Club News: Connacht Round-Up

MONIVEA IN THE PROMOTION MIX: Best of luck to Dan McFarland’s Monivea side who are on the brink of securing promotion into AIB League Division Three for next season.

The Connacht Junior League Division One champions face into their final match in the AIB League Round Robin series this Saturday – they face the series’ table-toppers Naas, knowing that a bonus point win could see them finish in first.

Monivea lost away to Armagh 25-13 but beat Crosshaven 19-9 last weekend to give them four points. Naas lead the way on nine after two wins, while Armagh also four points.

McFarland said: “There is so much undecided going into this match. If we beat Naas and Armagh beat Crosshaven then we’ll have three teams with two wins so it’ll come down to bonus points.

“The game against Naas is massive. This is what it’s all about for us. Winning the league was the first part of the bargain. This will be their fourth attempt in five years getting to this stage and I’ve no doubt the desire is there to take it one step further.

“It would be huge if we got through, it’s our ambition to be a senior club and we’re going to do everything we can to achieve that.”

Kick-off for the Naas-Monivea clash at Forenaughts on Saturday is 2.30pm.

If Monivea finish second in the Round Robin series they will face a play-off against City of Derry, the second-from-bottom team in Division Three, to decide who claims the final spot in Division three for next season.

CORINTHIANS GO CORPORATE: Corinthians RFC will host a Corporate Night at the Westwood Hotel on Friday, April 27. There will be a four-course meal with complimentary wine, an auction and spot prizes and the guest speaker on the night will be RTE presenter Tom McGurk.

For those wishing to show off their fancy footwork, the music provided will be Latin and Salsa. The dress code is formal. Tickets are priced at €100, or €1000 per table of ten. For full details or to reserve your table, please contact Barry on tel: 091-799215 oe email: info@galwaycorinthians.com.

BUCCS FULL OF FUREY: Buccaneers RFC have confirmed that the legendary Finbarr Furey and his band will be the main attractions at the club’s third Annual Awards Night which takes place in Athlone’s Radisson SAS Hotel on Friday, May 11.

Tickets will shortly be on sale from committee members or from Buccaneers’ administrator Geraldine, who can be contacted at tel: 0861732711 (mornings). Tables can be pre-booked. Further details are to follow.

CODE SWITCH FOR CASTLEBAR VISITORS: Scottish club Dunfermline paid a visit to Castlebar last weekend for two friendly matches against the Mayo team’s Under-18 side and the Connacht Development squad.

The Scots took the honours against Castlebar, winning 20-17 at Cloondeash, while they rounded off their trip to the west by taking in the Mayo-Dublin National Football League tie at McHale Park on Sunday.

Congratulations are due to Castlebar’s first team who managed to make history by beating Corrib in their Cawley Cup semi-final at Headford to qualify for the final for the first time.

The final against Westport takes place this coming Sunday at Crowley Park, the home of Galwegians RFC. Best wishes to Sheamus King, Shane McElwee and Eugene Marais and the Castlebar team for the decider.

NI CHADHAIN CLAIM ‘WEGIANS AWARD: Sorcha Ni Chadhain have been presented with the Galwegians women’s team’s ‘Most Oustanding Player of the Season’ award.

Ni Chadhain, ‘Wegians’ captain this year, won the Joe Tighe memorial award after starring in the club’s run through to the All-Ireland Plate Competition final. The decider against Old Belvedere takes place at Malahide RFC on Saturday, April 21.

Ni Chadhain has shown her versatility in recent seasons by lining out at full-back, out-half and scrum half. She is a current member of the Connacht squad.

The Outstanding Player award for 2005/06 was also presented last weekend and the recipient was winger Olivia Tuffy who is ‘Wegians’ vice-captain this term.

Anyone who is over 18 and would like to play for the Galwegians women’s team, please contact Jacqui Conboy (tel: 0878258128) for more information. The team trains every Tuesday and Friday at 7.30pm in Glenina.

‘ROG’ ON THE ROAD: Ronan O’Gara paid a visit to the Yeats county last Sunday and was pictured with Sligo RFC President Tom Gilligan and his wife Maresa.

The Munster and Ireland out-half, whose own father hails from Ballisodare, made the trip to help launch Rusheen Ard, McInerney Homes’ new development located in Caltragh, about a mile from Sligo town.

O’Gara has plenty of links with the west, with his mother having grown up in Bohernasup in Ballina.