Jump to main content

Menu

Energia

AIB League: Head Coaches

AIB League: Head Coaches

As the AIB League hots up, we take a look at the role of the head coach. Des Daly offers us a breakdown of who, what and where in the league’s coaching stakes.

There are 35 Irish and 13 non-Irish head coaches in the AIB League this season. Three of the 16 coaches in the first division come from outside these shores. New Zealand supplies most (seven) of the ‘foreign’ coaches.

Six former Irish international players: Mick Galwey (Shannon), David O’Mahony (Dolphin), Stephen McIvor (Bective Rangers), Andy Ward (Belfast Harlequins), Brian Robinson (Queen’s University) and Willie Anderson (Rainey Old Boys) are head coaches at an AIB League club this season.


American-born Steven Hennessy at St. Mary’s College is the longest serving Division One coach followed by Dolphin’s O’Mahony.


In Division Two, Tony Smeeth is in his tenth season at Dublin University, Ian Morgan in his ninth at Barnhall and Martin Ryan in his eighth at Thomond. Mervyn Tweed (Ards), brother of former Ireland second row Davy, is the longest serving coach in the third division.


Below, the head coaches of all 48 clubs are listed. The first bracket after a name refers to the country of origin of the coach. The second bracket denotes the number of AIB League seasons, including 2007/08, that the particular individual has been serving as head coach at the club.


Nineteen clubs (six in Division One, five in Division Two and eight in Division Three) have a head coach appointed for the first time this season.


Brian Walsh (Cork Constitution) has been appointed coach to the AIB Club International squad this season and will be assisted by Brian Hyland (UCC). They will prepare the team for the international against Scotland at Donnybrook on Friday February 22 (kick-off 7.35pm).


AIB League Division One























































Ballymena    Jacques Benade (SA ) ( 2 )
Blackrock College   Barry Gibney ( IRE ) ( 2 )  / Emmet Farrell (IRE ) ( 2 ) 
Clontarf    Andy Wood ( NZ ) ( 1)
Cork Con    Brian Walsh ( IRE ) ( 3 )
Dolphin    David O’Mahony ( IRE ) ( 4 )
Dungannon   John Andrews ( IRE ) ( 1 )
Galwegians  Paul Young ( IRE ) ( 2 )
Garryowen   Darragh O’Sullivan ( IRE ) ( 1 )
Greystones   Colin McEntee ( IRE ) ( 2 )
Lansdowne   Stephen Rooney ( IRE ) ( 1 )
Old Belvedere   Warren O’Kelly ( IRE ) ( 1 )
St. Mary’s College.   Steven Hennessy ( IRE ) ( 6 )
Shannon   Mick Galwey  ( IRE ) ( 4 )
Terenure College   Kevin West ( NZ ) ( 3 )
UCD    Bobby Byrne( IRE ) ( 4 )
UL Bohemians  

Ian Costello ( IRE ) ( 1 )


 


AIB League Division Two























































Barnhall    Ian Morgan ( IRE ) ( 9 ) 
Ballynahinch   Derek Suffern ( IRE ) ( 2 )   
Bective Rangers   Steven McIvor ( IRE ) ( 1 )    
Belfast Harlequins  Andy Ward ( NZ ) ( 2 )   
Buccaneers   Tony Dolan ( IRE ) ( 1 )   
Clonakilty    Terry Dillon ( IRE ) ( 4 )    
DLSP     Simon Broughton ( NZ ) ( 2 )    
Dublin University   Tony Smeeth ( ENG ) ( 10 )    
Highfield    Geoff Moylan ( IRE ) ( 1 )  
Malone    Andy Dougan ( IRE ) ( 2 )  
Old Crescent   Mark Ring ( WAL ) ( 2 )  resigned / Jed O’Dwyer ( IRE ) ( 6 )     
Suttonians   Robert Forbes ( IRE ) ( 4 )  
Thomond    Martin Ryan ( IRE ) ( 8 )   
UCC    Conor Twomey ( IRE ) ( 1 )    
Wanderers   Andrew Spraggon ( NZ ) ( 2 )    
Young Munster  

Mike Lynch (IRE ) ( 1 )


AIB League Division Three























































Ards    Mervyn Tweed ( IRE ) ( 5 )
Banbridge   Andre Bester ( SA ) ( 1 )
Bruff    Eugene Murnane ( WAL ) ( 3 )
City of Derry   Neil Stewart ( IRE ) ( 1 )
Connemara   Henry O’Toole ( IRE ) ( 2 )
Corinthians   Leon Jordan ( SA ) ( 1 )
Co. Carlow   Jason Jones ( AUS ) ( 1 )
Instonians Clem Boyd (Ire) (4)
Midleton    Jason Holland ( NZ ) ( 2 )
Naas    Andrew Melville ( NZ ) ( 1 )
Nenagh Ormond    Noel O’Meara ( IRE ) ( 2 )
Old Wesley   Philip Rice ( ENG ) ( 1 )
Queen’s University Belfast  Brian Robinson ( IRE ) ( 1 )
Rainey OB   Willie Anderson ( IRE ) ( 1 )  
Sundays Well   Tommy Crowe ( IRE ) ( 3 )  
Waterpark   Martin Fenlon ( IRE ) ( 2 )