The Connacht academy finally gets announced.

Academy recruits for new season

24th June 2014

Connacht Rugby can today confirm that five new players will join the NUIG Connacht Academy for the 2014/15 season.

Four players have graduated to the senior squad next season with Darragh Leader, Jack Carty, Conor Finn and Finlay Bealham all signing one-year deals.

It has been confirmed that tighthead prop Jamie Dever will rejoin the Academy this year. The Mayo man was released on sabbatical last season due to a lengthy battle with a foot injury. He will come into year 2 of the Academy having already completed a season in 2012/13.

While Shane Layden has completed three years in the Academy, he unfortunately missed the majority of a season due to injury and so has been re-contracted for an additional year. Layden will train with the senior squad under Head Coach Pat Lam.

Of the five new recruits, three played with the Ireland U20s this year in both the IRB 6 Nations and Junior World Championship.

Ciaran Gaffney Back Three
Jack Dineen Hooker
Marc Kelly Back Row
Conor McKeon Outhalf
Peter Robb Centre

Introducing the new Connacht Academy recruits:

Ciaran Gaffney was one of the stand-out players in this summer’s Junior World Championship in New Zealand. As one of two Connacht representatives in the squad, Gaffney was named to start on the right wing for all five games.

Born in Galway, Gaffney was educated at the Bish before moving to Cistercian College Roscrea for the last two years of secondary school. The young back plays his club rugby with Galwegians RFC.

Balancing his rugby with a Commerce & French degree in NUIG, Gaffney was a member of the Connacht sub Academy this season and earned deserved recognition as a nominee for the ‘Connacht U19 Player of the Year’.

19-year-old hooker Jack Dinneen has also been promoted from the sub-academy. Born in Limerick, Dinneen now plays his club rugby with Galwegians RFC and studies Commerce in NUI Galway.

At the end of the 2013/14 season, Dinneen was drafted into the senior match day squad following an injury crisis at hooker. Having only recently converted from the back row to hooker, the young forward took his opportunity when called on from the bench against Munster at the Sportsground. He then went on to earn a second cap in the PRO12 as a replacement in the last game of the season away to Ospreys

Back row forward Marc Kelly recently lined out for the Ireland U19s against France and was also nominated for Connacht U19 Player of the Year after a great season with the province. The Portumna native was educated at Cisteran College Roscrea where he captained the senior cup team.

Outhalf Conor McKeon has been a regular for the Ireland U20’s, playing the last ten games in both the IRB 6 Nations and Junior World Championship in New Zealand. Second cousin to Connacht’s Eoin McKeon, the 20-year-old was born and educated in Dublin where he played his club rugby with Lansdowne RFC.

Hugely physical centre Peter Robb had a successful U20’s 6 Nations campaign under Mike Ruddock. The Old Belvedere club man started all five games in the competition and was set to continue his form in the Junior World Championship in New Zealand but had his season cut short when he sustained an injury in a JWC warm up game against Scotland U20’s.

Speaking about the upcoming season and new crop of players Academy Manager Nigel Carolan said:

“When recruiting players to the Academy, we always go back to the objective which is to produce winning rugby players who will go on to play for Connacht and Ireland. I am delighted with this new crop of players we have coming through. All have achieved success at age-grade level and this will be another step up for them in terms of their development – both on and off the field.

“It was great to see Academy graduate Kieran Marmion earn his first two international caps in Argentina this month and we’ve also been keeping an eye on the progress of other graduates Mick Kearney and Eoin Griffin with Dan McFarland in the ITM Nations Cup. To see those players as well as our representatives with the Ireland U20’s achieve success at the top level is extremely encouraging and we want to see more and more Academy graduates on those teams going forward.”

Full list of Connacht Academy 2014/15

YEAR 3

Ultan Dillane Lock
Shane Layden Back Three

YEAR 2

James Connolly Back Row
Jamie Dever Tight-Head Prop
Saba Meunargia Tight-Head Prop
Rory Moloney Back Row
Sean O’Brien Back Row/Lock
David Panter Back Three
Rory Parata Centre
Jacob Walshe Loose-Head Prop
Eoin Masterson Back Row
Caolin Blade Scrum Half

YEAR 1

Ciaran Gaffney Back Three
Jack Dinneen Hooker
Marc Kelly Back Row
Conor McKeon Outhalf
Peter Robb Centre

Released: Tadgh Leader (Boston Wolfhounds) Peter Reilly (Waimate RFC, NZ), Steve Macauley (Waimate RFC, NZ), Marcus Walsh (Life University, US), Conor Kindregran.

Anyone see the pics of the guys in pre-season training? That new lad Niyi looks like a beast for a winger. A real physical guy. hopefully his skill set is as impressive as his physique.

connachta wrote: He is listed, Academy year 2

They must have put it in after my post.
:whistle: :whistle: :whistle:

He is listed, Academy year 2

What has happened to Eoghan Masterson? I thought they were expecting big things from him but don't see him listed in either the academy or the senior squad?

Craic Head wrote:

Bayern wrote: Be interesting to see how many, if any connacht clubs or schools players are brought into the academy..

Ciaran Gaffney who has had a great spell with the Irish 20's in the JWC is a certainty. Also think that Marc Kelly will get in as well.

yeah those two seem like certs.. both are Roscrea lads

along with Robb and McKeon.. unsure who else will be there really

Bayern wrote: Be interesting to see how many, if any connacht clubs or schools players are brought into the academy..

Ciaran Gaffney who has had a great spell with the Irish 20's in the JWC is a certainty. Also think that Marc Kelly will get in as well.

Be interesting to see how many, if any connacht clubs or schools players are brought into the academy..

No world class no 8.......damn.

All the same, impressive recruitment, particularly if we get a few monsters into the Academy!!

#sortitoutnige

I see Shane Layden listed in senior squad. I don't remember any official announcement re promotion, just some talk on here that he was staying in academy.
Is it just a one year deal he got?

Latest signing completes 2014/15 squad

16th June 2014

Talented Trinity winger Niyi Adeolokun has signed a one-year contract with Connacht Rugby and the IRFU for the coming season.

The latest deal completes the 41-man senior Connacht squad for 2014/15.

23-year-old Adeolokun, from Dublin, has played his club rugby with Dublin University FC since 2009. He played GAA, soccer and rugby at De La Salle secondary school in Churchtown, but honed his rugby skills under Trinity Director of Rugby Tony Smeeth.

Niyi was also very influential in the Dublin University Sevens team that won back to back All Ireland Championships in 2011 and 2012.

Having recently completed his final exams at Trinity College, Niyi will report to the Sportsground later this week for fitness testing with the rest of the Connacht squad.

Speaking from Galway, Head Coach Pat Lam said:

“We’re delighted to be able to give Niyi this opportunity. He was initially brought to our attention by Nigel Carolan last April when he started on the wing for the Eagles. He is clearly a brilliant broken-field runner with very good pace but we were also very impressed with what he offers in defence. With his raw talent and athleticism, we’re looking forward to seeing how he performs in a professional set up for the first time.

“When meeting with Niyi, I was struck by his maturity and also his unwavering determination to succeed after having overcome many challenges along the way. He is a good young man with excellent values and I know he will fit in very well to our team environment.”

Tony Smeeth, Director of Rugby, DUFC added:

“I’m absolutely delighted for Niyi. He is a hard worker with a special talent and he deserves this opportunity. His rate of development was hugely impressive these past few years with Trinity but I know Connacht is the perfect place for him to step up that development even further.

“Training with professionals full time and being around players like Mils Muliaina will be huge for him.”

Niyi Adeolukan 18/11/2011



Connacht Rugby Squad 2014/15

Props:

Ronan Loughney, Denis Buckley, Rodney Ah You, Nathan White, JP Cooney, Finlay Bealham

Hookers:

Jason Harris-Wright, Dave Heffernan, Sean Henry, Tom McCartney

Second Rows:

Mick Kearney, Aly Muldowney, Michael Swift, Danny Qualter, Quinn Roux

Back Rowers:

Andrew Browne, Mata Fifita, Jake Heenan, Willie Faloon, Eoin McKeon, John Muldoon, George Naoupu

Scrum-halves:

Kieran Marmion, Ian Porter, John Cooney

Out-halves:

Miah Nikora, Craig Ronaldson, Jack Carty

Centres:

Robbie Henshaw, Dave McSharry, Conor Finn, Bundee Aki, Shane O’Leary

Wingers:

Fionn Carr, Matt Healy, Tiernan O’Halloran, Danie Poolman, Niyi Adeolokun

Fullbacks:

Mils Muliaina, Darragh Leader, Shane Layden

The latest deal completes the 41-man senior Connacht squad for 2014/15.

So no new ten for next year. Oy

P.S. Congrats to Niyi Adeolokun hope he makes a big impact.

Talented Trinity winger Niyi Adeolokun has signed a one-year contract with Connacht Rugby and the IRFU for the coming season.

The latest deal completes the 41-man senior Connacht squad for 2014/15.

23-year-old Adeolokun, from Dublin, has played his club rugby with Dublin University FC since 2009. He played GAA, soccer and rugby at De La Salle secondary school in Churchtown, but honed his rugby skills under Trinity Director of Rugby Tony Smeeth.

Niyi was also very influential in the Dublin University Sevens team that won back to back All Ireland Championships in 2011 and 2012.

Having recently completed his final exams at Trinity College, Niyi will report to the Sportsground later this week for fitness testing with the rest of the Connacht squad.

Speaking from Galway, Head Coach Pat Lam said:

“We’re delighted to be able to give Niyi this opportunity. He was initially brought to our attention by Nigel Carolan last April when he started on the wing for the Eagles. He is clearly a brilliant broken-field runner with very good pace but we were also very impressed with what he offers in defence. With his raw talent and athleticism, we’re looking forward to seeing how he performs in a professional set up for the first time.

“When meeting with Niyi, I was struck by his maturity and also his unwavering determination to succeed after having overcome many challenges along the way. He is a good young man with excellent values and I know he will fit in very well to our team environment.”

Tony Smeeth, Director of Rugby, DUFC added:

“I’m absolutely delighted for Niyi. He is a hard worker with a special talent and he deserves this opportunity. His rate of development was hugely impressive these past few years with Trinity but I know Connacht is the perfect place for him to step up that development even further.

“Training with professionals full time and being around players like Mils Muliaina will be huge for him.”

Have to agree with Ger. The fact that he hasn't returned to SA would seem to indicate his intention to become IQ. He will be looking to impress beyond Connacht in order to get a new contract and make his way back to Leinster. Even a saffie will know you can't launch an Irish international career from Connacht. If we get the best out of him for one season you couldn't ask for more from a loan and it will be a win for all concerned.

I'd agree with Connachta - he seems afraid to tackle and any ruck I've seen him join lately has been with his forearms, not his shoulders. I'm hoping that he has come with a big something to prove or he could be a disaster - as George Hook said, it's like pushing blancmange.....

Glad that he is on loan but it seems that he is looking to perform in order to get a contract, hopefully he will prove himself