Athlone's Darragh signs pro contract with Connacht Rugby

Athlone's Darragh Murray has been announced as one of six academy players who have signed professional contracts with Connacht Rugby for the 2022/23 season.

The 20-year-old former Coláiste Chiaráin student from Brideswell is following in the footsteps of his older brother Niall, who also graduated from the Connacht academy and currently plays for the first team.

Niall started last weekend's European Champions Cup game against Leicester Tigers, which the English side won narrowly.

In addition to Darragh, three other players with Buccaneers connections - current player Ciaran Booth and Ballinasloe duo Shane Jennings and Oisin McCormack - also signed pro contracts with the province.

The signings were announced yesterday (Wednesday) and were hailed as representing "another substantial seal of approval for the Connacht pathway system."

Darragh Murray captained the Connacht team which won the U18 Club Interprovincial Championship in 2018. A lock, like his brother Niall, he was a member of the 2021 Ireland U20s.

His former school in Athlone tweeted its congratulations to him yesterday, and wished him the very best of luck as he embarks on his professional journey with the province.

McCormack and Jennings, who are past pupils of Garbally College in Ballinasloe, both featured for Ireland in the U20 Six Nations championship last summer.

Jennings was also recently a member of the Ireland Sevens squad at the World Sevens Series in Canada.