Club News W/C 9/5

news from the Clubs

BRUFF

We’re heading into the finals week of our annual Twilight Bull N Booze Tag rugby League. This Thursday 14th May, sees us coming to the finals night with Prizes, Karaoke Night and Disco until Late.
Games kick off at 7:30 pm. And the entertainment kicks off from around 9:30 onwards. Match fixtures as follows:

B League
Cup Final
Cappa Pakeha v Intel Hoppers
Plate Final
Hookers v Bakehouse Bruisers
Bowl Final
Rucking Scrumbags v PACE

C1 League
Cup Final
Recession Runners v Kilmallock Lions
Plate Final
Slippery Eels v Tag Tigers
Bowl Final
Castletroy College Teachers v Tri Stars

C2 League
Cup Final
Totally Inform Taggers v Snap, Tackle & Pop
Plate Final
The Who v Berty’s Bassetts
Bowl Final
Bomb Squad v Guten Tag

C3 League
Cup Final
NCW Macra v Smilers Specials
Bowl Final
Sharkhunters v Croom Macra

Wednesday the 18th of May next is the last day for notices of motion and nominations to the Hon. Sec prior to the AGM on Wednesday 25th May at 8:00 p.m. The Executive committee are again asking for help, this time it will cost you nothing except maybe a couple of hours a week, if you could possibly offer to give a helping hand with either an underage team or give a couple of hours a week to take up a position on one of the subcommittees this would be great. It needn’t be on an official basis if you don’t wish to make it so, but as we have increased in size over the years and worked our way up to Division 2 the workload has obviously increased. Anything that anyone can do to lighten the load would be very much appreciated. If you are willing to take on one small job even, that’s one less job for all of us to have to worry about.

Congratulations from all of us to Richie Flanagan and his new Bride Áine on their nuptials last Saturday, with the wedding breakfast taking place in the Clarion. Richie has been involved with coaching the U20’s for the last twelve months and prior to that has been involved as a player with Bruff for many years. We hope that this connection will continue well into the future and that you both have a long and happy life together.

With the season wrapping up quite nicely and heading into the summer break, this is probably the final chance for me to say thanks to you all for your support over the last twelve months. I hope that we have covered everything that we needed to and that you will continue to support Bruff RFC next season. Of course even though the Rugby has finished, we are now coming into the time where all of the maintenance and pitch maintenance work needs to be done and even though there may not be rugby talking place over the next few months, there will be an awful lot of work to get through. This year we have a couple of events taking place during the off season as well and these have to be prepared for.

We will announce the full line-up of the Committee and various other appointments as they take place following the AGM, keep an eye on the website over the next few months to keep yourself up to date.

Richard Leonard,

P.R.O. Bruff R.F.C.

UL Bohemian RFC
Rugby Notes
Weekending 10th May 2009
Denis Ryan
PRO

The U-20s added the North Munster Cup to their All Ireland title when beating a very strong Garryowen side by 22-16 in the final. This was a game where each side dominated when playing against the wind and it was the strength of the UL Bohs pack which eventually forged the victory. A Sean Rennison try was the only answer to the Garryowen first half superiority as they led by 13-5, but after the break it was a different story. Tries from Rory Kearns and Mark Feely, with two conversions and a penalty from Cathal Sheridan give an indication of the second half resurgence, restricting Garryowen to just a long range drop goal, although it must be admitted, that was a spectacular score.
In the U-14 North Munster Cup Final, UL Bohs came out on top in a tough encounter against Newcastlewest, winning by 23-5. Despite conceding a soft try in the first minute, and playing against the strong wind in the opening half, UL Bohs showed great character in rallying and took a deserved 15-5 lead into the break. Following the change of ends, UL Bohs used the wind well to keep Newcastlewest on the back foot, and a couple of more scores brought the final tally to 23-5. Full report on http://www.ulbohs.com/.
The U-12s won the A and B Cups in the London Irish Festival of Mini Rugby, with the ‘A Team’ beating the hosts, London Irish, A Team in the group stages (20-0), Scottish champions, Highland RFC, in the semi-final (15-0) and Richmond-Surrey County champions in the final (21-0). The "B Team" success, however, was the jewel in the crown by winning the "B" final against local Limerick rivals, Garryowen (7-0). In a tense final, two minutes to go, Garryowen were camped on our line and in a moment of daring play by the Captain, Tommy Ryan snatched the ball from the Garryowen outhalf, who was destined to score, and ran the length of the pitch with the opposition chasing him to the bitter end. In the Pat Lawler Memorial Tournament for U-12s, UL Bohs won the trophy for only the second time, when beating other local rivals, Shannon, in the final. Well done to all concerned.
The U-15s won the Plate in the Ollie Brown Tournament.
The Awards Night took place on Friday night, with the table sagging under the weight of silverware. Pride of place was the Munster Junior Cup, but of equal importance to the club were the many other trophies, such as the Transfield Cup, the All Ireland and North Munster U-20 Cups, the Women’s All Ireland League and Cup, as well as other titles recently won and cherished. Outstanding achievements from U-13 to Senior were acknowledged, with special presentations to new U-20 and U-19 internationals Mark Doyle and Brian O’Hara. Special awards were also made to Coleman Finn, who gave such great service to the club and is retiring from playing, and Brian Spillane, who is standing down as medical officer. We thank them for the immense contributions both have made to the success of the club. Tommy O’Donnell was recognized for having been selected as Munster Academy Player of the Season, while Mick English was inducted into the Hall of Fame, with UL Bohs gaining the accolade of Munster Club of the Year, for the first time. The full list of award winners may be seen on the website. Mick Goggin thanked all who made his year of Presidency such a success, and wished his successor, Ted Mulcahy, the best of luck in repeating or exceeding this season’s trophy haul.

OLD CRESCENT
While the senior season drew to a close two weeks ago, with our first team securing their highest finish in AIL Division Two for many years, our Under Age members continued to finish out their season over the last two weekends.

Our under 12’s pursued their own glory by participating in the UL Bohs organised Pat Lawler Memorial Tournament. With a very tough pool draw, first up were Garryowen, fresh from success in the London Irish tournament and we started very competitively going into the lead early in the game and creating good opportunities for ourselves, but were unable to finish off the game and then leaked a breakaway try to finish with a 1-1 draw. Next up was an even tougher match against a bigger and slightly older Sligo squad, and even though we went behind by a score early on, we brought the game to them right to the end. Our final pool game was against our hosts, the UL Bohs Barbarians side, and we knew going into the match that we had to score 9 tries to go through – we got 7 – and so were (agonisingly) squeezed out of the main competition on the try count back rule.

Next up were Thomond in the Plate and another fine performance by the forwards created the foundation for a good win, with a subsequent victory over UL Bohs Blue putting us into the plate final against Richmond. A nervous start in the final, which was played in the Bowl at UL, had us a try down early on, but this team, knowing they were good enough and believing in themselves, responded quickly and by continuing to play an attractive fast open game with good off loading and releasing our speedsters, they secured an early equaliser and then continued to up their performance and score 4 more without reply, thereby winning the plate trophy. Our thanks to our hosts UL Bohs and too all involved in organising a fabulous day.

Our under 12’s finished their season last Friday evening with a home tournament attended by almost 30 players and a BBQ to follow atttended by almost 90 parents and family on another balmy night. The rugby finished with victory for Andrew Harrison’s team over Gerry Fitzpatrick’s team in a game that went to extra time, with the teams being separated by use of the ‘golden try’ rule. Thereafter the Doyle family organisational and culinary skills took over and we were all fed and found for the evening. Our thanks to all and to Anthony O’Dwyer and his team for their assistance.

A reminder to all club members that our AGM will take place in the Clubhouse at 8.00pm on Tuesday, 26th May. All are asked to attend. Finally, we send our best wishes go to our President, Glenn Quin, for a speedy recovery.

SUNDAY’S WELL

Important Club News 5 year plan
The steering Committee under the chair of Mr. Michael Collopy presented its much awaited 5 year plan, on Wednesday May 13th. The huge report was very well received by the audience and will be considered before implementation.

The Club A.G.M. will be held in the Clubhouse on the Tuesday 26th of May at 8pm sharp.

The Presidents Dinner will be held in the Clubhouse on Thursday the 21st of May at 8pm.

Dress code is informal and the cost is €50 and €35 for players. Please contact Clair Powell on her email address for more particulars and to book your seat. Clair needs final numbers as soon as possible so.

BOOK NOW AT cmpowell02@gmail.com

6 Nations and Triple Crown Trophies
On Monday the 18th May in Musgrave Park from 3pm to 6.30pm the 6 Nations and Triple Crown Trophies will be on show I assume the trophies will be at the Dolphin side.

All Well Members welcome

Under age Presentation of Medals
On Saturday next the16th May the under 12s, 14s, and under 18s will have their medals presented in the clubhouse at 7.30pm

Date Change

Summer Camps – Tommy Crowe runs the REBEL summer Rugby Camps in Musgrave Park every year with huge numbers and this year is no exception, the camp will be on from Monday the 6th July to Friday the 10th of July in Musgrave Park

Contact Tommy on Ph no 087 2367994

The cost is €60 for the week.

Places are being filled very quickly so book early

"Away the Well"

Brendan Kenneally (0876139597)

SHANNON

What a feeling. AIB league champions, and even after eight previous titles, we will never tire of that tingling feeling of success.

"Shannon RFC, Fortune Favours The Brave". So the flag draped over the face of the East stand said. It wasn’t a flag that can compete in size with the monstrous red one that usually does the rounds of Thomond park on Munster match days, but its meaning was no less important. Brave, our lads certainly were, fortunate no doubt, but the flags message said it all. Its creator is one of our most dedicated supporters, Clíodhna Kellehier who dwells in Co. Offaly, but has missed only a couple of our games in over 10 years. Her dedication to Shannon is mirrored in our side’s dedication in the pursuit of success. But she’s not alone. we have so many fantastic supporters who could scarcely envisage reaching a final, let alone winning the AIB League at the start of the season. But each and every one of our supporters can claim some credit. Once our multitasked assistant secretary Ger Mc Closkey took time from his other roles as registrar and Chairman of the development committee to almost singlehandedly rekindled the supporters coaches to away games and, instigate the now fondly remembered overnight to Ballymena, than the tone was set for the continuing close bond between players and supporters.

I have repeatedly referred to our opening game against Blackrock and the difficult journey that lay ahead of us back then, and not the one immediately after the match. It was a big dent in confidence that needed to be rectified if our very survival in the top eight could be secured. But that’s what makes Shannon rugby club what it is. Negatives transposed to positives, low confidence built back up again and all done in a relatively short space of time. It was at that stage that our new management team came into their own. Geoff, Cullie, and Ger picked those guys up and reaffirmed the systemic self belief of Shannon teams and it’s to the credit of those three men that we stand as AIB league winners again. They certainly weren’t alone and without the unwavering assistance from men like Ger Mullally, Martin Flannery, Darragh Little and others last Saturday would definitely not have happened

The pitch may be newly laid, the surrounding edifices may have changed beyond recognition since our first appearance as tenants in Thomond Park, but the constant ethos and theme that runs through any Shannon team of any era remained the same. The ghosts of Shannon players past may well have been urging and guiding the present hero’s, they may well have even been standing shoulder to shoulder with them on the hallowed ground, but there’s one thing that we can’t doubt and that’s the fact that anyone who represents our club does so in the knowledge that their presence is merely transitional and their jersey is only in their care for the period they are in possession.

Inspiration for such performances comes from many sources. Personal desires, collective goals, fear of failure, a desire to justify your jersey to your teammates and those that went before, a yearning to become part of history. Each as valid a reason as the next, but amongst all those sources of inspiration last Saturday, was the common theme of one man. He wasn’t mentioned too often in the build up. Emotionally it may have been overpowering, especially for one of our players, but he was there, a constant presence in the mindset, not only of players, but everyone in the club. The memory of Frankie O’Flynn will live with Shannon RFC forever, but that memory will never be evoked with such emotion as it was when his grandson Ritchie Mullane collected our first cup with Fiach since his passing last November.

This AIB All Ireland League win was without doubt in memory of Frankie. Geoff made a promise to Violet prior to the semi final that his team would win it the title for Frankie, and justification of that promise came last Saturday.

Now, amongst all our euphoria we won’t lose sight of the fact that the game was actually a draw after such an epic encounter. Clontarf were magnificent throughout the game and both teams contributed to what is now widely regarded as the best final ever. How would we have felt if the roles were reversed? Devastated no doubt and its of little consolation to the superb Clontarf that their efforts were no less than our own. Nevertheless whatever, develops in the future regarding separation of sides, competition rules were implemented last Saturday and fortunately for us, Dunny’s first try clinched our ninth title.

The Clontarf management, players and officials were magnanimous to a fault and it will be a pleasure to meet them again twice next season.

How did it feel to walk the short distance from the East Stand to our clubhouse at around 7.pm Saturday evening with the Cup firmly in Fiach’s grasp? Well, of all our final victories, this homecoming was without doubt the sweetest. It wasn’t an 11 or 12 O’clock bleary eyed arrival after a journey from Dublin, but a full on, already buzzing clubhouse where we were enthusiastically greeted by our fantastic supporters, and then the party began in earnest.

Even at that stage the players bodies were beginning to ache from the extreme exertions, especially in those nail biting 20 minutes of extra time. Stephen Kelly played for a lengthy period with what has now been confirmed as a broken hand, Frankie Mc’s calves were screaming at him to give up and Dave Quinlan may never put in as many tackles in such a short space of time. But it was the collective effort of everyone as the red and blue wave of attacks came thick and fast. NO PENALTIES , NO PENALTIES was the mantra from all over and in such tense circumstances, for no player to test the patience of the excellent Alain Rolland was worthy of the trophy alone.

It was a day of club tradition, family tradition and a day of the next generation. There’s something of a baby boom around the club at the moment. Kevin Griffin proudly held his son Kevin Junior afterwards, while Ger Mullally had the grasp of his grandson, 3 month old Darragh. Chairman Jack Keane’s young Grandson Mike proudly wearing his Shannon Jersey and the plethora of other tiny tots in the black and blue. Nepotism isn’t something I do often, but if Mr Thornley of The Times can acknowledge my own two week old baby Colin, than so can I who was there decked in the Shannon colours supporting his brother and team mascot Aaron. Is that not another strand of what our club is about, the family tradition?

What a day, what a team, what a club.

The traditional visit of the team and trophy to the Alan Oakley day was first of several stops on the Sunday celebration trail. Once again the annual underage wrap up was bathed in glorious sunshine which obviously further enhances a great day for players and family. Great credit must go to the underage committee for smooth running of events which now in its 11th year almost runs itself.

The announcement of a couple of potential new Shannon international caps in the upcoming Tours to North America was another highlight of the week. Whilst its of no great surprise that Ian Dowling and Niall Ronan were selected along with the other established players, it’s still exciting to potentially have two further internationals in our midst. On the down side of the week, Alan Quinlan’s heartbreak is felt by everyone in Shannon and whilst its of little comfort to the great warrior, we are extremely proud of his initial selection and he will continue to be a source of great pride to Shannon.

Tadgh Crowe informs us that there are still a few tickets for Munster’s Magners league coronation game this Friday against the Ospreys are still available.

The AGM takes place next Tuesday evening in the club house so next week’s notes will conclude another memorable season.