Bruff RFC will hope to bounce back quickly from the loss the Bangor when we welcome 2nd place Thomond RFC to Kilballyowen on Friday night for a 7.30pm kickoff. All support is very welcome.
UBL Round 5
Bruff returned to Ulsterbank League action on Saturday with a home game vs 7th placed Seapoint. Bruff suffered 2 defeats to the Dubliners last season and knew they needed to be on top form to come out of the game with anything. Bruff were on the back of a 39.10 victory over Tullamore while Seapoint were also on the back of a good 25-15 win over Dublin Rivals Malahide.
Bruff started well and enjoyed a lot of early territory and possession, but it was Seapoint who took the lead after 14 minutes with a drop goal with their first visit to the Bruff 22. Seapoint were unlucky not to go further ahead after 20 minutes when they won a penalty at the scrum with the resulting kick coming off the Bruff post which allowed Bruff to clear to safety. In-fact Seapoint hit the post twice in the game which was to prove beneficial to Bruff at the end. Bruff went into the lead after 25 minutes when full back Brian Fanning linked with scrum half Tony Cahill at a Bruff scrum to go over in the corner. It was an impressive score followed by an even more impressive conversion which David O Grady slotted from the touch line to make it 7-3 to Bruff. O Grady added a penalty after 37 minutes after a dominant scrum was rewarded for applying pressure on the Seapoint front five. Bruff took that 10-3 lead into the Break and I’m sure that the half time team talk couldn’t have prepared them for what was to come in the second half.
What did come in the second half was 40 minutes of relentless attack from the south Dublin side. Bruff just could not get their hands on the ball in the second half for any substantial period of time and when they did they gave it back too easily which could have cost them the game. Fortunately for Bruff, Seapoint only managed to create 1 score in the second half which was an unconverted try after 65 minutes. This was probably the only time the Bruff defence failed getting out flanked down the left hand side. Up to and after that the Bruff tackling and defensive lines were immense showing massive character and attitude to hold out for the 10.8 win which moves them into second in the table 3 points behind leaders Sligo and just a single point ahead of Thomond.
The fixtures don’t get any easier and next up is a trip to Bangor this weekend.
Bruff Team: 15 Brian Fanning 14 Cian Ryan 13 Conor Fitzpatrick 12 Jack O Grady 11 Mark Cosgrove 10 David O Grady 9 Tony Cahill 8 Ordhan Ring 7 John Clery 6 Liam O Dwyer 5 Sean Hartigan 4 Neilus Keogh 3 Keith Laffan 2 John Hogan 1 David Horan 16 Brendan Keogh 17 Brian Morrissey 18 Mahnus Collins 19 Sean Darcy 20 Cian Clifford
The seniors return to UBL action on the 28th of October with a home game vs 7th placed Seapoint. Bruff suffered 2 defeats to the Dubliners last season and will need to be on top form to come out of the game with a win.
2.30pm KO in Kilballyowen.
The u18s are at home to Mallow tonight Fri 27th at 8pm
Sun 29th u16 home to Newcastle West @ 12pm
Sun 29th u13’s home to Newport @ 11.30am /
Sun 29th U15’s away to Old Cresent @11.30am
The James Keating Memorial Mini Rugby festival is scheduled for the 30th October Bank Holiday Monday.
This year we have a total of 18 teams participating in the highly regarded Mini Rugby festival. The following teams will be participating, Ballina/Killaloe RFC, Cashel RFC, Clanwilliam RFC, Clonmel RFC, Ennis RFC, Kanturk RFC, Mallow RFC, Old Crescent RFC, Richmond/St. Marys, Shannon RFC, Thomond RFC, Young Munster RFC and three Bruff RFC teams will also be competing this year to try to win the coveted James Keating trophy.
Again this year also we will have the Impact Rugby Perpetual Shield kindly sponsored by our partners in Underage Rugby “Impact Rugby” at Bruff RFC for the team that wins the second place section.
We also have the Kilballyowen Perpetual Plate that will be presented to the team that wins the third place section.
Rugby on the day is due to commence at 11:00 am with group stage games followed by the quarter finals, semi-finals and finals.
Come along for a great day out where you get a chance to meet up with old friends. There will be plenty of refreshments available on the day to go along with the rugby.
If you have any questions in relation to the festival call Bernard on 086 – 8030037 for details.
UBL Round 4
The Bruff first xv put in their best performance of the season on Saturday to beat Tullamore 39.10 in Round 4 of the Ulster Bank League. Bruff’s opening 3 games were a mixed bag with a loss, a win and a draw to show from their previous outings. Tullamore on the other hand have been less fortunate and Saturdays defeat leaves them occupying the last spot on the league table. Bruff have jumped to 3rd on the table but won’t be getting carried away as 1 loss in this league could see them drop 4 places with very little between the teams. On the other side 1 win could propel any of 4 teams including Bruff to top spot.
Bruff led 15.5 at half time thanks to two tries and a penalty from a very impressive young Bruff backline. Brian Fanning scored the first of the tries after 10 minutes after taking a lovely pass from Graham Whelan with the initial break coming from Jack O Grady. Fanning and Whelan combined again on the stroke of half time to run the length of the pitch for Fannings 2nd score of the half. Davie O Grady kicked a conversion and a penalty in another impressive performance from the Knockainey man. Tullamore’s try came after 5 minutes.
The Bruff metal was tested early in the 2nd half with Tullamore closing the gap to 15-10 through a 2nd try with 46 minutes gone in the game. O Grady kicked a penalty after 50 minutes to help settle the Bruff nerves and put 2 scores between the teams again. Bruff started to dominated possession and were rewarded in the 60th minute when Tony Cahill went over for a try which O Grady again converted to make it 25.10. Bruff were now chasing a try bonus and that was secured in the 69th Minute when backrower Maghnus Collins linked with Tony Cahil for the BP score. Bruff added a 5th try with the last play of the game with Cian Ryan showing some nice skills to put Eric Finn in for the score.
The league takes a break now for a few weeks with the seniors returning to UBL action on the 28th of October with a home game vs 7th placed Seapoint. Bruff suffered 2 defeats to the Dubliners last season and will need to be on top form to come out of the game with a win.
Bruff Team: 15 Brian Fanning 14 Eric Finn 13 Conor Fitzpatrick 12 Jack O Grady 11 Mark Cosgrove 10 David O Grady 9 Tony Cahill 8 Ordhan Ring 7 John Clery 6 Maghnus Collins 5 Sean Hartigan 4 Brian Morrissey 3 Keith Laffan 2 John Hogan 1 David Horan 16 Paddy Clery 17 Neilus Keogh 18 Danny Keogh 19 Graham Whelan 20 Cian Ryan
Other results
Bruff 2nd lost 26-10 to Young Munsters in the second league.
Bruff u20’s lost 34-17 to Garryowen in the Donal Walsh Trophy
U14’s won 15-0 vr UL Bohemians in the league
Bruff travelled to Annacotty for round 2 of the North Munster section1 u-14 rugby league Sunday morning against UL Bohemians.
Slippery conditions underfoot contributed to an error-strewn opening period. With both defences on top, scoring opportunities were limited and it was no surprise for it to remain nil all at half time.
The bench was emptied at half time and an increase in intensity saw Bruff break the deadlock with a well taken try by Paul O’Brien May following a series of Bruff attacks culminating in a quick tap penalty and a sweeping back line move. The opening score was followed shortly after by an intercept try by Shane O’Brien as UL-Bohs were pressing through midfield.
Mid-way through the second half, Bruff, were getting on top and repelling the opposition with some hard tackling and defensive discipline. The scoring was rounded off by Adam Murphy Casey who got in in the corner after a number of phases which stretched the UL-Bohs defence across both sides of the field, to leave it 0-15 to Bruff at the long whistle after a keenly contested affair.
Squad on the day as follows: 1. Daire O’Brien 2. Michael Clifford 2. Ryan O’Neill 4. James O’Sullivan 5. Alex Finn 6. Oisin Feely 7. Josh McMahon 8. Sean O’Dwyer (capt) 9. Jake O’Riordan 10. Cian Scully 11. Tadhg Corkery 12. Sean Carroll 13. Patrick O’Dea 14. Paul O’Brien May 15.Jack McNamara 16. Adam Murphy Casey 17. Shane O’Brien 18. Mikey Fitzgibbon 19. Iestyn Winn 20. Shane Lynch 21.Arthur Maher.
Shannon are next up at home in Killballyowen on October 22nd.
Club Memberships
Membership letters have now been posted and all returning members are asked to note that this year’s membership includes entry to the Your Club Your Country draw for those you have paid before the end of November. The draw take’s place on Monday the 11th of December.
Members are also asked to note that there is now a link available to pay memberships online. The link is available through the website at www.Bruffrfc.com . Memberships can also be paid to any committee members. New members are also welcome and eligible to entry the draw as part of the membership package.
Your Club Your Country top Prizes (entry €10 per ticket)
Summer tour 2018 in Australia
€5000 holiday
France V Ireland 2018 6 nations VIP trip
2018 Galway Races VIP trip
England V Ireland 2018 6 nations VIP trip