Bruff Rugby Football Club

Our 1sts welcomed Thomond to kilballyowen on Friday night last for our last game of 2018, conditions weren’t ideal for rugby with a strong wind and a light drizzle but it still didn’t stop both teams and a healthy crowd from getting a great evening of entertainment. Bruff kicked off with the elements in their favour and took the game to their opponents and with a penalty advantage they used their free play to move the ball wide to score in the corner through Cian Clifford, Kevin McManus was close with the convert and we were 5-0 to the good.  We managed to continue pressure and were rewarded with another try through Mike Cooke  once again Kevin was very unlucky with the convert and we were 10-0 ahead with around 10 mins on the clock.  Credit to Thomond who regrouped and spend the next 10 in our half after conceding a penalty near our line Thomond were awarded a penalty try from a scrum and were back in the game at 10-7. Bruff managed to get back into the Thomond half and were rewarded with an excellent try from a maul from a lineout from outside the Thomond 22 with Tom o Dwyer touching down. Kevin kicked the convert and it was 17-7. Thomond  continued to excert pressure and were awarded a penalty in which they put it in the corner after some excellent defence our second row showed some excellent football skills to relief pressure.  We lost a man to the bin and with 7 mins to h/t but managed not to concede anything in the period.  The 2nd half turned out to be less eventful with conditions not helping. Credit to both teams for giving it everything, with 15 gone in the second half Bruff managed to win a Thomond scrum 5 out and after a pop to Johnny Cleary we were in for a bonus point try with some help from Neilus on his shoulder.  Thomond never gave up and pounded our line from a series of pick and drives but an excellent turnover penalty from a ruck from Kevin McManus saw us clear our lines and see out the game 24-7.

2018 will go down as an eventful year for the club, a number of highs where we expirenced hovering near the top of the league earlier in the year having players represent our province and country to the lows of nearly losing our senior status at end of the season to the passing away of some great club people.

The Club would like to thank everyone who contribute in all different ways to making it survive and provide an outlet to kids teenagers and adult male and females an opportunity to play rugby in the area and surrounds, and wish everyone a happy peaceful and safe Christmas.

Fionn Flanaghan (making a big impression in his first season in the senior ranks)

1 Brian Bulfin
2 Johnny Cleary (capt)
3 Paddy Cleary
4 Neilus Keogh
5 Liam o Dwyer
6 Taylor Jones
7 Cillian Rea
8 Mike Cooke
9 Daniel Jackson
10 Davy o Grady
11 Liam Treacy
12 Cian Tierney
13 Jack o Grady
14 Cian Clifford
15 Kevin McManus

16 Kieth Laffan
17 Fionn Flanaghan
18 Eamonn Costelloe
19 Tommy Dwyer
20 Sean Darcy
21 Eric Finn