Gifted young Galway sports stars making international impact

Keith Kelly

TWO young Galway sports stars were to the fore on the international front in different sports on Monday week with eye-catching displays in the U-20 Rugby World Cup in South Africa, and in a UEFA U-21 qualifier in Sligo.

On the rugby front, Connacht Academy player Kieran Marmion (20) was an instrumental figure in Ireland’s stunning 23-19 win over South Africa in the first pool game of the Junior World Cup, which is being played in South Africa.

The scrum-half, who was born in Wales but whose father and grandfather both hail from Loughrea, has been capped at U-18, U-19 and now U-20 level by Ireland.

He was called into the Ireland U-18 youths squad and made his debut in the FIRA European Championships in France two years ago, and last March he was included in the Ireland U-19 training squad before making the step up to the U-20 World Cup squad for the tournament in South Africa.

Marmion – who is in Year 1 of the Connacht Academy, under the guidance of Nigel Carolan – made his Connacht ‘A’ debut against Russian side Enisei STM in April last year, coming off the bench in the 21-11 win. He was part of the province’s all-conquering U-20 interpros side in the 2011/12 season, scoring two tries against Ulster in the side’s march to the provincial grand slam.

He had a huge game on Monday as the Irish side stunned their hosts in Stellenbosch to give themselves a great chance of qualifying for the semi-finals of the competition.

There are just 12 teams in the tournament, divided into three pools of four, and the three pool winners go straight into the semi-finals, along with the best of the three runners-up. Given that Ireland were drawn in Pool B with hosts South Africa and last year’s beaten finalists, England, as well as Italy, they were given little chance of advancing to the last four before the tournament started.

That has all changed now following Monday’s result against a Baby Boks side crammed with players who have featured in the Southern Hemisphere’s Super 15 competition, and it was a result which South African coach Dawie Theron said was: “the last thing that we expected, this is the unthinkable, but it has happened”. 

Ireland now face a crunch game with England – who hammered Italy 64-5 on Monday – this Friday, before they take on Italy in their final Pool game next Tuesday, the same day when England take on South Africa.

For more, read this week's Galway City Tribune.