Next Sunday’s Annual Club Dinner, sponsored for the first time by AIB, promises to be a truly memorable occasion, as a capacity crowd have booked their tickets for the function. At the time of going to press, the event has sold out, but a small number of tickets may become available through late cancellations, so enquiries should be directed to the Chairperson of the Organising Sub-Committee, Billy Leahy [Phone 087-2921212], to Niall Draper [Phone 087-2598206] or to the club President, Tom Gilligan [086-6019050]. Continue reading ‘Dinner Arrangements Finalised’
Monthly Archive for April, 2008
The end of season blitz for girls who partook in the coaching for girls in Sligo secondary schools will take place at Sligo I.T. on Thursday next. Coaching in Mercy College, Ursuline College, Sligo Grammar School and St.Mary’s, Ballisodare, in Tag Rugby has been conducted for the past number of weeks by Simon Galvan. The coaching, under the auspices of Women in Sport, is an initiative of the Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership, in co-operation with Sligo RFC.
Last Saturday marked the close of rugby for this season for the Juvenile Section of the club. Following training on Saturday morning last, players, coaches and parents retired to the hall in Sligo I.T. for a well deserved celebratory refreshments. Continue reading ‘Juveniles Celebrate End Of Season’
The AGM of the club will take place in the Glasshouse Hotel on Friday May 16th at 8 pm. The meeting will review a successful year, both on and of the playing field, and will elect the officers and the Committee for the 2008-2009 season.
Amongst the highlights of the past season were the recent victories of the U-13 and the U-14 sides in their respective Connacht Cups, and of the U-12 side in the Connacht Blitz. The selection of both Rory Kerins and Aaron Spring on the interprovincial winning Connacht U-18 side, and the selection of Aaron on the Irish Youths side, were other major fillips for the game locally, as is the selection of Thomas Darcel on the Connacht Junior team.
Other memorable achievements were Sligo Grammar School’s highly impressive Connacht Junior Schools’ League/Cup double. An enjoyable event for members and friends was the introduction of a very successful Tag Rugby League to the club last summer, and this league re-commences on Thursday May 22nd.
Off the playing field, much progress was achieved in the provision of new facilities for the club, as an application for state of the art facilities on an 18.7 acres site at Cloverhill has been lodged with the Sligo Co. Council planning authorities. A very successful symposium on rugby was held in January and a 5 Year Plan for rugby in the club has been drafted and is now with the printers. A new club Constitution has also been drafted and this will come before the AGM for adoption.
On a more sombre note, members were saddened by the death earlier this year of Ernie Cooke, a Life Member and former club President [1977-1980] of the club. The late Ernie gave a life-time of distinguished service to his beloved Sligo RFC.
Some recent attic clearance duty unearthed a match programme of Sligo’s first ever overseas game, which was played against Old Whitgiftians on the morning of an Ireland V England game on March 6th 1976 [ which Ireland won 13-12]. The programme notes welcomed ‘’Sligo RFC from Eire’’. Continue reading ‘Organising Sligo’s First Ever Tour’
On Wednesday March 7th in the Multipurpose Building, Sligo IT, at 8 pm, a talk will be given by Mr. Fergal Hickey, Consultant in Emergency Medicine in Sligo General Hospital on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation [CPR], entitled ‘’CPR—Saves Lives’’.
At 8.30 pm, Ms. Deirdre Staunton, Resuscitation Training Officer in Sligo General will deal with CPR—A Demonstration. The lectures are being organised by the Research and Education Foundation, a charity at Sligo General Hospital. In view of the relevance of the topic being discussed to sport, all club coaches are urged to attend the lecture, which is free, and does not require prior registration. Fergal is a member of our club and is a coach in the Juvenile Section.
A series of images showing Sligo RFC’s plans for its proposed new development are now available to view online – [view them now].
Justin Knecht has supplied us with lots more excellent photos from the recent U13 Connacht Final – view them here.
Sligo 20 :: Monivea 17
In a game of high drama, Sligo survived a magnificent Monivea fight back to emerge victorious by the narrow margin of three points [20-17] in an enthralling Connacht U-14 Cup final replay at Ballyhaunis on Thursday evening last.
With one minute of injury time played in the second half, Sligo were leading by 20-5, and perhaps the players thought that their work was done. However, the hugely spirited Monivea boys refused to concede, and they scored two injury time tries, between the 2nd and the 7th minute of second half added time, to leave just one score between the sides. Happily for Sligo’s supporters, the missed conversion of their third try was the last action of the day, and this was the prelude to some uninhibited, joyful celebrations by the Sligo players. Continue reading ‘Sligo Capture Connacht U-14 Cup After Thrilling Replay’
Sligo 7 :: Galwegians 7
Sligo and Galwegians were locked together [7-7] after a tremendous game in the final of the Connacht U-13 Cup at the Sportsgrounds, Galway on Saturday last. The Connacht Branch decreed that no replay would be held, and that both sides would be declared joint champions, with each sides receiving winners’ medals, while each side will hold the cup for six months.
Although he is scheduled to have probably the busiest seven days of his illustrious career in the week preceding the club’s Annual Dinner, special guest, Anthony Foley, is looking forward to the AIB sponsored event, which will be held in the Sligo Park Hotel on Sunday May 4th. On the previous Sunday [April 27th], Anthony will be in action for Munster in the Ricoh Stadium, Coventry, against Saracans in the Heineken Cup Semi-Final. On the Tuesday prior to the function [April 29th], he will play for Munster against Ulster in Ravenhill, while on the day before the dinner he will be in Wales playing against Llanelli, also in the Magner’s League, after which he will travel to Sligo. Continue reading ‘Anthony Foley Looking Forward To Club Dinner’
As stated in last week’s notes, remedial work is now being carried out on both club pitches, so to facilitate the work, and to ensure germination and the success of the reseeding, spiking and verti-draining, the committee have decided to close the pitches and to ban all activity in Hamilton Park for the next five weeks. Tag rugby enthusiasts are reminded of this, and under no circumstance are they allowed to use Hamilton Park for practice. Notices to this effect have been erected at the grounds, and the co-operation of everybody is requested, to ensure that there is no trespass.
A blitz for all primary schools participating in the Buntus Rugby project will be held in Sligo I.T. grounds on Friday May 16th. Full details later.
The outstanding performances of both the U-13 and U-14 sides in winning their respective Connacht Cup competitions, and the U-12′s achievement in winning the provincial blitz, highlights the strength of under-age rugby in Sligo RFC. The under-age competitions are contested by the senior AIL clubs such as Galwegians, Buccaneers, Corinthians and Connemara, as well as by the junior clubs of the province, and there are cup competitions in youth rugby at U-13, U-14, U-16,and U-18. Continue reading ‘Under-Age Game Flourishing In Club’
The AGM of Sligo RFC will be held in the Glasshouse Hotel on Friday May 16th at 8 pm. Prior to the commencement of the meeting [at 7.30 pm] the club’s Football Development Plan [2008-2013] will be launched by the President. At the AGM the new Club Constitution, which has been drafted by a Sub-Committee of Eamonn McGowan, Joe Burgess and Aidan Buckley, will be presented for adoption. There is certain to be a number of new faces at the helm next season, as the President, Tom Gilligan, after two years in office, Hon Secretary, Michael Storey, after three years in this position, and Hon Treasurer, Jimmy Staunton, after four years of service, are not seeking re-election. All fully paid up members are entitled to attend the AGM.
