Thursday, 18th May 2017
sport@eastcorkjournal.ie
69 East Cork Rugby Notes Cork Clubs Gets Chance to Play at Aviva Stadium for Mini Rugby Festival
Cork clubs Mallow RFC and Dolphin RFC will get the opportunity to play at the Aviva Stadium on the 20th
May as part of the
Aviva National Mini Rug- by Festival. They were selected to
play at the home of Irish rugby and will be sending sides to the event, which will see both boys under 10 and under 12 girls teams take part. The National
Festival is being held in the home of Irish Rugby, the Aviva Stadium, for the fourth time thanks to Avi- va’s sponsorship of Mini Rugby. The 20 clubs from all
over the country will be playing against each oth- er in a non-competitive and fun environment. This gives the players the chance to develop
skills on a pitch that has
been graced by some of the world’s greatest rug- by players in the past 12 months. Ireland and Leinster star
Mike Ross and Irish wom- en’s international
Jenny their
Murphy will be there on the day to give tips and advice to all the players and coaches in attendance. Each of the competitors on the day will receive a certificate of participa-
tion signed by Irish Inter- nationals Jamie Heaslip, Rory Best and Robbie Henshaw. Mark Russell, Aviva Sponsorship Manager, said; “Generally big
it’s the International match-
es that grab the limelight at the Stadium, but every so often we get to put on something like the Aviva Mini Rugby Festival.
It’s gives every player on the
day that big match feeling, to experience what it is like to run onto the pitch and play where all their he- roes have played. We are delighted to welcome all teams and their family and friends to the Stadium on the 20th
for a day they will
never forget.” Eoin Horgan, IRFU Age Grade Manager, said; “There has been great ex- citement since the partici-
pating teams were drawn in February. The National Festival at the Aviva Stadi- um is the culmination of all the Aviva Mini Rugby activity across the island, in particular the provincial festivals held in Ballyclare RFC, Ballina RFC, Coun- ty Carlow FC and UL Bo- hemians RFC in October. Mini Rugby is Ireland’s largest
participation sec- tion of rugby and a vital
platform to launch what is hoped will be a player’s long association with the sport.” To see the Aviva Mini
Rugby Heroes of Tomor- row video click - http://
bit.ly/AvivaMiniHeroes For more
information
on the Aviva Mini Rugby National Festival then log on to
www.aviva.ie/avi- vaminis
• Dolphin RFC
• Mallow RFC Over Two Decades Of Brilliant Rugby From Loyal Midleton RFC Servant Aidan McCarthy by DEREK KIELY
THERE are certain indi- viduals in every club that are just so much part of the fab- ric of the club that everyone assumes that the day will nev- er come when that individual finishes playing and at Towns Park the home of ‘Midleton Rugby Football Club’ for the last 20 years on the field Aidan (Muhaffi) McCarthy has been the iconic wearer of the number five jersey and when he took to the field you felt Midleton always had a chance of victory, such was the importance of
his pres-
ence, his skill as a player and his leadership qualities on the pitch. Since Midleton’s promo-
tion from the ‘Munster Jun- ior League Division One’ back in 1997 into the All Ireland League and ‘Senior Rugby’ McCarthy had been practically an ever present with the exception of one
season in Dublin with St Marys whilst on training for work and when the final whistle was blown in Kan- turk last Saturday afternoon it was apparent that we were at the end of an era for the teak tough second row whose dedication and passion for the game that was expressed on the field had finally come to an end and the long serv- ing Muhaffi could finally rest his weary body and concen- trate on his family and be proud of all he achieved in the ‘Red’ of Midleton. “It was always going to be
a tough decision for me to hang up the boots, but I have enjoyed every minute of my time with Midleton and I have come away from the game with my body intact and now is the time for me to concentrate on my family and spend my time with my wife Sarah who has been so patient over the years and have the time with my four
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girls and enjoy the family time that I have missed over the years. I have loved every minute of my time on the field for Midleton and have played with some great play- ers and trained under some great
coaches, like Jason
Holland who was a huge part of my rugby career and still to this day remains a great friend. I have made many good friends out of the game over the years and they are friends for life, but everything comes to an end and now I must concentrate on my fam- ily and my job and after over 300 AIL appearances it is time to move on and there is no doubt I will miss it, but the time for me and my family to move on is now and I am happy about that decision” said Aidan McCarthy. Indeed when
Midleton
line out in their first game in AIL Div 2C next season it will be very strange to not see Aidan McCarthy’s name
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at number five on the team sheet and even stranger not to hear him roar out words of encouragement to his fel- low team mates ahead of a lineout or a scrum and who- ever comes in to play in that position will have some boots to fill.
McCarthy added “I am 41
now and I have given what I can to the club and now it is time for someone new to come in”. Rumours were spreading around Towns Park last week that McCar- thy had purchased a brand new pair of boots and may be considering soldiering on for another season, but Mc- Carthy who laughed at this question was quick to quash any such sentiment “ Yeah I did buy a new pair, but they will be up on Done Deal to- morrow! I have called it a day and as I have said I have spo- ken to my wife and my family and the time has come, but I will enjoy going to watch the
lads play and Midleton rugby club will always be a part of my life”. The plaudits have been
ringing around East Cork for McCarthy in recent weeks following his announcement to retire
from the Cork hurling legend
game, and
fellow team mate Diarmuid O’Sullivan said “He is an exceptional guy, he is a great player and a fantastic family man. I have known him well over the past six years and it was always a pleasure to play with him and it he has been great for Midleton rugby and will be a huge loss on the field and I want to wish him the very best in his retirement”. Current
Midelton RFC
Coach and former Mun- ster hero John O’Neill said “Last Saturday was a day of mixed emotions really and we would have loved to send Muhaffi off on a winning note, but that wasn’t to be. He was a real stalwart of the
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club, a great leader on the pitch and without a doubt a fantastic rugby player and all we can do at the club is thank him for his incredible dedica- tion and service to our team, he will be missed”. Director of rugby at
Midleton RFC Dave Ryan said “he has been a massive servant at
the club and he is known all over the coun- try and opposition players
have great respect for him. It is tough when you have a young family at home and you have to travel all over the country to play rugby and there comes a time when you have to make the right decision. I want to wish him all the best in the future and thank him for what he has done for the club”.
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