What a difference a year makes. Last year, Coláiste Iognáid (The Jes) were untouchable, living up to their pre-competition billing as red-hot favourites by deservedly defeating Sligo Grammar School 10-3 in the final at the Sportsground.

But all has changed, changed utterly for the 2010 Connacht Tribune Senior Cup title race. A repeat of the 2009 final is on the cards but a reversal of the result seems likely.

The Jes are chasing their third senior cup on the trot and fifth in six years, which will provide added motivation, but all the evidence suggests this year’s cup is Sligo’s to lose.

And with three Ireland underage representatives and seven Connacht representatives, Jimmy Staunton’s boys should have too much experience, skill and brawn to slip-up.

On Monday, they hammered Marist 55-3 in the quarter-final and face either Gallen CS or the winners of Athenry VS and St Joseph’s (The Bish), in the semi-final.

Full-time conditioning coach, Tommy Cradock, who was teaching in The Jes, has worked wonders ‘bulking-up’ and conditioning the Sligo boys since he moved there three years ago – the physicality of Sligo is essentially the difference between them and the chasing pack this year.

Sligo – boasting class players of the likes of Ireland youths Aaron Spring, Danny Qualter and John Gill; and Connacht representatives full-back Scott Oates, out-half Pat Hughes, scrum-half Oskar Van Der Grijin, centre David Butler, lock David Heath, hooker Gary McConnell and prop Thomas Ferrari – already trounced The Jes 22-0 this season in their four tries league final victory and only a fool would bet against them going all the way.

That said, cup rugby is unpredictable and the well trotted-out mantra that ‘anything can happen on the day’ in knockout matches, adds intrigue and romance to the competition.

Just five players from last year’s squad and three of the starting 15 return for the defending champions ‘The Jes’, who face a very tricky quarter-final assignment against Garbally on Thursday, February 11. This Galway derby is a real crunch match between the most successful school in Connacht in the ‘naughties’ and the province’s traditional heavyweight power of yesteryears – whichever team can edge it, will be odds-on favourite to progress to the final.

The presence of emerging talents, Ireland U-18 Schools representative, captain Aaron Conneely and Ireland U-19 international, Rory Cunningham, suggests ‘The Jes’ can progress but Steve Parkinson’s side are young and inexperienced and will find the going tough playing away.

For more read page 51 of this week's Connacht Tribune.