Hamilton Park, Strandhill, Sligo, Ireland – Founded 1890
The winners of the May club members draw are as follows
1st Prize of €100: Jimmy Devins
2nd Prize of €75: Gerry O’Daly
3rd Prize of €50: Joe Sweeney
Congratulations to all prizewinners.
If you would like to join the club draw please complete and return this application form.
Enniskillen visit Hamilton Park on Saturday next, when they play Sligo in a friendly fixture. This will be be an ideal opportunity for both clubs to try out some new players, and to experiment with different combinations.
Sligo’s new management trio of Bernie Kelly [Director of Rugby], Joe Walsh [Coach] and Brendan Leahy [Manager], will be greatly encouraged by the large turnout at training, and they will certainly be anticipating a successful season. With the Ulster league stating in early September, Enniskillen are likely to field a very competitive side, so a keenly contested tie is likely. The game kicks off at 3 pm, with Michael Storey as referee.
On the week-end of August 25th-26th, the senior squad will have an away training camp in Breaffy House Hotel, Sports Centre, Castlebar. 26 players are being selected after the Enniskillen game to travel. In addition to the training, the weekend will afford players and management the opportunity for goal-setting for the season ahead.
Juvenile coaching will commence on Saturday September 1st, and this season the venue has been changed to Sligo I.T., where participants can enjoy state of the art facilities. Sligo RFC are very appreciative of the generosity of the authorities in the College, especially Head of Sports Facilities, Gerry Dalton, for making their superb amenities available to the club. The huge numbers attending juvenile coaching, coupled with the inadequate space available for all club sides in Hamilton Park, necessitated a new venue for the juveniles, until the club re-locates. All home juvenile games will also be played in the I.T.
Information on juvenile rugby can be obtained by contacting John Pender, David Murray or Ronnie O’Hara.
The membership booklet for the 2007-2008 season is at present being compiled. The members of the Sub-Committee responsible for the publication are Tom Gilligan [President], Joe Burgess and Annie West. They will be contacting businesses and financial institutions over the next few days regarding the placing of advertisements in the booklet. The booklet is being printed by the Sligo Champion, and will be available in a couple of weeks.
The strength of the under-age game locally is again evidenced by the number of Sligo players chosen on the various Connacht squads for upcoming fixtures. Two Sligo players, Cathal Sheridan and Jason East are on the U-20 squad, and with the inter-provincials commencing in a couple of weeks, both will have key roles to play for the province, at scrum-half and at prop forward respectively.
For the U-18 interpros., wing forward, Rory Kerins and prop, Richard Henry are selected, and they can both be relied on to make major contributions.
The Connacht U-17 squad travel to Newcastle at the end of the month, where they have a very prestigious fixture against famed Newcastle Falcons [the home club of Jonny Wilkinson], and they will also participate in a tournament against top English club sides. Four Sligo players have been selected to make the trip, and these are out-half, Niall Kenneally, centre, Chris Nairn, lock, Aaron Spring, and wing forward, Tadgh Power. All players chosen for the various squads are wished well by the club President.
The present Club Constitution, with some minor amendments over the years, has been in existence for over 40 years. At a recent meeting of the Executive Committee, it was unanimously agreed that the Constitution should be reviewed and that the redrafted Constitution will then be brought before an EGM or an AGM for ratification by the membership. The President has appointed three former club Presidents, Eamonn McGowan [Chair.], Joe Burgess and Aidan Buckley to carry out this review, and they will report back to the Executive Committee when their work is completed.
Former Sligo RFC under-age, prop/hooker, Sean Henry, a student in the University of Limerick, is making great progress with UL Bohemians, and for the coming season has been honoured with the captaincy of that club’s U-20 side. Sean is also training with the club’s AIL Division 1 senior squad. Continue reading ‘Former Sligo Player Honoured’
The August monthly committee meeting of the club has been deferred from the 14th of August. A new date for the August meeting will be posted shortly.
There has been an excellent turn out for senior training, which continues each Tuesday and Thursday at 7 pm. Newcomers to Sligo, or anyone who wishes to take up the game, will be most welcome.
The first game of the season is a friendly against Enniskillen in Hamilton Park on Saturday, August 18th, and this will provide the team management with their first opportunity to view new recruits in a match situation, and to try out different combinations. On the week-end of August 23rd-24th, the senior squad will have an away training camp in Breaffy House, Castlebar. 26 players will be chosen to participate in this, and the personnel will be chosen after the Enniskillen game.
The fitness testing for senior and U-20 players which was scheduled for Saturday next in the Sligo Sports Complex has been deferred, as Karl Gilligan, who was to have conducted the tests, is unavailable due to his involvement with Irish water sport Olympic athletes, who are on an acclimitisation training camp in China.
The author of these notes met several club members in Croke Park on Saturday last. Even though the result was disappointing, it was a great occasion for Sligo sport and for all Sligo people, as the game was attended by what must have been the largest group of supporters ever to leave the county for a sports event. Former under-age star with Sligo RFC, Charles Harrison, had an outstanding game at right corner back, to crown a marvellous season for him. Continue reading ‘Trip To Croker’
