J2 XV · Honours
J2 XV Roll of Honour
Every J2 League and Albert O'Connell Cup won by St. Mary's since 1910: the captains, the beaten finalists and the scores.
The J2s are the club's second junior side. Their league was known for most of the last century as the Minor League, and St. Mary's first won it in 1910, a year before the club was admitted to senior rugby. Their cup, the Albert O'Connell Memorial Cup, dates from 1957 and no club has won it more often.
The lists to 1998 are taken from the club records published in the Centenary Book (2000). The seasons since 2000 come from the club's own records and the Leinster Rugby results archive.
Sixteen wins, the most by any club. See the O'Connell Cup history for each final.
| Year | Captain | Beat in the final | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Bill Gray | Wanderers | 25–0 | The club's first O'Connell Cup |
| 1964 | Matt Jones | Lansdowne | 11–3 | |
| 1973 | Niall Woodcock | Kimmage Manor | 7–3 | |
| 1980 | Ray Sloan | UCD | 7–6 | Double |
| 1985 | John Murphy | UCD Freshmen | 12–0 | |
| 1990 | Charlie O'Reilly | Lansdowne | 14–0 | After extra time |
| 1991 | John Muldoon | Old Wesley | 15–9 | Double |
| 1992 | Paul Flood | Wanderers | 15–12 | After extra time Double |
| 1995 | Enda O'Riordan | Greystones | 29–14 | Double |
| 1996 | John Everington | Terenure | 26–16 | |
| 1997 | Gerry Hassett | Malahide | 27–13 | Double |
| 1998 | Enda O'Riordan | Wanderers | 27–17 | Double |
| 2009 | Rob Ryan | Terenure | 23–10 | Season 2008/09 Double |
| 2010 | Mikey Houlihan | Blackrock College | 19–13 | Season 2009/10 |
| 2013 | Graeme McInerney | Stillorgan-Rathfarnham | 37–11 | Season 2012/13 Double |
| 2014 | Graeme McInerney | Bective Rangers | 34–10 | Season 2013/14 Double |
| Year | Captain | Lost to | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Not recorded | Lansdowne | Not recorded | |
| 2001 | Not recorded | Blackrock College | Not recorded | |
| 2002 | Not recorded | Old Wesley | Not recorded | |
| 2003 | Gavin Kelly | Old Belvedere | Not recorded | From the club's season records |
| 2012 | Graeme McInerney | Lansdowne | 16–20 | Donnybrook, 14 April 2012. Season 2011/12 |
| 2017 | Fionan Magee | Clontarf | 21–36 | Donnybrook, 7 April 2017 |
Scores and captains for the 1993, 2001, 2002 and 2003 finals are still needed. If you played in any of them, please contact archives@smcrfc.com.
The Minor League until the 1990s, then the J2 League, and since 2013/14 a division of the Leinster Metro League.
| Year | Captain | Beat in the final | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910 | P.J. Hayden | Monkstown | 12–0 | After a 3–3 draw |
| 1940 | Pierse Scott | Dublin University | 11–8 | |
| 1949 | Bill Hogarty | UCD | 9–3 | |
| 1963 | Matt Jones | Wanderers | 9–6 | First Minor League in 14 years |
| 1980 | Ray Sloan | Greystones | 12–9 | Double |
| 1981 | Eddie Wigglesworth | Old Belvedere | 21–6 | |
| 1988 | Niall Rynne | Lansdowne | 7–3 | After extra time |
| 1991 | John Muldoon | Lansdowne | 7–3 | Double |
| 1992 | Paul Flood | Old Belvedere | 10–3 | Double |
| 1995 | Enda O'Riordan | Wanderers | 21–6 | Unbeaten in all competitions Double |
| 1997 | Gerry Hassett | Blackrock College (runners-up) | No final | Double |
| 1998 | Enda O'Riordan | Old Belvedere (runners-up) | No final | Double |
| 2002 | Not recorded | Blackrock College | Not recorded | Seasons 2000/01 – 2005/06 |
| 2004 | Alexander Mullin | Not recorded | Not recorded | Seasons 2000/01 – 2005/06 |
| 2009 | Rob Ryan | Terenure (runners-up) | No final | Unbeaten: P14 W12 D2. Season 2008/09 Double |
| 2011 | Mikey Houlihan | Lansdowne | 23–16 | Final-day decider. Season 2010/11 |
| 2013 | Graeme McInerney | Section winners | No final | Season 2012/13 Double |
| 2014 | Graeme McInerney | Lansdowne | 28–11 | Metro Division 3 play-off final. Season 2013/14 Double |
League runners-up since 2000: 2000/01 (to Terenure), 2002/03, 2007/08 (to Terenure), 2009/10 (to Clontarf) and 2011/12 (to Lansdowne).
From the Centenary Book. Click a photo to see it full size.
Winners of the Leinster Junior and Minor Leagues, 1909/10. The two league-winning squads photographed together: P. O'Grady, G. O'Donnell, T. Doyle, J. Power, C. Mulcahy, N. Power, F. Purcell; T. Little, F. Byrne, P. Murphy, J. Murnane, J. Brooke-Kelly, D. O'Sullivan, J. O'Donnell; J. Murphy, S. Flanagan, P. O'Neill; W. Blunden, B. Kinahan, Rev. T. Farrell C.C., J. Power, E. Farrell, V. Rev. T. O'Hanlon CSSp; P. Mayben, J. Cassidy, H. Clarke, P. Cusack, W. Nolan.
Minor League winners, 1962/63. Back: G. Ryan, A. Sheil, C. Nolan, J. Gardiner, G. Duffy, W. Gray, C. Ryan, D. O'Doherty. Front: J. Kilmurray, E. Lyons, D. Cullen, M.A. Jones (Capt.), J.P. Fanagan, N. Cooke, G. Bowden.
Junior Two 1979/80, winners of the Junior Two League and Albert O'Connell Cup. Back: Bill Gray (Manager), D. Fitzsimons, E. Wigglesworth, S. Sheehan, M. Glynn, D. Gardner, P. Elliott, D. Jennings, B. Wynne (Coach). Front: G. Browne, P. Fogarty, D. Early, R. Sloan (Capt.), J.P. Fanagan (President), L. Healion, L. Grissing, P. Flood.
What the Centenary Book records about the J2 sides. Click a year to open it.
1909/10 The first Minor League
In 1909/10 Old St. Mary's retained the Junior League, finished runners-up in the Junior Cup and won the Minor League for the first time, with P.J. Hayden as captain. Monkstown were beaten 12–0 after a 3–3 draw. A year later the club was accepted into senior rugby.
1962 Bill Gray and the first O'Connell Cup
Bill Gray captained the only St. Mary's side to win a trophy in 1962, and it was the first time the club had won the O'Connell Cup. Wanderers were beaten 25–0 in the final. Gray would return as manager of the 1979/80 double-winning side.
1962/63 Matt Jones's side
Matt Jones led the side to the Minor League in 1963, the club's first in 14 years, beating Wanderers 9–6. Joe Fanagan played in both the 1949 and the 1963 winning teams. A year later the same captain lifted the O'Connell Cup, beating Lansdowne 11–3.
1973 A third O'Connell Cup
In a quieter year for the club after the successes of the early 1970s, the J2s won the Albert O'Connell Memorial Cup under Niall Woodcock, beating Kimmage Manor 7–3.
1979/80 The first J2 Double
The Centenary Book suggests the star team in the club that season was the J2s. Captained by Ray Sloan, managed by Bill Gray and coached by Brian Wynne, they won the League (12–9 against Greystones) and the Cup (7–6 against UCD).
1990/91 Double again
St. Mary's entered 15 competitions in 1991 and won four. Pride of place went to the J2s: John Muldoon was captain, Eddie Wigglesworth and Jim Curran the coaches and Paul O'Regan the manager as they won the J2 League and the O'Connell Cup.
1991/92 Back-to-back Doubles: a first in Leinster
Captained by Paul Flood, coached by Dave Gardner and managed by Dee O'Brien, the J2s completed the League and Cup double for the second season running, something no Leinster club had done before. The cup final against Wanderers went to extra time, 15–12.
1994/95 Unbeaten in every competition
The J2s went through all competitions unbeaten. Enda O'Riordan (captain) and Mick Fearon (coach), who had led the J3s to a double the season before, did the same with the J2s, assisted by Frank Kennedy and Brendan Foley.
1995/96 Cup retained
John Everington's side kept the O'Connell Cup, beating Terenure 26–16 in the final.
1996/97 & 1997/98 Two more Doubles
Gerry Hassett's side won both League and Cup in 1997, and Enda O'Riordan's did it again in 1998. In 1997/98 the J1s also won their League and the Metropolitan Cup: a rare "double-double" for the club's top two junior sides. It made four O'Connell Cups in a row, 1995 to 1998.
Still needed for these years: squad lists, match reports and team photographs, especially 1985, 1988 and the 1990s. Please send anything you have to archives@smcrfc.com.