Bruff’s Bounty Of Trophies

Saturday, April 28 will go down in the short history of Bruff RFC as arguably the club’s best day ever, both on and off the rugby field. Not only did the Limerick outfit secure the AIB League Division Three title and AIB man of the match award at Templeville Road, but they also bagged two of the big awards at the inaugural Munster Rugby Awards later that night.

The above picture tells the story of what could be described as Bruff’s own ‘Super Saturday.’ Firstly, Bruff’s senior team, coached by Welshman Eugene Murnane and player-coach Eoin Cahill, brilliantly captured the club’s first ever AIB League title by beating Wanderers 18-12 in the Division Three decider at Templeville Road.

Full-back Brendan Deady played a captain’s role by scoring the match-winning try, in the dying minutes, while scrum half Tony Cahill scooped the AIB man of the match award for yet another eye-catching display behind the scrum.

A jubilant coach Murnane said afterwards: “It’s a massive way to finish the season for us. Having missed out on promotion, it would have put a dampener on the year. A win like this gives us great momentum for next season.”

The win, celebrated heartily at Davey Clarke’s Bar last weekend, is all the more significant considering this was only Bruff’s third season as an AIB League club.

Roll on a few hours, and at the Silver Springs Hotel in Cork, two Bruff club members also took centre stage at the inaugural Munster Rugby Awards. Long-standing Munster and Ireland prop John Hayes, who came up through Bruff’s underage structure and rejoined the club in 2004 after a stint with Shannon, was a very popular winner of the Munster Senior Player of the Year gong.

Hayes said it was an honour to accept the award and paid tribute to his team-mates and the voting public. Also rewarded for his efforts during the season was George Clancy who picked up the Munster Referee of the Year award.

The 30-year-old Bruff clubman, who will be on refereeing duty at the Churchill Cup later this month, has become a match official of very high regard on the domestic, European and international scene. He was one of seven new appointments on the International Rugby Board’s Touch Judge/TMO panel last October and was a Television Match Official for two recent Six Nations matches.

The above photo, taken during the week, shows (from left to right): Tony Cahill, along with his AIB man of the match award, John Hayes with his Munster Player of the Year award, Brendan Deady with the AIB League Division Three winners’ trophy, George Clancy, holding his Munster Referee of the Year award, and a very proud President of Bruff RFC, Ger Malone.

Well done to all involved at Kilballyowen Park from IrishRugby.ie – keep up the good work!