Irish Schools Tour of Australia Diary

Irish Schools Tour of Australia Diary

Friday the 30th July, 2004
Singleton, Hunter Valley

After a good nights sleep with the host families from Singleton High School the squad assembled at Singleton RFC for the last training session before the first game on Sunday 1st August at Singleton RFC with a 2-00pm KO.

David Lyons supervised the warm up and then Manager Barney Mc Gonigle announced the team to start on Sunday.

Rob KearneyClongowes
Rory DrysdaleBRA
Tom GleesonPBC
Darren CaveSullivan
Peter ShallowRockwell
Conan DoyleArd Scoil Ris
Duncan WilliamsCBC
Gary WalshBlackrock
Sean CroninArd Scoil Ris
Paul CollinsTemplelogue
Jamie CornettRS Armagh
Devin TonerCastleknock
Diarmuid LaffanBlackrock Capt
Barry O’MahoneyCrescent Comp
David PollockRS Dungannon

Subs from:-
Darragh HurleyCBC
Gavin O’ MearaSt Mary’s
Gary MitchellRBAI
Billy HollandCBC
Michael EssexCBC
Darren O’ReillyBlackrock
Joe BurnsCAI
Jonathan SextonSt Mary’s
Conor GildeaTerenure
Fionn CarrNewbridge
Jonathan ShorttCBC

After training the party spent a short time touring in the Hunter Valley and had a snack lunch in Brannigans Irish pub in the middle of the wine growing area. The squad returned to Singleton HS at 3-30pm to meet up with the host families with whom the hospitality has been superb.
Everyone is looking forward to a quiet day on Saturday in preparation for what will be a tough encounter against a very well organised NSW Country team

Thursday the 29th of July, 2004
Thursday 29th and the entire party have left their motel in Bondi to travel 3 hours north of Sydney to Singleton in the Hunter Valley. On arrival at Singleton RFC David Lyons did a stretching session with the players and then the group met their hosts at Singleton High School.
Headmaster Tony Jarrett is manager of the NSW Country team and has memories of previous Irish Schools tours. He had organised the billeting arrangements and players are in groups of twos, threes and in some cases fours.
The squad will train at Singleton RFC on Friday as the momentum builds towards the first game on Sunday against a very physical and well organised NSW Country team.

Wednesday the 28th of July, 2004
Wednesday and the squad are gradually starting to recover from the effects of jetlag. After a good breakfast the party transferred to Waverley College for two training sessions with Peter Melia and Keith Patton ensuring greater intensity from the players.
After a slow start the whole session lifted up quite dramatically with the players responding really well.
A break for lunch and a little relaxation in 20 degrees laid the foundation for a very good afternoon session with the emphasis on unit skills leaving Keith and Peter happy with what had been achieved. After returning to the hotel the squad headed to the surf at Bondi to refresh tired limbs.
The squad will move tomorrow Thursday to Singleton in the Hunter Valley in preparation for the first game v NSW Country Schools on Sunday at 2-00pm at Singleton RFC.

Tuesday the 27th of July, 2004
Irish Schoolboys arrived safely in Sydney Airport at 5-40am Monday 26th after a long haul from Dublin-London-Singapore-Sydney. On arrival at Beachside Inn Motel at Bondi Beach some of the players decided to test the famous Bondi Beach by going for a swim to freshen up. After a substantial breakfast Physio David Lyons and Doc Roger Wilson supervised a stretching session on the foreshore. After the warm up Coaches Peter Melia and Keith Patton put the players through their paces with a handling session. Lunch was taken and the afternoon was spent at leisure with the entire group taking a refreshing walk along the coastline.
Tomorrow Tuesday the squad will train at Waverley College to begin in earnest their preparation for the first game to be played against NSW Country Schools in Singleton in the Hunter Valley on Sunday.
All the party are in good form with but understandably starting to feel the effects of the long journey.