Brosnan Set For Garryowen’s Bid For 39th Cup Title

We catch up with Garryowen Captain Rory Brosnan, who looks ahead to Friday, 20th December when his side will meet Cork Constitution in the final of the ODM Financial Munster Senior Cup for the fourteenth time since the competition began in 1886.

Name: Rory Brosnan
Age: 29
Place of Birth: Youghal, Co. Cork
Position: Prop
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 102kg
Profession: Solicitor
Education: Rockwell College, University of Limerick (Business and Law)
Club Honours: 2 AIL Titles, All Ireland Cup, Munster Senior Cup
Representative Honours: Ireland U19’s & Munster U21’s

Brosnan began his playing days aged seven at Youghal RFC before going on to boarding school at Rockwell College, where he won a Munster Schools Senior Cup medal in 2001.

His rugby career continued at Garryowen, where he claimed his most memorable rugby achievement, the All Ireland League and Munster Senior Cup double in 2007.

“We won every competition that year and the Juniors also claimed the Munster Junior Cup to complete our Grand Slam. It was a culmination of an incredible season for the Club and it really stands out for me personally.”

Working and residing in Cork, Brosnan travels to Dooradoyle two to three times a week to train and as a proud Garryowen man, he doesn’t see the commute as much of a chore.

“I went to Garryowen as a young person and it helped develop me into a man,” he says. I made many friends over the years at Garryowen and am proud to be part of the club. I have thought about playing for a club closer to home but when you get to my age you just want to go into a dressing room where you feel you belong and Garryowen is where I want to be.”

Speaking ahead of next Friday’s ODM Financial Munster Senior Cup final against old rivals Cork Constitution, Brosnan says both Garryowen and Cork Con have become very familiar with each other down through the years, with the Cork outfit winning the most recent fixture in the AIL last month. “We last played Con back in November in the AIL at Temple Hill and to be honest I think we contrived to lose that one. We were in a ten point lead at the break playing against the wind. They came at us in the second half winning the game by three points which was very disappointing.”

“I’d know some of the Con lads very well. I was room-mates with their captain, Gerry Hurley and out-half Darragh Lyons at Rockwell and played with them throughout my school years. I also played with Gerry at Garryowen for many seasons before he moved to Cork, Brosnan recalls.

Despite a disappointing AIL season so far – Garryowen currently placed bottom of the Division A1 table – Brosnan says that will not be on their minds going into the final.

“Obviously it’s not ideal, we’re on a run of eight losses, but that said against Con, it’s probably a 50-50 win/loss ratio in our meetings over the years and there’s always only one score between us,”he says.

“For a Senior Cup Final it’s a case of form going out the window. Considering the tradition between the two clubs the momentum will be high, we will be evenly matched and it will be a superb game.”

Brosnan says that playing at Thomond Park, will not necessarily be an advantage for Garryowen. “They would have played in Thomond Park as many times as us so neither side will be on more familiar territory than the other. I suppose the only inconvenience for them might be that they’re travelling up from Cork but I’m doing the same thing so I don’t think it’s really going to make a huge amount of difference.”

Speaking about his side Brosnan says Garryowen have a young squad and he is confident the pathway in reaching the Munster Senior Cup Final will stand to them. “I’m the Granddad in a way which is shocking!” he says. I remember when I was making it on the senior team there was lots of guys in their 30’s – now playing at 29 years of age there’s one guy older than me.”

“Unfortunately from last year we lost a lot of players – probably 10 out of the squad for various reasons”.

“We have a catchment area for both Munster and Connacht players and some of our club players are involved on the periphery of both squads, which means at times we cannot field our strongest side. Other than that it’s the problem of emigration or even players moving to Dublin for work. Post Christmas we have guys coming back from injury so if we can create any sort of momentum I’m confident we will improve.”

Coached by former Munster and Ireland scrum-half Tom Tierney with Paul Murphy assisting with the backs and Paul Neville looking after the forwards, Brosnan says his side will be well prepared for the final.

“What’s great about our coaches is that they are all former players and are all relatively young. They know what it takes to win trophies and they’ve been there themselves. They all genuinely care about the club”, he said.

As they prepare for next Friday’s challenge against the reigning title holders Brosnan says taking the Cup back to Dooradoyle is always a target.

“It’s the one we like to chase and with 38 titles we have won it more than anyone else. You’d notice how special it is amongst the older members who right now are really excited about us making it to another final”, he adds.

“Obviously at the start of the season you say you want to win the league, but the Munster Senior Cup is always a target too. It’s the silverware that’s got the most history behind it and being a Munster competition you get a chance to knock off your more traditional rivals like the Cons, the Shannons and so on. As I said, there is rarely more than a score in a Garryowen versus Cork Con match and hopefully on Friday we will end up on the right side of the result.”

PATH TO THE FINAL

Cork Constitution FC
First Round v UL Bohemian Won 35 – 15 (Annacotty)
Second Round v Midleton w/o (Templehill)
Semi Final v University College Cork Won 21 – 11 (Mardyke)

Garryowen FC
First Round v Richmond Won 70 – 10 (Canal Bank)
Second Round v Cashel Won 20 – 5 (Spafield)
Semi Final v Shannon Won 20 – 17 (Thomond Park)