiance, Dr O'Flynn is a name highly-respected by his Galway patients, city rugby devotees, the greater Connacht catchment, and IRFU authorities. The doctor held court as Branch president in 1996/97.

Galwegian Johnny Brennan spent much of his playing career floating between Galwegians underage, senior, junior and social squad front-rows before turning his hand to club youth rugby administration. Such was his enthusiasm and efficacy, he was invited to repeat the feat within Branch halls. He served a seven-year apprenticeship as Youths Committee recording secretary before assuming Committee secretary reins. 

Particularly notable were his contributions come Cup rugby time. Given the prevalence of teams entered in knockout championship and plate competitions, and the fact several clubs enter two teams in some grades the logistics are immense. Compounded by the fact drawn games, be they regular or finals, must be refixed and replayed, Brennan's January, February and March months are among the most labour-intensive of all Branch volunteers.

Schools rugby chairman Paul Cafferkey steps down this year after 15 years involved in schools football in Munster and Connacht. The Loughrea principal has ticked as many boxes in schools rugby as possible, coaching and selecting junior squads and First XVs, performing the same at Branch level, sitting as secretary and chairman on the Youths committee, and selecting at IRFU level.

An Ghaeltacht Rugbai hosted 25 teams from 10 clubs around Ireland on Saturday, the fledgling rugby outpost outdid itself on sport and sunshine.

While temperatures failed to break 20degC, sun reigned supreme enhancing what is fast-becoming a high-profile and much sought-after spectacle. The fact Greystones, Dundalk and Gorey (Leinster), and Old Crescent (Munster) landed with full teams spoke volumes for the calibre of competition.

Monivea, An Ghaeltacht, Connemara, Corinthians, Claremorris and Na Bairneachai fronted for Connacht.

Aside from parents and coaches from throughout the Republic, Connacht premier players Andrew Browne, Dave Nolan, and Mark McCrea also landed out "wesht".

There also were members of the recently-crowned Under15 Connacht Cup champions, Corinthians/An Ghaeltacht, who drew nil-all in a frostbitten final on the Sportsground over Easter and won the ensuing replay four days later 14-8.

The irrepressible Cian Quinn scored a runaway try splitting the Sligo defence after a pitch-perfect back flick from centre Padhi Mac Cormaic. Mac Cormaic had already endeared himself to the sizable Corinthians/Ghaeltacht entourage knocking over three penalties, two of which from 44m and 50m out.

Hardly satisfied with Thursday's silverware, the 15s bolstered their trophy ranks on Saturday surpassing the Conamara Blacks 25-5.

Old Crescent was the pick of the visitors claiming the Under13 trophy 21-5 over a plucky Claremorris.

Westport's Under17s clinched a rare cup and league double in the Sportsground on Sunday, by way of a 29-20 thriller over Galwegians.

Rice College junior schools standout Tom McHale opened the scoring latching on to a wayward pass just short of the Galwegians line, Dwayne Corcoran responsible for the conversion.

A raft of first-half penalties stunted first-half continuity Galwegians converting one to points to squeeze the gap to four at the break.

Little separated the two in defence and at scrumtime, although Galwegians was able to assert a degree of dominance at line-out time. Self-belief and the weight of numbers just shy of the Westport line shoved Eoghan Hannon over for the Glenina gang's first try, Conor Lowndes on-song with the extras. Lowndes struck another screamer within minutes after a Westport indiscretion to go to 13, six points clear.

The growing deficit riled the Carrowholly complement who strung together a tidy passage of forward and back interplay and won a kickable penalty which Corcoran duly converted to halve the gap. A Westport try shortly after, lock-forward Rory Murphy crashed over backed by a groundswell of forward support. Corcoran failed to split the posts on that occasion however, Galwegians restarted two points in arrears 15-13.

Disappointed, Corcoran more than made amends within minutes nabbing a Galwegians pass 60metres out and made short work of the space between he and line. Tom McHale stepped up for the conversion.

Far from written off, Galwegians mounted a concerted campaign for field position, succeeded, and stand-out loose forward Liam McKnight continued his honest toil at the breakdown. Fellow Jes' College shipmate Ogie O'Malley, at outhalf, shot through desperate Westport defence to grab a second try for Wegians and closed the gap to two.

With the clock nearly exhausted, Galwegians sought something special for the finish, but it was Westport who secured a fairytale finish Paddy Galvey working a slick chip-and-chase on the final whistle, the Bulls' fourth try and a 29-20 finish.

The two met in Tuam for the league final, another nail-biter which did not disappoint. By virtue of that win, Westport won the opportunity to contest the All-Ireland competition which Galwegians won last year. The weekend's win for Westport cemented their position as the province's best, albeit under severe and staunch pressure from the Galwegians contenders.

As temperatures creep into the high teens Connacht Rugby's Summer Camps hove into view.

The immensely-popular week-long rugby skills programmes cover seven weeks this summer, and commence July 2 in Headford, Corinthians and Castlebar.

Last year 11 camps played out, but such is the response to date this spring, 16 are scheduled to run through to Friday, August 17.

Corrib, Corinthians, Castlebar, Sligo, Dunmore, Gort, Ballina, Loughrea, Galwegians, Connemara, Monivea, Ballyhaunis, Ballinasloe, Oughterard, Tuam and Westport (Rice College) will host camps over the coming months.

Camp co-ordinator Emer O'Dowd was thrilled so many clubs had gotten on board this summer and put it down to a mix of club administrative enthusiasm and the IRFU's player-number incentive programme.

Mrs O'Dowd also seeks applicants for camp coaches, through both months (July and August), in the Galway, County Galway and North Connacht regions.  All applicants must be over 18 and an IRFU mini course accreditation is necessary. Accreditation may be sought through the branch. Experience coaching boys and girls aged six to 12 is also an advantage. 

Opening date for application forms/CVs is Wednesday April 11 and closing date is Friday April 20th.  All applications/CVs  to be sent to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or posted to the branch for her attention. 

Connacht Rugby youngsters from ages six through 12 will cover all aspects of rugby skills with some of the province's most-promising coaches, and will meet contracted premier players during the camp. Connacht kit and rugby balls round out each child's camp experience.

Camp details, and registration form link appear below:

2012 Summer Camp registration download

• July 2nd - July 6th Corrib RFC
• July 2nd - July 6th Corinthians RFC
• July 2nd - July 6th Castlebar RFC
• July 9th - July 13th Sligo RFC
• July 9th - July 13th Dunmore RFC
• July 9th - July 13th Gort RFC
• July 16th - July 20th Ballina RFC
• July 23rd - July 27th Loughrea RFC
• July 23rd - July 27th Galwegians RFC
• July 30th - Aug 3rd Connemara RFC
• Aug 6th - Aug 10th Monivea RFC
• Aug 6th - Aug 10th Ballyhaunis RFC
• Aug 6th - Aug 10th Ballinasloe RFC
• Aug 13th - Aug 17th Oughterard RFC
• Aug 13th - Aug 17th Tuam RFC
• Aug 13th - Aug 17th Rice College Westport

Westport toasted its Under19s on Sunday after they pipped a bloodthirsty Monivea in their cup final fixture 12-5.

Separated at the Sportsground by a single score, the seven-point margin wound up a fair reflection of a tight tussle, neither side giving an inch and each took only what they could eke from the encounter.

Monivea opened their ledger first through nippy scrumhalf Jason Walsh who, after some slick interplay between his loose forwards, shot over for an impressive try the zippy number-nine covering the last 30m on his lonesome and under heavy pressure desperate blue defenders.

Westport centre Andrew McAleer drew scores level shortly after the halftime break from a five-metre scrum. That said, his Westport colleagues can shoulder considerable credit for McAleer’s score, having camped within the Monivea 22m, and maintained pressure for several minutes prior.

Enter Kevin Hastings for the Carrowholly contingent with several minutes left on the clock, on the end of at least eight phases. The tearaway openside flanker broke two tackles from six metres out, and crashed over with another valiant tackler riding shotgun on his back.

Captions:

(top) Andrew McAleer powers his way to the tryline under heavy enemy fire.

(left) Westport skipper Sam McCormack hangs loose with Youths Rugby chairman Eamonn Feely.