Club Notes: Old Crescent Announce New U20 Coaching Team

Old Crescent RFC are delighted to announce their new Under 20 Coaching Team for the 2021/22 season.

Courtesy of Frank Larkin. 

As the COVID vaccine programme is rolled out, we are hopeful that there will be some limited return to training before this season is out. More importantly, we are confident that come September we will have a relatively normal season ahead of us.

Under 20 rugby is an important pathway into senior rugby. Some of our Under 20 squad are already making a big impression at senior level, for example, Rob Magill and Michael O’Hanrahan. Old Crescent RFC is determined that our Under 20 players will not only have an enjoyable time but will also have access to the resources to be the best and most successful team in their age group.

Our first step is to strengthen our Under 20 coaching setup with the addition of two experienced members:

Joe Nix takes on the role of Head Coach. Joe is a club man through and through having played all his rugby for Old Crescent before taking his hand to coaching with the club. He has coached all four senior teams with success at each level, winning a McInerney Cup and a Webb Cup at 3rds level before moving to coach the U21s.

He enjoyed a lot of success with this group by winning Division 2 in 2009/10 and reaching an All Ireland Quarter Final in 2011/12, a first for Old Crescent. Promoted to 1st XV coach in 2014/15, he led the club to promotion from 2C to 2B and reached a 2B playoff the following season. The club are delighted to have Joe back involved with the Under 20s.

Old Crescent RFC Under 20 Coaching Team. Back Row, left to right, Donnacha O’Grady, Joe Nix, Ronan Hanrahan, Eugene McGovern. Front Row, left to right, Brian Begley, Bernard King, Brian O’Shea.

Bernard King takes on two roles, Team Manager and Assistant Backs Coach. Bernard is a post-primary teacher with Castletroy College where he managed the school’s Senior Cup team from 2018 to 2020. Previously he coached 1st to 3rd year in Schools Junior Cup rugby. Bernard is a past pupil of Crescent College and played with Old Crescent RFC from underage up to Under 20s.

The full Under 20 Management Team is as follows: Joe Nix, Head Coach, Ronan Hanrahan, Team Manager, Donnacha O’Grady, Forwards Coach, Brian O’Shea, Backs Coach, Bernard King, Team Manager and Asst Backs Coach, Brian Begley, Skills and Attack Coach, and Eugene McGovern, Chairman of Under 20 Rugby.

Matt Brown, Head Coach with the senior team, will be closely involved with the Under 20s to ensure there is continuity of approach through all Old Crescent adult teams.

Old Crescent RFC will provide further updates on Under 20 planning and preparation in the coming weeks. In the meantime, players can contact Ronan Hanrahan 086 8152409 or Eugene McGovern 086 3960624 with any queries.