Munster Clubs Age-Grade Cups Get Underway

The Munster Clubs Age-Grade Cups launch took place at Virgin Media Park earlier this month ahead of the final stages of the U16 and U18 Boys and Girls Cup competitions which get underway this weekend.

The defending champions from last season’s U16 and U18 competitions were in attendance.

Bantry Bay RFC and Bandon RFC are the defending champions in the U18 and U16 Boys Cups while Carrick-on-Suir/Thurles and Clonakilty RFC won last season’s U18 and U16 Girls Cup competitions.

Video | Munster Clubs Age-Grade Cups Launch

A representative from each squad was present on the night and they spoke to Munster Rugby as they looked ahead to the knockout stages which begin this weekend.

Daniel Coughlan is captaining Bantry Bay U18s this year and although they will be involved in the Development Plate in the coming weeks, he said he is looking forward to the games and seeing how the younger and less experienced players perform.

“A lot of younger lads came from U16s this year,” Coughlan said.

“It’s a big jump from U16s to U18s so it’s just about building up the experience and being ready to go again.

“I’m captaining this year so it’s just a big step up from taking orders but I’m enjoying the season so far and we’ll see how it goes.”

Bandon’s Oran Coughlan says that last year’s experience of winning the U16 Cup was brilliant and that the squad are looking forward to the quarter-finals this weekend.

“It was brilliant, there was a lot of work put into it and just to get over the line in the end was brilliant.

“We have gotten better as we have gone on and we’re in the quarter-finals now and hopefully we can keep pushing and go all the way.”

Carrick-on-Suir’s Eve Cronin and Thurles’ Leah Feehan, who is on loan with Carrick this season, admit there are a lot of new players in the squad this year but that they are building nicely ahead of the knockout stages.

“It’s a different team altogether, we’ve work-ons to do but I feel as a team we’re progressing,” Cronin said.

“It has taken a long time but we’re definitely getting there. We’re bringing some of the stuff last season into this season so hopefully it goes well.”

Feehan said: “It’s just building on what we have, we’ve quite a young team this year, we lost a lot of our players last year. We’ve just been building on our teamwork and our connections as a team. We’re getting there, it took a bit of time but we’re getting there thank god.”

Clonakilty are coming into the U16 Cup campaign off the back of a hard-fought league final win over Ennis and Niamh Hilliard says that experience in addition to their cup final win last season will help them ahead of their clash with Ballina-Killaloe RFC this weekend.

“In the league (last season), we had two teams of girls so it was really good and then we all came together for the cups so we really stuck together to win. We came second in the league and we really pushed for first in the Cup and when we all joined up together it was really good.” Hilliard said.

“Ennis were such a good side and gave us a challenge. They were such a good side to play against,” Hilliard said of their league final win against Ennis earlier this month.

Pictured at the launch of the Munster Clubs Age-Grade Cups are Daniel Coughlan of Bantry Bay RFC, Leah Feehan of Thurles RFC, Munster Branch President Michael Carroll, Niamh Hilliard of Clonakilty RFC, Miriam Lawlee (Chairperson, Munster Women’s Youth Committee), Eve Cronin of Carrick-on-Suir RFC, Mike McInnerney (Chairperson Munster Youths Committee) and Oran Coughlan of Bandon RFC
Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy

See below for upcoming fixtures in the Munster Clubs Age-Grade Cup competitions.

Munster Clubs Boys U18 Cup Fixtures

Saturday 9th March – Quarter-Finals

Bandon RFC v Ennis RFC, 12pm – Bandon RFC

Cobh Pirates RFC v Bruff RFC, 12pm – Cobh Pirates RFC

Highfield RFC v Old Christians RFC, 12pm – Highfield RFC

Waterpark RFC v Killarney RFC, 2pm – Waterpark RFC

Munster Clubs Girls U18 Cup Fixtures

Saturday 24th February – Round 1

Dunmanway RFC/Bantry Bay RFC v Shannon RFC, 12.30pm – Bantry Bay RFC

Dolphin RFC v Bruff RFC, 2pm – Virgin Media Park

Ballina-Killaloe RFC/UL Bohemian RFC v Clonakilty RFC, 2.30pm – Ballina-Killaloe RFC

Sunday 25th February – Round 1

Ballincollig RFC v Carrick-on-Suir RFC, 3.30pm – Ballincollig RFC

Munster Clubs Boys U16 Cup Fixtures

Saturday 24th February – Quarter-Finals

Killarney RFC v Nenagh Ormond RFC, 12pm – Killarney RFC

Old Christians RFC v Skibbereen RFC, 1pm – Old Christians RFC

Sunday 25th February – Quarter-Finals

Highfield RFC v Bandon RFC, 12pm – Highfield RFC

Mallow RFC v Ennis RFC, 1pm – Virgin Media Park

Munster Clubs Girls U16 Cup Fixtures

Saturday 24th February – Round 1 

Dolphin RFC v Kilrush RFC, 11am – Dolphin RFC

Dunmanway RFC/Bantry Bay RFC v Kanturk RFC, 11am – Dunmanway RFC

UL Bohemian RFC/Garryowen RFC v Ennis RFC, 11am – UL Bohemian RFC

Mallow RFC/Mitchelstown RFC v Richmond RFC/Old Crescent RFC/Scariff RFC, 12pm – Mallow RFC

Ballina-Killaloe RFC v Clonakilty RFC, 12.30pm – Ballina-Killaloe RFC

Killarney RFC/Listowel RFC/Iveragh Eagles RFC v Bruff RFC, 2pm – Killarney RFC

Sunday 25th February – Round 1 

Midleton RFC/Youghal RFC v Waterpark, 12pm – Youghal RFC

Ballincollig RFC v Shannon RFC, 1pm – Ballincollig RFC