2009 Press Releases
25.05.2009
UCC Rugby Football Club celebrates what may be the most successful season in the 137 year history of the club. UCC Senior Team were crowned All Ireland League Winners (Division Two) and are promoted to Division One for the first time in the club's history since the AIL was established.
Over the past seven seasons the Senior team have consistently finished in the top four of AIL Division 2 finally making the breakthrough this year. Indeed UCC have been knocking on the door of Division 1 since 2001 following the success of the UCC Rugby Academy; which started to bare fruit almost immediately after the Academy was set up in 2000. This years senior squad had won the 2006/2007 All Ireland U20 title and last year won the AIL Division 2 playoff title. Promotion for this group of ambitious players is their third national title in three consecutive years and the clubs fifth national title since 2002 when the All Ireland Under 20 champions titles of 2002 and 2004 are added (the national U20 title was also won in 1996).
The top four teams in the club (Senior, J1, J2, U20) all won their major league competitions. These four teams lost a total of three matches between them in the regular league campaigns. U20s were undefeated in the South Western Conference League, while the Seniors, J1 and J2 lost one league game each in their respective season long leagues.
Three other major national and provincial titles narrowly slipped past the club this season when the U20s lost out in the All Ireland quarter final, the J1s lost out in the Munster Junior Cup semi-final and the Seniors in the AIL playoff final which they had hoped to retain having won it last season - each team missing out on victory by a single score. In addition the seniors narrowly missed out on an All Ireland Cup semi-final spot again by a single score.
A total of ten competitions and trophies were won by five of the six teams in the club making it 10 out of a possible 18 titles the club compete for across the teams.
A Ten Competition Winning, Ten Trophy Season
Senior Team
AIB All-Ireland League Winners (Division Two) winning Promotion to Division One. The seniors finished with 59 points, the highest points tally of all three AIL divisions and were defeated only once in the regular league season over 15 AIL games.
Junior Team (J1)
Munster Seconds League Winners (Division One)
South Munster League Winners
Under 20s Team
South West Conference Winners (won all matches against 11 other Division 1 teams in Munster and Connacht) - 6th consecutive title
South Munster Cup Winners - 6th consecutive title
David Ellickson Trophy (Waterpark tournament, October 2008)
J2 Team
Munster League Cup Winners - second year in a row
South Munster League Winners - second year in a row
South Munster Cup Winners
The J2s won all three competitions adding to their league, plate cup and league cup titles of last season - a unique treble
Ladies Team
Inaugural Eimear Carey Cup Winners
Representative
Ireland Club International 2009 - Sam Cronin
Ireland U20 International 2009 (World Cup Squad) - David O'Callaghan
During the previous 2007-8 season UCC RFC enjoyed great success winning nine competitions and ten trophies, including the UCC Club of the Year trophy. This season, however, the Senior, J1 and J2 teams surpassed last seasons significant achievements. The Senior Team won promotion to Division 1 of the All Ireland League, which just eluded the club last year. The Junior 1 team won the Munster Seconds League (Division 2 last season) whereas victory in Division 1 was achieved this season. The Junior 2 team won the South Munster Plate Cup last season, whereas the club won the full South Munster Cup this season to complete the much coveted J2 triple of League, Cup and provincial Munster League-Cup uniquely achieved this year.
Congratulations to all players, coaches, managers, officers, supporters and everyone involved in this special season for UCC RFC. Picture shows: Backrow L-R: Gerry Ryan (Bank of Ireland UCC), Michael Farrell, Corporate Secretary (UCC), Con O'Brien (UCC Vice President for Student Experience), John Donnelly (UCC RFC Senior Manager), Prof Nollaig Parfrey (UCC RFC President), Dr Michael Murphy (UCC President), Christine O' Donovan (Acting Director of Sport & Recreation UCC), Gary Byrne (UCC Director of Rugby)
UCC Rugby Club - Ten Trophy Season and Division One. Front row L-R: Ronan Corkery (UCC RFC J2 Capt), Alex Kelleher (UCC RFC Senior Capt 2007-2008), David O'Callaghan (UCC RFC Seniors & Ireland Under 20 World Cup Player 2009), *Sam Cronin (Captain UCC RFC 2008-2009 & International Club Ireland player 2008 & 2009), *Ian Nagle (UCC RFC Seniors, Ireland Under 20 World Cup Player 2008), Andrew Cudmore (UCC RFC Under 20 Captain)
* UCC/Bank of Ireland/Jurys Sports Star of The Year Winners 2009
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