Some well-known retired rugby players donned their boots once again for a special veterans match to celebrate the opening of Oughterard RFC’s new pitch on Saturday.
Among those in action were Connacht Rugby coach Eric Elwood who joined a panel of former Galwegian players to take on the local Oughterard veterans.
Current IRFU video analyst Mervyn Murphy, Connacht development officer Jimmy Duffy, Connacht Rugby manager Tim Allnutt, and Connacht Academy manager Nigel Carolan, were among the players to tog out for the Galwegians side, which was managed by former Galwegian and Connacht great Joe Healy.
The star-studded line-up proved they still possessed the skill of old, if not the same pace, as they ran in six tries to claim victory over the Oughterard team and receive the inaugural Bobby Deacy Trophy, in honour of the former IRFU president.
Former Irish Olympian Paul Donovan lined out for the local side, which also boasted former Galwegian Norman Deacy and was captained by Ger Roche.
Oughterard RFC is one of Connacht’s newest clubs, established in 2004. It caters for mini rugby, schools, ladies rugby and a masters team.
Oughterard: Aidan Flynn (coach ), Paul Fogerty, Des McCann, Ian Fogerty, Johnny Whittaker, Tim Curran, Ronan Kennedy, Seamus Lowry, Damien Keogh, Graham Casburn, Matt Henderson, Christy O'Sullivan, Sean Clancy, Michael Conroy, Noel Lydon, Paul Donovan, Norm Deacy, Martin Irons, Keith Bines, Ger Roche, Declan Worrell, Owen Finn, Mike Webb, Jack Clarke.
Galwegians: Joe Healy (coach ), Billy Quinn (manager ), Tom O’Regan, Kevin Dineen, Damien Crehan, John Casserly, Gerard Casserly, Jimmy Duffy, Simon Heaslip, Nigel Carolan, James Heaslip, Eric Elwood, Sean Molloy, Mervyn Murphy, Tim Allnutt, John Folan, Niall Beatty, Johnny Quinn, Steve Parkinson, George Wright.
Corinthians tag for Down Syndrome
• Galway Corinthians RFC will host a summer tag rugby event in aid of Down Syndrome Galway speech therapy project “Voices for Galway” this evening (Thursday ), kicking off at 6.30pm. The event will involve 70 teams registered for the 2011 summer season in Galway Corinthians RFC. In addition to the tag rugby spectacle, the evening will include music, entertainment for the children, raffle prizes, surprise sporting personalities, and Down Syndrome HB Ice Cream Party. “Voices for Galway” is a local charity dedicated to the provision of speech and language therapy for children with Down Syndrome in the Galway community.
