Bruff Rugby Football Club

BRUFF RUGBY

Senior team………………..6

Instonians………………….5

The senior team managed to maintain their unbeaten record in the All Ireland League 3rd Division when they had the narrowest of wins over second placed Instonians to remain on course to win the league and gain promotion.

This was very much a match of two halves played in ideal weather conditions on a firm pitch.

For almost the entire first half Bruff were pinned down inside their own half and were lucky to be just 5-3 behind at the break. Number 11 Richard Fegan touched down in the corner after seventeen minutes for the visitors with their full back Owen McMurray wide with the conversion.

Brian Cahill kept Bruff in touch with a penalty shortly before half time, and put them 6-5 ahead midway in the second half with another.

Bruff dominated the second half, but the visitors nearly went ahead from a very kickable penalty on the stroke of full time, but McMurray’s kick narrowly went wide to the great relief of the huge Bruff support.

All the players would like to thank everyone for their support which played a big part in this win.

This Saturday Bruff travel to play Ards in match number twelve.

The club’s press officer hopes to provide regular updates on local radio from Newtownards and an information line will also be available 087/7975460.

Bruff Seniors: Brendan Deady, Paul O’Brien, John Malone, Eoin Cahill, Finbarr Hogan, Brian Cahill, Tony Cahill, Ger Luby, John Stephan Shine, Martin O’Rourke, Dermot Murnane, Alan Bourke, Gearóid Ryan, Cathal O’Regan captain, David Horan.

Subs: Garry Leonard, John Hogan, Liam Herlihy, David Gardiner, Andrew Goodman.

U18s win League Final

The U18 team travelled to play Richmond at Canal Bank in the North Munster U18 League on Sunday and had to pull out all the stops to retain the trophy on an 8-7 scoreline.

Bruff led 3-0 at half time from an excellent penalty by Barry Enright and Paudie O’Brien pressed for a fine try midway in the second half to go 8-0 ahead entering the last quarter.

Despite constant pressure Bruff held the line until five minutes from the end when a yellow card reduced their numbers to fourteen and Richmond went in for a converted try to leave Bruff only 8-7 ahead which they held until the end despite a constant barrage from the City side.

This was a superb performance by Bruff who had their panel of players very much reduced for this match for a variety of reasons.

Those who filled in are to be complimented for their efforts.

Great credit is due to this team together with their parents and team management for their great dedication throughout the season.

Team coaches Ger McNamara and Liam Doherty deserve great credit for the long hours of work which they have put into this team since September. Jimmy Clery has also been a great asset in coaching the forwards while Alan Enright has been a very efficient team manager.

U18 Team:

Trevor Conway, Darragh Leahy, Darragh O’Sul-livan, Patrick Dempsey, Tom O’Brien, Brian Morrissey, Andrew White, Patrick Clery, Cathal O’Rourke, Barry Enright, Declan O’Donoghue, Denis Kennedy, Paudie O’Brien, Raymond Ryan, Richard McAuliffe.

Subs: Michael Madigan, Brian Hourigan, Paul Browne, Andrew Dillon, John McManus.

Players not available on Sunday were Paul Clery, Patrick O’Callaghan, John Clery, Robbie Finn, Michael Lynch.

U18s Nottingham Tour

This team will travel by air to West Midlands Airport in England over Easter for a two match tour to Nottingham.

Bruff have not been beaten in competition since the 2005/2006 season and won the league and cup last season.

The following is a list of the teams that Bruff had in the league and the scores are as follows:

Bruff 18, UL/Bohs 7; Bruff 14, Newcastle West 10; Bruff 22, Old Crescent 0; Bruff 44, Garryowen 0; Bruff 21, Young Munster 7; Bruff 42, Ennis 10; Bruff 5, Shannon 5; W/o from Thomond and St. Mary’s.

Junior 1 team……………27

Newcastle West…………17

At Kilballyowen on Sunday the Junior 1 team entertained Newcastle West in the first round of the Plate on a 27-17 scoreline.

Ronan Kirby scored two tries and Leo McGrath and Brian Carroll had one each with Carroll adding two conversions and one drop goal.

Bruff will meet the winners of St. Senan’s and Old Crescent in the next round on a date to be arranged.

Junior 1Team: Stephen Foster, Mossy O’Donnell, Tim Quirke, Barry Laffan, Maurice O’Connell, Brian Crofton, Leo McGrath, Danny Keogh, Eoghan Maher, Brian Carroll, John Hayes, Marcus Mulvihill captain, John Moore, Tommy Carroll, Ronan Kirby. Subs: Bob Kiely, Jonathan O’Gor-man, John Hogan.

U16s defeat UL/Bohs

The U16s continued their unbeaten run in the league on Sunday when they defeated UL/Bohs at Annacotty.

U16 Team: Mark O’Connell, Eoin Quinn, Nigel Hosford, Aidan O’Sullivan, Finbarr Laffan, Robbie Finn, Mark Enright, Michael Lynch, John Clery, Aaron Ryan, Simon Mackessy, Joseph Barry, David Griffin, Barry Breslin, T.J. Coffey.

Subs: Jamie Moloney, Liam Kelly, Mark Daly, Tom Casey, Kevin Madigan, Dara Carey.

U14s…………………………29

Old Crescent…………….22

The U14s defeated Old Crescent 29-22 in the North Munster League at Kilballyowen on Sunday to make it five wins from five competitive fixtures over the weekend.

U14s v Charleville under new floodlights this Thursday night

The new high quality floodlight system on the main pitch will be used for a full match for the first time tonight Thursday February 14th when the club’s U14 team play Charleville at 7.15p.m. Everyone is invited to come along and see the new lighting system which has been highly praised.

The Club Pavilion will be open and complimentary tea and coffee will be available and the club bar will be available to adults.

Four on Munster Youths panel

Four club players have been selected on the Munster Youths team who will participate in the interprovincial panel as follows: Darragh O’Sul-livan, John Clery, Michael Lynch, Robert Finn.

All four played on the North Munster team already this season which was captained by Darragh O’Sullivan who hails from Kilfrush, Hospital. The three other players are from Kilmallock.

Book tag rugby using credit card

The twilight spring league can now be booked and paid for using your credit card via email to tag@irishrugby.ie

Payment may also be made by cheque or cash by contacting Gráinne O’Keeffe 087/9312817.

The spring league com-mences under the new floodlight system on Thursday April 10th and will continue every Thursday for six con-secutive Thursday nights until May 15th.

Tag rugby referees’ course

Volunteers (male and female) are required for a tag rugby refereeing course on Tuesday March 11th. Please contact Gráinne O’Keeffe 087/9312817 or Seoirse Clancy 086/2523183.

Cup Presentation

The Kilmallock rugby supporters club has kindly decided to present Bruff RFC with a cup in memory of the late Seán Naughton for competition at tag rugby level.

Seán was a wonderful community person with a great love of rugby football which he coached for many years at Com-munity Games level.

He played rugby while teaching in Rhodesia in Africa in the 1950s early sixties and was much loved by all who knew him.

Who Wants to be a Thousandaire

Arrangements for the fundraising Thousandaire due to be held at the club Pavilion before Easter are now in full swing with the main sponsors now in place.

A very hardworking committee is now seeking advertisers on the two 8ft x 6ft screens on the night.

Each advertisement will appear 8/10 times in full colour.

The standard advertise-ment is €150 which is tax allowable at the marginal rate (e.g. for a 41% tax payer the net cost is only €118). Vat is not charged as payment is made directly to the club.

This show attracts large attendances in venues all over the country and details may be found on www.thousandaire.i.e.

Advertisements may be booked with any of the following: Ger Malone 086/2459816; Gerard Hehir 061/382333; Willie Conway 087/2577411; Joe Moran 087/2568975. Tickets for the night are now also on sale at €10 each.

Defibrillator training course on March 1st

Arrangements are being made to erect the recently purchased defibrillator in the near future. The unit will not be erected, how-ever, until sufficient people have been trained on its use.

A special training course will be held on Saturday March 1st and all team mentors and parents are requested to participate.

Two sessions will be held on that day and full details of times etc will be available next week or contact John O’Grady.

Each session will only take two hours which is a very small amount of time relating to the great benefits that could result. The defibrillator will be available to the local community as well as being available to those using the club facilities.

People living in the local area are asked to attend the training course as club members who train in its use mostly live a consid-erable distance away, and would only be available occasionally when attending at the club.

For this reason also, at least one person associated with each of the nineteen club teams should be trained in its use. Further details and booking details can be had from John O’Grady.

(Note: the club will bear the cost of training).

Paddy Reid is Guest of Honour

Paddy Reid, who was a member of the famous Ireland Grand Slam winning team of 1948, and his wife Celia nee Kelly were guests of honour at last Saturday’s pre match luncheon prior to the Instonians v Bruff All Ireland league match.

They were accompanied by their grand daughter Lisa whose father is former international Pat Whelan and her husband Jim Wallace who is a former Bruff player.

Reid’s cousins John Shine from Coolreigh, Ballyneety, whose son John Stephen plays at wing forward for Bruff, was also present as well as former club president David O’Keeffe. Club president Willie Conway made him a presentation of a club tie to mark the 60th anniversary of his participation on the 1948 Grand Slam team.

Munster v Gloucester tickets

All club members are reminded that orders for tickets for the Munster v Gloucester match will not be taken before Monday March 10th on the club’s booking line.

Text or voice bookings made before this date will be deleted and a new booking must be made on or after March 10th.

As demand will exceed supply club members are advised to seek tickets from other sources.

Gloucester intends to put some tickets on general sale on March 10th also if tickets are still available after their season ticket holders have claimed their tickets. Details are on www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk or 087/8718781.

Tickets for Ireland v Wales March 8th

Club members are reminded that orders for tickets for the Ireland v Wales match at Croke Park on Saturday March 8th at 1.15p.m. may now be ordered on the club’s hotline 087/1386244.

The line closes on Monday February 25th at 3.30p.m.

Name, address, member-ship number and telephone number should be included in text or voice message.

Rugby Trivia

Most tries in a season

Brian O’Driscoll is one of two Irish players to share the honour of having scored the most tries (five) in a championship season.

The exotically named Jack ‘Joxer’ Arigho achieved the same feat as the current Irish captain in 1928, a season when Ireland were denied a Triple Crown by a last day defeat to Scotland. O’Driscoll achieved his tally in the Six Nations Championship in 2000.

Fixtures

Thursday February 14th: Training for the senior team and junior 1 team.

U14s v Charleville under lights at Kilballyowen at 7.15p.m.

Friday February 15th: junior 2 training at 7p.m.

Saturday February 16th: senior team v Ards at Hamilton Park, Newtownards at 2.30p.m.

Junior 2 team v Garryowen at 2.30p.m. at Kilballyowen (Gleeson League semi-final).

U14s blitz at Newcastle West at 11.30a.m. Bruff, Newcastle West, Abbeyfeale and Hereford from England.

Sunday February 17th: U11 blitz at Annacotty.

UL/Bohs, Bruff, St. Mary’s and Young Munster.

U14s v Ennis at Ennis at 12 noon (league).

U16s v Ennis at Kilballyowen at 12 noon (league).

Usual training for other age groups as notified by coaches.

Complimentary tea/coffee and a read of the Sunday papers for waiting parents.

Monday February 18th: senior training at 7p.m.

Tuesday February 19th: U14s v Charleville under new floodlights at Kilballyowen at 7p.m.