Club Notes
7th December 2017 By The Editor
Bruff RFC Youths
This week’s club notes come from Bruff RFC and Newcastle West RFC.
Bruff RFC Courtesy of Seamus Sheahan
There was a collective sigh of relief from both players and supporters in Bruff on Saturday when the seniors recorded their first AIL league win since beating Seapoint 10-8 on October 28th. Since then Bruff have suffered three loses on the bounce to Bangor, Thomond and Malahide.
Saturday’s game with Midelton marked the mid-way point in the league and leaves Bruff lying in 5th spot just one point off the 4th place playoff spot currently occupied by Omagh.
Visitors Midelton were first off the mark on Saturday with a drop goal after just three minutes.
Bruff didn’t leave this rattle them and were ahead with five minutes on the clock thanks to a brilliant individual try from centre Jack O Grady. O Grady picked up the ball near the half way line and used some great footwork to evade the attempted tackles from the Midelton defenders. The try was converted by David O Grady who added a penalty after 21 minutes to make it 10-3 to Bruff.
Midelton scored a converted try of their own after 28 minutes to make it 10-10 and the score remained the same until the half time break.
Bruff retook the lead again after 46 minutes with a 2nd converted try. This wasn’t as spectacular as the first try and was less about beauty and more about Braun with player coach Danny Keogh powering over from short range. David O Grady again kicked the convert and Bruff went into a 17-10 lead. Bruff dominated the game for the next 25 minutes or so but failed to turn pressure into points which made for a tense final 10 minutes. Midelton kicked a penalty on 74 minutes which closed the gap to 17-13 and pressed hard for the final five minutes in search of a winning score. But the Bruff defence held tough and were rewarded with the win when the final whistle was blown.
Bruff are away to Midelton this weekend with a 2.30pm KO in Towns Park.
Bruff Team: 15 Graham Whelan 14 Cian Ryan 13 Brian Fanning 12 Jack O Grady 11 Sean Darcy 10 David O Grady 9 Tony Cahill 8 Danny Keogh 7 John Clery 6 Maghnus Collins 5 Tadgh O Dwyer 4 Sean Hartigan 3 Brendan Keogh 2 Thomas Quigley 1 David Horan 16 Brian Bulfin 17 Neilus Keogh 18 Liam O Dwyer 19 Eric Finn 20 Cian Clifford
Other Results:
U16s won 32-5 away to Newport
U14s won 27-3 away to Kilrush
U18s won 22-14 away to Galbally
Christmas Party Night:
The club party night is on the 16th Dec with tickets available from the fundraising committee. €15 per person for what will hopefully prove to be a great night’s entertainment. Hot buffet and DJ til late included. All Adults players, members, Coaches, Committee, Parents and supporter’s welcome. Contact Trevor on 0876558699.
Newcastle West RFC Courtesy of Martin O’Sullivan
Fixture – AIL All Ireland Junior Cup Semi-Final
Saturday December 9th Kilfeacle RFC v Newcastle West RFC in Kilfeacle @ 2.00pm – PLEASE NOTE EARLIER KICK OFF TIME
Ulster Bank All Ireland Junior Cup Semi-Final (By Tim Mulcahy)
“ALL ROADS LEAD TO KILFEACLE FOR ALL IRELAND SEMI-FINAL”
On this Saturday December 9th the sportspeople of Newcastle West and surrounding parishes will make the short trip to a village on a hill in Co. Tipperary called Kilfeacle. For those of you who don’t know where it is, it is on the road between Tipperary Town and Cashel. It is a village with a church, a pub, a tennis club and a rugby club with a short but very proud history and winning provincial silverware is nothing new to them. Nothing comes easy on that hill, a draw being the best result their over numerous visits and we will have to play above our best to come out of there with a result.
Both clubs have competed in the All-Ireland Junior Cup on a number of occasions, but this game is the first time that both clubs have reached the semi-final and it also has the added fact that in all the years that Kilfeacle have qualified for this competition it is their first home draw and they will leave no stone unturned in seeking out a home victory.
So how do you get to play in the All-Ireland Junior Cup? The competition runs over two seasons. The top four teams in division one in Munster, Leinster, Ulster & Connacht of the previous year’s league qualify, meaning you have sixteen teams in the first round. You cannot draw a team from your home province in the first two rounds but the semi-final is then an open draw.
Newcastle West finished second while Kilfeacle finished fourth in Division 1 of the Munster Junior league 2016/2017 season. Newcastle West defeated competition favourites Enniscorthy 30-25 at home and the made the long haul to Ulster where they defeated Enniskillen 13 – 28. Kilfeacle defeated Monivea in the first round Monivea 7- 24 Kilfeacle and then returned to Connacht again where they beat Connemara 10-12.
So an adult rugby All Ireland semi-final appearance for the first time in our history and how important history is to this club. When you are standing around the field on the hill next Saturday, take a moment and look up to the heavens because I am sure there will be as big a crowd peeking down through the clouds and cheering loudly for the boys in black and white. Past members who have gone to their eternal reward I’m sure will pull up a chair and reminisce of the past before settling down to eighty minutes of hard graft, Oohs, Aahs and cheers. Names like Patie O’Connor, Davy McCoy, Paddy Mullane, Michael Dooley, Bertie Cussen, Johnny Culhane, Harry O Reardon, Matt Scanlon to name but a few, some of the people who helped to make us what we are today.
Kilfeacle currently lie fourth in the league on 25 points with Newcastle West just behind in fifth place on 23 points. The home side come in to this game after a bonus point with against neighbours Clanwilliam, but Newcastle West last game was a lucky escape under the Galtees over in Galbally winning 13-15.
Newcastle West are captained by Tom Kelleher Junior, whose father, brothers & cousins have or are still playing with the club, there is no doubt but that he will lead from the front, as all through his playing career he has never been found wanting. If the players around him want a role model Tommy is it and they will I know fight till there last breath for their captain.
This team is a mixture of youth and experience from 19 year old Darra O’Shea in the front row to the veteran Stephen Kelly marshalling the backline from number 15. Competition for places is extremely competitive and both coaches have informed me that there task is not easy in picking the team, but it is a problem they are glad to have.
So I would ask you the readers whatever your preferred sport is, it’s not often that a west Limerick team (the squad comes from NCW, Ardagh, Knockaderry, Castlemahon, Askeaton, Galway, Ballina, Limerick, Monagea, Old Mill) gets to an All-Ireland Semi Final. Come to Kilfeacle and help us write another chapter.
Munster Junior League Div 1
Galbally – 13 Newcastle West RFC – 15
Trips to the Tipperary border are always tough and Sunday last proved no different. An early Keelan Head try, converted by Sean Herlihy settled the visitors but it was Galbally that held the upper hand for the rest of the game. They levelled with a converted try and then took the lead with a penalty taking a 10-7 lead into the break. Galbally added another three pointer on 47 minutes to extend the lead to six points. The revival started four minutes later with a Sean Murphy try that reduced the deficit to one point and then Sean Herlihy kicked a penalty on 57 minutes to push NCW back into the lead 15-13. Despite the home side piling on the pressure for the rest of the game, we held on for an important win. Four points picked up on the road is always a boos and the lads can head to Kilfeacle on Saturday next with another W under the belt.
The league will resume again in January.
Scorers: Keelan Head, Sean Murphy, tries. Sean Herlihy, 1 Conversion & 2 penalties.
Membership
Membership for Adults, Players, Families and Youths is now payable on line. You can pay your membership by going to our website page www.newcastlewestrfc.com or on our Facebook page Newcastle West Rugby Football Club on left side of face book page you will see Pay Membership click on this and it will take you to payment options for membership. You can contact us on Facebook or any committee member if you have any issues and we will be glad to help you out.
Lotto Results
No Winner
Numbers: 04 05 06 22
Jackpot: 2,600
Next Draw: 08/12/17
Venue: The Forge
€30 lucky dip
Winners Sellers
Sheila Treacy STRAND
Diarmuid Shanahan STRAND
Anthony Reidy Pat Ryan
Noreen Mulcahy Tom Mulcahy
Ted Murphy Pat Bourke
Noreen Madigan John Hennessy
Promoters Prize: Ed Lynchs
