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www.clubrugby.ie
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SHANE JENNINGS TALKS TO CLUB RUGBY
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWs MICHAEL KEARNEY MILES HARRISON
ballincollig, and SLIGO
CLUB PROFILEs INSIDE
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Round-up, fixtures & previews
HEINEKEN CUP & AMLIN CUP REVIEWs l PROVINCIAL TOWNS CUP l CLUB NEWS
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RECHARGE YOUR SKIN
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HYDRA ENERGETIC ANTI-FATIGUE MOISTURISER HELPS FIGHT
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5 SIGNS OF SKIN FATIGUE:
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F ea t ures
12 Heineken Cup &
AMLIN Previews
Club Rugby looks back at the recent European semi-finals involving Irish provinces and what we should expect in both finals
12 Rabo Pro-12 review
Club Rugby looks at all the movers and shakers as play-off fever hits
31 clubbing together
Robert Forbes traces the rise of Wexford RFC and how a more professional approach to the running of their club has led to untold success
38 national clubs
NEWS
REGULARS
06 General news
16 INTERVIEW
29 PROVincial towns
20 INTERVIEW
The very latest talking points from Local, National and International rugby
cup
news
Club Rugby celebrates Tullamore’s triumph in this year’s Provincial Towns Cup
40 national clubs In-depth round-up of all the latest from Ireland’s local club sides
Leinster’s engine, Shane Jennings chats to Club Rugby
Man of many talents, Michael Kearney, talks Club Rugby through his life in rugby, and his numerous pivotal roles in the Irish back room set up
24 INTERVIEW
The voice of Sky’s rugby coverage, Miles Harrison, talks exclusively to Club Rugby
54 PROvincial focus
Connacht are the subject of this month’s Provincial profile
focus
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Club Rugby visits Ballincollig and Sligo Rugby Clubs, to hear what’s happening at grass-roots level
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Editor: Alan Conway Content Advisors: Shane Byrne Tony Ward Contributors: Shane Byrne Tony Ward Robert Forbes Daire Walsh Design: Barry Sheehan www.ifpmedia.com
Photography: Inpho Financial Director: Tom McGrath Accounts: Gemma Cameron Managing Director: Brian O’Connell Advertising and Marketing Director: Gerard Connon + 353 (86) 6089220 gerardconnon@clubrugby.ie Media Director: J. O’Neill + 353 (83) 1128148 jay@clubrugby.ie Online Community Manager: Michael Corcoran Publisher: Council Publications Ltd. Copyright CLUB RUGBY MAGAZINE 2013. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form without the express written permission of the publishers.
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WELCOME MESSAGE from Shane Byrne Well it has certainly been a breathless month since we last spoke to you and we at Club Rugby magazine have another excellent line up for you to enjoy. This month we sit down with Leinster back row star Shane Jennings who takes us through his hugely successful career, which has seen him win three Heineken Cup’s with his native province to date. We also have an exclusive one on one interview with current Ireland manager Michael Kearney in a no holds barred chat with one of the most influential people in Irish rugby. It is an interview that you won’t want to miss. There is also a rare interview with leading Sky Sports commentator Miles Harrison who takes us through an amazing career thus far which has seen him commentate on some of the most iconic rugby moments over the better part of the last two decades. We also have a comprehensive review and preview of both the Amlin Challenge Cup and Heineken Cup semi-finals and finals respectively as Leinster look to secure their third European trophy in as many seasons, while Clermont and Toulon are set to battle it out for the Heineken Cup at the Aviva Stadium on May 17th. Ballincollig and Sligo come under the microscope in our dedicated club section, with interviews with the current President along with all the latest news from each of the two clubs. While Tony Ward profiles Kings Hospital in our schools section. There is also comprehensive coverage of the Ulster Bank League and the final of the Provincial Towns Cup, along with an up to the minute review of the RaboDirect Pro12 as the domestic season reaches its conclusion. With all the latest news from clubs around the country, Club Rugby is the only rugby magazine that you will need. I hope you enjoy this issue and I look forward to talking to you next month. Yours in Rugby,
PS: If you would like the latest news from your club to feature in our publication please email info@clubrugby.ie with any news that you would like us to cover in the magazine
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GENERAL NEWS
TV with On h t n o m a 0 5 � r o f l l a , e n o h P Home
Schmidt takes Irish reigns In what was the worst kept secret in Irish rugby, it has been confirmed that Joe Schmidt has become the new head coach of the Irish rugby team, on a three year deal. Schmidt will leave his current post with Leinster rugby at the end of this campaign and will step into a job that seemingly had his name written on it from the time that Declan Kidney was relieved from his duties following Ireland’s tremendously disappointing Six Nations campaign, which saw them finish second from bottom and also suffer their first defeat in the championship to Italy. Speaking at the announcement of Schmidt’s appointment, IRFU Chief Executive Phillip Browne said “The IRFU is delighted to announce Joe Schmidt as Ireland Team Coach following a process which, in the best interests of Irish rugby, allowed us to examine a variety of options and ultimately ensure we secured a world-class coach and undoubtedly the ideal person for the position. “Joe has already delivered significant success to Irish rugby during
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his time with Leinster and we are confident that this will continue at international level. We thank all of those who were involved in this appointment, particularly our colleagues in Leinster, for allowing us the time and space to meet with and ultimately appoint Joe as Ireland Coach.” Schmidt was equally happy saying: “It’s an honour to be selected as the Ireland Team Coach. I’m very conscious of the responsibilities that go with the position and look forward to working alongside the players in an effort to meet those responsibilities through the quality of our performance. “I certainly appreciate the prompt and professional handling of the selection process by the IRFU, especially with regard to my current coaching commitment in Leinster, which I will continue to prioritise over the coming weeks.” To facilitate Schmidt in completing the season with Leinster and affording him time to select his Ireland management team, Ireland’s forthcoming summer tour of the USA and Canada will be managed by interim manager Les Kiss, as planned.
Lions squad announced Sam Warburton has been selected as the captain for the 2013 British & Irish Lions, a squad that includes nine Irish players. Paul O’Connell, Brian O’Driscoll, Conor Murray, Jonny Sexton, Rob Kearney, Tommy Bowe, Cian Healy, Jamie Heaslip and Sean O’Brien have all been selected by coach Warren Gatland to travel to Australia.
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However the likes of Rory Best, Simon Zebo and Donnacha Ryan have been left out, along with England captain Chris Robshaw, to name but a few. Head coach Warren Gatland did however hand surprise call-ups to Scotland wing Sean Maitland, England prop Mako Vunipola and 2005 Lions tourist Matt Stevens. The 37-man British and Irish Lions squad selected by head coach Warren Gatland for the tour of Hong Kong and Australia: L Halfpenny, S Hogg, R Kearney, G North, A Cuthbert, T Bowe, S Maitland, B O’Driscoll, M Tuilagi, J Roberts, J Davies, J Sexton, O Farrell, C Murray, M Phillips, B Youngs, G Jenkins, C Healy, M Vunipola, A Jones, D Cole, M Stevens, D Hartley, R Hibbard, T Youngs, I Evans, R Gray, AW Jones, P O’Connell, G Parling, T Croft, T Faletau, J Heaslip, D Lydiate, S O’Brien, J Tipuric, S Warburton (capt).
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Study online with Hibernia College for a University of London qualification.
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GENERAL NEWS
Player’s Player of the Year:
IRUPA honour fellow pros Leinster’s Cian Healy, Munster’s Simon Zebo and Ulster’s Nick Williams have all been nominated for the 2013 IRUPA Player’s Player of the Year 2013. The Irish Rugby Union Players Association (IRUPA) awards are the only accolades that are voted for by the players themselves, with the votes sourced from every professional player in the country. Along with the Players Player of the Year award there is also the Young Player of the Year prize, which this year has been named in honour of Nevin Spence, the young Ulster star who lost his life so tragically last September. Connacht full-back Rob Henshaw, Leinster fly-half Ian Madigan, who was also nominated in 2012, and Ulster centre Luke Marshall have been nominated for that particular award. Speaking about the awards, Jonny Sexton, the outgoing President of IRUPA said “Winning an IRUPA award, which is voted for by the players, is a huge mark of respect for any rugby player. The Hibernia College Player of the Year Award is particularly well regarded by the players, as it rewards consistency and skill at the highest level.” The announcement of the winners from the seven categories will take place at the annual awards ceremony in The Burlington Hotel on May 8.
Cian Healy (Leinster) N Williams (Ulster) S Zebo (Munster). ‘Nevin Spence’ Young Player of the Year:
R Henshaw (Connacht), I Madigan (Leinster) L Marshall (Ulster). Try of the Year:
C Gilroy (Ireland v Argentina); I Henderson (Saracens v Ulster); S Zebo (Ireland v Wales). UNSUNG HERO 2013:
You can view and vote for the IRUPA O2 Unsung Hero on Twitter @ O2IrlRugby using the hashtag #O2UnsungHero Medal for Excellence:
I Boss (Leinster), C Henry (Ulster), M Horan (Munster). Supporters Player of the Year:
To be announced on Wednesday, May 8th.
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ASM Clermont Auvergne 16-10 Munster
Stade Marcel Michelin 27/04/2013 17:00
ASM Clermont Auvergne v TOULoN
Aviva Stadium, Dublin 18/05/2013 17:00
It was a case of so close, yet so far away for Munster. They travelled to Montpellier to face the might of Clermont Auvergne in the semi-final of the Heineken Cup and narrowly failed to get the job done, going down 16-10 to Vern Cotter’ side.
VISIT HEINEKEN.IE/GAME #GETINTHEGAME
In a game played with all the passion and intensity that one would expect of a European semi-final, Clermont proved to be that little more streetwise than Rob Penney’s men, thanks in large part to the boot of the diminutive, but highly gifted Morgan Parra. The scrum-half’s unerring boot, along with a try from the gigantic Napolioni Nalaga proved to be the difference between the sides, although it looked for large chucks of the second half that it was going to be Munster’s day. Indeed it was the Irish province that took the lead after only four minutes thanks to a Ronan O’Gara penalty, after Clermont were pinged for not clearing a ruck. O’Gara stepped up, and he has done so often through his career, he split the posts to give Munster the perfect start. That good start from Munster seemed to wake Clermont from their slumber. The French side came roaring back into the game and would get onto the score board three minutes later after three minutes of sustained pressure, Nalaga crashed through the Munster rear guard to send the Clermont fans into raptures. Cotter’s men would then kick on and take a stranglehold on the game. They threw everything at Munster and it was only thanks to some ferocious tackling from Rob Penney’s men that they managed to only go in 13-3 down at the break. An early penalty from Parra, just after the break, seemed to put Clermont out of sight and into the final. Oh we of little faith. Munster showed all their trademark tenacity and will to win and dragged themselves back into the contest. Led by the old warriors like O’Gara and O’Connell along with the new blood of Peter O’Mahony , David Kilcoyne, Mike Sherry and Tommy O’Donnell, Munster clawed their way back into the game in the third quarter. A beautiful grubber kick from Ronan O’Gara put Denis Hurley over and his excellent conversion made it a one score game. From then on the game was balanced on a knife edge. Panic began to coarse through the Clermont veins, Parra missed a straightforward penalty and it looked for all the world that Munster were going to kick on and win. However, try as they might, they just couldn’t’ find that final pass to breach the Clermont line and in the end they simply ran out of time, which made their defeat all the more galling. Clermont advanced to the Aviva Stadium to face fellow French side Toulon on May 18th. For Munster, it was heartbreak, but they will be back. You sense it will be sooner rather than later.
It is set to be an all-French affair on May 18th as Clermont Auvergne and Toulon square off to fight it out for European club rugby’s biggest prize, the Heineken Cup. In what will be the fourth all-French contest in the 18 year history of the tournament, both Clermont and Toulon are appearing in their first Heineken Cup final. Toulon booked their place with a Jonny Wilkinson inspired 24-12 victory over Saracens at Twickenham Stadium to join Clermont, 16-10 victors over Munster in Montpellier a day earlier, in the prestigious final. Both sides know each other extremely well. Clermont are currently sitting top of the Top 14 with Toulon snapping at their heels in second place. The two sides both possess a spine tingling amount of marquee name players. For Clermont you have the likes of Morgan Parra, captain Aurélien Rougerie, Nathan Hines and wingers Sitiveni Sivivatu and Napolioni Nalaga. While Toulon possess players of the calibre of Jonny Wilkinson, Frederic Michalak, Mathieu Bastareaud and Carl Hayman, all marquee names that are sure to light up the Aviva Stadium on May 18th. Ever since they lost narrowly in last year’s semi-final to Leinster, Clermont have been hurting and waiting to avenge that defeat in Bordeaux. The one trophy that they crave, and make no mistake, crave is the right word, is the Heineken Cup. Cotter’s side have been the best team in Europe this season. They are playing some of the best rugby and when you couple that with an insatiable appetite for success, it makes them a potent force for any team to try and defeat. However if there is one team that could stop the Clermont juggernaut it is Toulon. Led by captain Joe van Niekerk, they have one of the most powerful squads in European rugby and with the missile like boot of Jonny Wilkinson, they are capable of matching any team in Europe. In what should be a great occasion, one feels that Clermont may just have that little bit of extra class to get the job done. Momentum and desire are two key components for any successful team and Clermont have these two traits in spades. They have got to the final and even with the weight of history on their shoulders one has to fancy them to fill a major hole in their history by taking the Heineken Cup for the very first time. History awaits. Prediction: Clermont Auvergne
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Heineken ready for the French affair Heineken ensures that fans can Get in the Game at every opportunity! The 18th edition of the Heineken Cup, Europe’s most prestigious rugby competition, culminates at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin on 18th May. This season’s competition, bursting with exciting match moments, has had fans enthralled since the first kick. Heineken’s Get in the Game campaign has been bringing this Heineken Cup experience from the pitch onto fans’ mobiles, computers and into pubs and homes across the country. Now, as the countdown to the final begins, Heineken Get in the Game offers fans a range of opportunities to get involved and be part of the ultimate rugby spectacle. The imminent arrival of thousands of colourful French rugby supporters is good news for the Irish economy and offers plenty of excitement for Dublin and for Irish rugby fans. Heineken is ready to embrace one of Europe’s biggest sporting events through a series of innovative projects. The Heineken Cup final weekend kicks off on Wednesday 16th May when Heineken will be releasing clues to find the ‘Last Tickets in Town’. Details on the location of two pairs of Heineken Cup final tickets will be revealed on Twitter via #GETINTHEGAME. Karl Donnelly, Heineken’s Sponsorship Brand Manager, said: “We will be hiding two pairs of tickets somewhere in Ireland. Details of an interactive map will be released and people will be able to discover the location through Twitter. The greater the engagement, the smaller the map becomes therefore revealing the secret location. We will be releasing more information closer to the time.” On Thursday 17th May, Heineken will unveil the Heineken Social Tracker, a dramatic visual animations project driven entirely by fan tweets. Fans can have their say by supporting a team and influencing the projected animations in Dublin city centre. To Get in the Game, Heineken is calling on fans to tweet their supported club - Toulon (@RCTOfficiel) and Clermont (@ASMOfficiel) using the hashtag #GETINTHEGAME. On Friday 17th and Saturday 18th May, Dublin’s Ballsbridge Hotel will be transformed into the Get in the Game Club House. The Get in the Game Club House will feature pre- and post-match entertainment and, for those without match tickets, will be the perfect location to watch both the Amlin Challenge and Heineken Cup finals. Fans can look forward to features such as tiered seating, large screens, food, music and virtual kicking games. Karl Donnelly, Heineken’s Sponsorship Brand Manager, said: “This year’s final will be a celebration of Heineken rugby. We want fans to enjoy this historic occasion when Dublin plays host to Europe’s premier rugby final. We are ensuring that fans have an opportunity to be involved wherever they are.” Further information for all of the above can be found on Twitter via #GETINTHEGAME
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Excitement mounting for play-offs As we enter the home straight of the domestic and European season the race for those all-important four playoff places in the RaboDirect Pro12 continues to excite with both Ulster and Leinster looking likely to be involved at the business end of the season.
Tries from Isa Nacewa, Fionn Carr, Fergus McFadden, Dominic Ryan and Tom Denton gave Joe Schmidt’s side the perfect tune up ahead of their huge Amlin Challenge Cup semi-final against French side Biarritz at the RDS.
Ulster copper fastened their position at the top of the table as the campaign took a break for the Heineken Cup and Amlin Cup semi-finals. Ulster bounced back from their disappointing defeat to Saracens in the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup when they travelled west, to face Connacht at the Sportsground on the weekend of the 20th of April.
In what was a techy affair at times, Leinster made the ideal start to the game when Tom Denton breached the Zebre rear guard after only ten minutes of play. That opening try was followed, five minutes later, when Fergus McFadden got his name on the score sheet after some wonderful individual play from Sexton.
In what was an emotionally charged occasion, given the fact that it was Connacht’s head coach, Eric Elwood’s last interprovincial game in charge of Connacht, the occasion was set for a showdown of epic proportions, and both sides didn’t disappoint. The game, which was played at a helter-skelter pace from the first whistle, saw three tries scored in the opening twenty minutes. It was the home side that got off to the perfect start when George Naoupu crossed the whitewash to send the Connacht faithful into raptures after only three minutes of play. However Mark Anscombe’s side would strike back, almost instantly, thanks to one of the rising stars of Irish rugby, Stuart Holding. The 20 year old has become one of the young players to follow in the Rabo this season and he continued to make a deep impression on the viewing public against Connacht. Holding grabbed Ulster’s first try of the game, and his forth in his last six games, after only nine minutes to cancel out Naoupu’s early score following some good play from Darren Cave and Jared Payne. Two minutes later Andrew Trimble would skip pass the Connacht defence after some beautiful play from scrum-half Ruan Pienaar. Three more tries from Tommy Bowe, Rory Best and Jared Payne would see Ulster run out comfortable 34-18 winners to all but secure one of the four playoff places and, potentially set up a semi-final against the Welsh outfit the Scarlets. Leinster also secured their place at the top end of the table with a bonus point win away to Italian franchise Zebre, a game that marked the return to competitive action of fly-half Jonny Sexton.
The returning fly-half looked keen to impose himself on the game and that is exactly what he did, guiding Leinster around the park in a display of controlled authority. While Leinster’s attacking play was something to admire, their defensive efforts will have left Joe Schmidt with a lot to ponder. Having established a 17-3 lead, Zebre clawed back fourteen unanswered points to go in at half-time all tied up at 17-17. The second half proved to be equally absorbing. Sexton nudged Leinster back into the lead with a penalty moments after the restart before providing the platform for Leinster’s third try of the afternoon when Fionn Carr gave his side a modicum of breathing room. Further tries from Dominic Ryan and Isa Nacewa saw Leinster pull away from Zebre and leave Italy with a 41-22 victory to leave them in second place, three points behind Ulster. While Ulster and Leinster look to continue their involvement through to the final stages, Munster’s faint hopes of gate-crashing the playoffs, all but ended following a disappointing 30-24 defeat away to the Newport Gwent Dragons. Having retained just three players from their Heineken Cup win against Harlequins, Rob Penney’s men struggled to get to grips with a Dragons team that was looking to arrest a poor run of form, a run that saw the Welsh side lose their last four games. The Dragons bounced right back to form against Munster, however. Thanks to tries from Steffan Jones and Ross Wardle along with seventeen points from the boot of Tom Prydie all but condemned Munster to having no involvement in this year’s RaboDirect Pro12 play-offs.
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LEINSTER 44-16 Leinster
RDS, Dublin 27/4/13 14.30
LEINSTER v STADE FRANCAIS
RDS, Dublin 17/5/13 19.00
On a day when summer finally arrived in leafy south Dublin, Leinster produced a stunning display of devastatingly destructive rugby to book their place in their third European Cup final in a row as they sauntered past French side Biarritz, winning 44-16 to set up an Amlin Challenge Cup final with another French outfit, in the shape of Stade Francais. Two tries from man of the match Jamie Heaslip, along with further scores from Jonny Sexton, Isa Nacewa and Brian O’Driscoll secured Leinster’s place back at the RDS on May 17th as they look to add the Amlin Cup to their trophy cabinet. It only took five minutes for Leinster to find their stride. After some good play off a well worked line out, Nacewa dashed through the heart of the visitor’s defence, before setting Heaslip free to score to give the hosts the perfect start. Leinster would not have things their own way in the opening 40. Despite a second try courtesy of Jonny Sexton, Biarritz continued to hang with Leinster. A combination of good defence from the French side and some less than slick passing from the home side saw Leinster only hold a one point lead as the clock ticked towards halftime. Then, like so many times before, Leinster found an extra gear, and once again, Heaslip was central to it all. The number 8 reacted quickest to a loose ball at the side of a ruck and he sprinted clear of the onrushing defence to give Leinster a buffer as the two sides headed for the dressing rooms. The break seemed to refocus Leinster’s mind and they came storming out at the beginning of the second half. Nacewa danced his way over the Biarritz try line after some wonderful interplay between himself and Sexton. Joe Schmidt’s side kept their foot on the away side throat and O’Driscoll, who was once again at his imperious best, got his name on the score sheet. It was a try that inspired a spontaneous rendition of ‘one more year’ from the sell-out crowd at the RDS. It was a special moment. Biarritz battled on and with 13 minutes left hooker Heguy broke free from a ruck on the Leinster 22 to register their lone try. At that point Leinster were home and hosed. They comfortably saw out the final phases of the game to book their place in the Amlin Challenge Cup final. With so many questions about players and possibly coaches leaving at the end of the season, it promises to be an emotional night on May 17th, and a night not to be missed. LEINSTER SCORERS: J. Heaslip (2 tries), J. Sexton (1 try, 3 conversions and 2 penalties), I. Nacewa (1 try), B. O’Driscoll (1 try), I. Madigan (2 conversions and 1 penalty) BIARRITZ OLYMPIQUE SCORERS: A. Heguy (1 try), D. Yachvili (1 conversion and 3 penalties)
And then there were two. On May 17th two of the biggest names in European rugby will square off in the RDS as Leinster, who are gunning for their third European trophy in as many seasons, face Stade Francais in the final of the Amlin Challenge Cup. Aside from the physical trophy that is up for grabs, there are many sub-plots to this final, that is set to make it one of the most intriguing games that has taken place on these shores for many years. Jonny Sexton will make his final European performance for Leinster before he leaves for Racing Metro this summer, while the man that he replaced at Leinster, Felipe Contepomi may return to the RDS as out-half for Stade Francais. It could also be the last time that we see Brian O’Driscoll appear in a European game for Leinster, although if the Leinster faithful have their way, it won’t be the last time BOD graces the RDS for a big European night. To get to the final Contepomi and his Stade teammates booked their trip to Dublin with a narrow 25-22 defeat of fellow French side Perpignan. 20 points from the boot of Jerome Porical was enough to see Stade book their place in the final. Leinster, meanwhile, fizzed their way to the May 17th clash with a hugely impressive 44-16 defeat of Biarritz at the RDS. In what was perhaps their best performance of the season, Joe Schmidt’s side picked apart their French visitors in a five try and five star performance. Looking ahead to the final, one gets the feeling that Leinster may have too many gears for Stade Francais. The emotional tug of the night is going to be enormous and it will be whichever team can bottle the occasion the best that will come out on top. At their best, Leinster are one of the finest teams in Europe. With Sexton (or Ian Madigan) pulling the strings at No 10, the Irish province combine aggressive defence, sublime attacking prowess and a hunger to win, unmatched by few teams.
Easofen – for the relief of pain
Stade Francais, however will be no push over. Aside from the likes of Contepomi and Stan Wright they have the likes of Sergio Parrise, Julian Dupay and Paul Warwick in their ranks, all players who can turn a game on its head at a moment’s notice. It should be an electric atmosphere, a game with so many stories; it promises to be a game to savour and one that Leinster are tipped to win. Prediction: Leinster
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ast your mind back for a few minutes. Roll your thoughts back to Edinburgh, May 2009, at the end of the Heineken Cup final and one of the first players that you see, smile seared across his face, is Shane Jennings. Leinster had finally reached their holy grail and it was fitting that Jennings was there, front and centre, leading the celebrations. Along with so many others the phenomenal success that Leinster have enjoyed over the last number of seasons has been built with his blood sweat and tears. Long before he would climb to the top of European club rugby, Jennings’s formative rugby education began with his two brothers showing him the ropes in their parents back garden. Educated in St Colmcille’s Community School, Jennings played a mixture of Gaelic football along with rugby, before linking up with St Mary’s College RFC, an involvement which he maintains with the club to this day. “I played everything”, Jennings says. “As far as rugby goes I played minis in Lansdowne FC and Colmcille’s in the Community Games for a few years. Then I played for St. Mary’s minis and Mary’s schools. So it was a case of gradually stepping up year on year. “Rugby always held a great attraction for me. I used to go to the international games with my dad, when it was the old Five Nations and the likes of Jean-Baptiste Lafond were incredible to watch. That French team were something special and were a side that I looked up to more than any other”. Having, as he puts it, ‘chased my two brothers around for years’ Jennings own natural ability began to be revealed during his early days at St Mary’s and with the Irish school sides. His aggressive nature at the breakdown soon began to gain him admirers and he gradually rose up the ranks, comfortably stepping up to each new challenge that presented itself.
Shane jennings has been pivotal to leinster’s recent success and is keen to enjoy his rugby for the next few years.
“I suppose when you have three older brothers you naturally want to follow in their footsteps. If they won a Senior Cup, you would want the same. Mary’s is a very rugby focused school, so I played in the junior and the senior side. You then had ambitions to play for Ireland schools and Leinster schools, which happened. “When I left, there was the chance to go into the Ireland academy as a career. I went to college and combined my time with the academy. Within a year I was offered a contract with Leinster, so it was a gradual progression, more so than anything else”. When Jennings signed on the dotted line, the environment that he came into was a world away from the sleek juggernaut that has captured three of the last four Heineken Cups. You wonder just how different things were at the turn of the century. “A lot”, Jennings laughingly says. “Back then the AIL was the main competition. Most players would play for their clubs and there wasn’t a massive structure to the provincial game, unlike now with the RaboDirect Pro12. There was a Celtic League but that was in its infancy. “At the time Leinster had a deep pool of talent. Like Munster, Ulster and Connacht we probably weren’t used to being professional. The structures weren’t in place, but thankfully, over the years, that has happened. The whole organisation has developed, on and off the pitch. We were training out of the boot of a car when I was 18 or 19. It has evolved in a positive way thankfully”.
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In 2004 Jennings came to the first crossroads in his career. An offer appeared on the table from Aviva Premiership giants Leicester Tigers and it was an offer that got him thinking. While his heart remained with his native province, the chance to take his career to a new level and test himself in a new league against a new calibre of players, was something that he couldn’t turn down. Was it hard to leave Leinster you wonder? “It was very tough”, he admits. “I was very young. Keith Gleeson was here at the time and when he was out with an injury, I played a fair bit which gave me a lot of confidence. “When Keith came back in, Leinster were confident that he was going to be No1 for the foreseeable future. I was happy to stay and test myself against him. However an opportunity came up that allowed me to go over to Leicester. I looked upon it as a learning opportunity, which I think it was. They were very good to me. I played a lot of games and learned a tremendous amount during my time there”. Returning from Leicester in 2007, Jennings, alongside Leo Cullen, were reinvigorated and sought to bring the province up to the level of success that they craved. He wouldn’t have to wait long. Within two years Jennings and Leinster would climb to the mountain top of European rugby, defeating Jennings’ former club Leicester Tigers in the 2009 Heineken Cup final at Murrayfield. One could only imagine the joy, pride and sheer relief that was coursing through his veins when he finally got his hands on the Heineken Cup. To have worked towards something that, for a period of time, looked out of reach must have been a rush to rival anything that he has experienced. His nod of agreement reveals it all. “Everyone has ambitions to win the Heineken Cup, but it’s easy to say ‘well, we want to win the Heineken Cup’ but it’s about the process that you have to go through to get from the pool stages, into the knockout stages and eventually into the final. A lot of it has to do with momentum. “There were a lot of fond memories from that year. The semi-final against Munster, there were a lot of people that were embarrassed by the previous semi-final in Lansdowne Road and that was something we wanted to correct. I don’t think many people gave us a chance that year, which was an extra motivation”. That first Heineken Cup success was the spark that Leinster needed. Led by their new coach, Joe Schmidt, Leinster have built a legacy over the last number years, winning a remarkable three Heineken Cups in the last four years. Jennings feels that maintaining that hunger, and not settling for what they had achieved, is one of the secrets to Leinster’s success. “That is something that we talked about during our pre-seasons. It’s about doing the little things well and creating a culture. If you can strive for excellence then you will reap the rewards. We have been lucky to have top class players and excellent coaches during my time here. If you have those two things then you are giving yourself half a chance”. While his provincial career has blossomed over the last few years, Jennings time in the green of Ireland hasn’t gone according to plan. Stuck behind a wall of fellow back-rowers Jennings has only made 13 appearances for Ireland. It is something that is still a source of disappointment for the back-row star.
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“Of course it’s disappointing. I would have loved to have got 50 caps for Ireland but it hasn’t worked out like that. I have 13 caps but I would love to get more. Just like in the past it’s not in my hands if I am selected or not. You have to control what you can, and if you can do that, then you are going to put yourself in a tremendous position to be selected”. At the moment Jennings is fully focused on helping Leinster add to the ever increasing trophy cabinet. Despite going out at the pool stages of the Heineken Cup, Jennings is keen to round off the season with some more silverware, although he admits to casting a jealous eye on the teams left in the Heineken Cup. “It’s painful watching if I am honest. We don’t want to be fighting out for an Amlin Cup. The Heineken Cup is where
we want to be and there is no getting away from that. We want to give our supporters and the organisation something to cheer about over the next few weeks, which hopefully we can do”. It’s hard to believe that Jennings is still only 31. He has packed a tremendous amount of success into his career thus far and he is keen to enjoy his rugby for the next few years. “I love my rugby at the moment. The body feels good, probably better than it has felt in the last two or three years. I know what works for my in the gym and out on the pitch. There are a lot of back –row players here at the moment which is keeping me on my toes. I’m in a contract for next season and if things go well I’d love to stay here beyond that”. Sentiments that I’m sure are echoed by Leinster followers up and down the province.
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Taking Kear of Business itting down to talk to Club Rugby magazine, one almost forgets that his role within the Ireland team is combined with his role as Chairman of Snap and Home Instead Senior Care, both well-known and successful franchising companies. His love of rugby, however, has been something that has been ever present in his life. Born in a small parish near Dunboyne, Co Meath, Kearney played a number of sports in his youth. Rugby, Gaelic football and hurling all came natural to the sporty youth, it was however rugby that would garner the biggest portion of his time, as he explains. “Rugby began to take over when I went to Castleknock College in 1968. It was very different to Gaelic, as you can imagine, but it was something that I fell in love with. I was always a keen ball player, so any sport where I could get my hands on the ball, so to speak, really appealed to me. Like many of his generation, his sporting heroes were not just confined to the rugby fields. It was a certain team, resplendent in red that stoked his sporting fires during his teenage years. “Manchester Utd, without a doubt”, Kearney says of his sporting heroes. “I remember them winning the European Cup back in 1968. They had the likes of Best, Law and Charlton playing for them at the time. There was also the Irish connection with the likes of Tony Dunne and Shay Brennan, who were there also. So they would have been my first real sporting heroes”. Taking inspiration from the likes of Manchester Utd, Kearney continued to develop his own love of sport, joining up with Lansdowne FC. His time with the Dublin club would prove to be very successful, tasting league success in 1976 and cup success in 1980. The link with Lansdowne would not be his own doing however. It was thanks to a friendly neighbour that a lifelong link with the club would begin.
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His job is an all-encompassing one. From facing quote hungry reporters at Ireland press conferences to looking after the day to day running of the Ireland senior international team, it has been a tremendously busy time for Michael Kearney “A neighbour of mine was a past President of the club, so that’s how the association began. I joined Lansdowne straight from school. Within a year of joining I was playing on the first team. We had a good deal of success during that period of time. Back then you would regularly have international players lining out for their club, which is incredible when you compare it to how the players are guarded nowadays. “You regularly had a situation where the international players could be playing for Ireland on a Saturday afternoon, then they would be lining out for their club on the Sunday. It was expected that they would be playing, even if they played for Ireland 24 hours previously”. Kearney’s own natural ability began to shine through during that period of time. So much so that he was called into the Ireland U-23’s squad for a training weekend in Clongowes. At the time there wasn’t a tremendous amount of Irish underage rugby, so to nab a place on that particular squad meant that you had to have a bit about you. However for Kearney things didn’t work out as he planned. He was, as he admits ‘bedevilled with injuries’ and his on field career would come to an end, at the, somewhat, tender age of 24. A very bad knee injury sustained in a game against Blackrock, would see the curtain come down on a career that was only beginning to scale the heights that he talent deserved. Rather than wallow in self-pity, Kearney bounced back and continues to have a strong involvement with the game, something that continues to this day. Having emigrated to Australia in 1981, he would return a number of years later, fully refreshed and would soon rekindle his association with Lansdowne, becoming the youngest President of the club when he assumed the role for the 1999/2000 season. His time at the coal face of club rugby in Ireland, allows him to offer an insight into what the grassroots game was like, when he was involved, and why the game has suffered a reverse in fortunes in the last number of years. “For a ten year period, from 1990-2000, club rugby was where it was at in Ireland. It was way more attractive than the inter-provincial series that were taking place during that period of time. You had a situation where a Munster v Leinster game in Musgrave Park drew a 1000 people, whereas Shannon v Garryowen could draw 15,000 people which was incredible. “The internationals played all their rugby with their club and that was the shop window for players. I remember Warren Gatland picked Andy Ward, who played
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for Ballynahinch, for an international game against France. Andy hadn’t played for Ulster at the time, so it just puts things into context. “That was a different era, however. I still think club rugby has an important role to play in Irish rugby. The international players don’t tend to play for their club, but I think as a pathway for academy players to gain experience, there is no better learning place then the Ulster Bank League. “I think the standard of the league this year is good, but there is still a lot to do. There is a fair bit of debt around the clubs and I don’t know how they are going to manage that. I still think there is room for a good quality, amateur league in Ireland. I would feel that if club rugby was strictly amateur then the quality could remain the same”. While not hands on with the club game at the moment, Kearney remains a vital cog in the Irish rugby wheel, as manager of the senior international team. His involvement with the national side began when he succeeded Phil Orr as manager to the Ireland Under-20 squad in 2009, winning the Six Nations title in 2010, along with being involved in two Junior World Championships. He continued in that role , working closely with Ireland U-20 head coach Mike Ruddock, before making the step up to work alongside Declan Kidney with the senior team after the 2011 Rugby World Cup. His first year in the job was not without its fair share of challenges. A disappointing Six Nations championship saw Declan Kidney’s tenure as Ireland coach come to an end. Looking back on what was a ‘rollercoaster’ of a tournament, how would he reflect on the 2013 championship? “It started off great didn’t it? The opening 45 minutes against Wales
was as good as any Ireland team has played. We played some great rugby and scored some great tries. The game plan was executed to perfection and although Wales came back, we held on tremendously well. Against England we lost Jonny Sexton and Simon Zebo in the opening half hour and that did affect the game plan. In saying that we got it back to 6-6 after 65 minutes, but we made a few silly mistakes and lost the game. After that things seemed to pile up. Everything from Cian Healy’s suspension to Eoin Reddan breaking his ankle against France, things seemed to go against us. Also when you consider we were without Tommy Bowe, Paul O’Connell and Stephen Ferris it affected the team’s performance. The young players that came in did fantastically well and the one thing it has done is added a lot of depth to the squad. The new coach, whoever that may be, is going to have a lot of players at his disposal”. “The young players that came in did fantastically well and the one thing it has done is added a lot of depth to the squad. The new coach, whoever that may be, is going to have a lot of players at his disposal”. And what does he make of Jos Schmidt becoming the new Ireland coach? “It’s obviously no secret that Joe Schmidt was one of the standout choices. I’ve got to know him very well over the last number of years. The job that he has done with Leinster has been phenomenal. I think he has brought them to an entirely new level. I know the players have a huge amount of time and respect for Joe. I would expect Joe to do an excellent job for the time that he is in the job”. Not a case of a snap decision, but with the likes of Michael Kearney Irish rugby will remain in good hands for many seasons to come.
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North East Physiotherapy There are loads of sports therapists out there but key to getting better quickly is to have treatment from someone with the correct training and skills to get to the root cause - we have the experience and commitment to get you back to where you want to be, cut to the chase and analyze your problem in a sports specific way • Sports specific screening testing and biomechanical analysis - ideal for preseason training or for athletes wanting to improve their technique to increase performance • Use of the 4 Level “Better Back Program” to control your back problem • Physiotherapy, massage and other health services • Full GP and medical support located in newly purpose built Medical centres • Private and compensation cases welcome Ask about our special rates for club members if making enquiries and please quote “Club Rugby” to avail of your discount
North East Physiotherapy Spinal & Sports Injury Clinics Drogheda - 087 3238633, Ardbryan Medical Centre, Bryanstown Centre, Drogheda Dublin - 01 8480033, Grange Clinic, Donagmede, Dublin 13.
With clinics based in Drogheda and Donaghmede, Dublin 13, North East Physio, run by John Maguire, has become renowned with first class physio treatment over the last number of years. John’s background is in the area of Manual Therapy. He graduated with a BSc (Hons) Degree in 1999 from the University of Ulster, Jordanstown. He then studied to post graduate level achieving a Specialist IFOMT qualification in Manual Therapy which he feels gives great benefit to many of his patients’ John has a wealth of experience - including selection as Physiotherapist for 2004 Commonwealth Games. He has worked for various Professional English and Scottish Football clubs and provider for Scottish Institute of Sport. More recently he has been involved in the setting up and education of the Physiotherapy Department in the Sports Surgery Clinic being employed as the ‘Clinical Specialist’. John specialises in the treatment of Spinal Disorders having worked alongside orthopaedic surgeons in various screening and diagnostic services both in Ireland and the U.K. He is also trained in the treatment of Dizzyness - Vestibular Rehabilitation. Having spotted a gap in the market a number of years ago, John has built up North Ease Physio to become one of the ‘go to’ places in the country for people looking to rid themselves of muscular pain. A big part of their success is the personal attention to detail that John and his team strives to offer each of his clients that come through their door. “That is a big thing for us”, explains John. “Each person is different and each of their complaints is unique. There are some common details, but for the most part, each person requires different forms of treatment. That is part of the challenge, because it makes you think about each client. We try to go the extra miles for our clients, and there is a tremendous sense of satisfaction in helping people with whatever is troubling them and trying to help as best as we can”.
ends 5pm Sharp Thursday 9th May
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self-confessed sports nut growing up ‘if it wasn’t for sport I don’t know what I would have done’, the young Harrison had many sporting idols growing up, images and people that shape his formative and passionate love of sport in his youth. “If you speak to my parents they will say that I didn’t do anything else”, a joking Harrison explains. “Rugby, cricket and soccer were the three sports that I particularly loved and that’s where my earliest sporting memories came from. “I am old enough to remember the 1971 Lions tour, sadly!. The likes of Willie John McBride and Gareth Edwards were two that really stood out for me. If I had to boil it down to one player then it would have been Gareth. He was, in many ways, ahead of his time. He clearly was the best and he set the standard for everyone else to try and match. “I struggle, even now; to think of a player that reached the heights that Edwards did when he was playing. He was a phenomenal talent”. Initially Harrison was more focused on playing sport at a high level, rather than commentating on it. When it became apparent to him that he wasn’t going to reach the heights that he wanted, the natural step was to step into the world of sports broadcasting.
Sky Miles
His voice has transcended British sport for the better part of the last twenty years, bringing the passion, excitement and the unbridled love of sport through the medium of sports commentary. For many Miles Harrison, chief rugby commentator for Sky Sports, is as familiar as the names that he calls out during his commentary
“I was hell bent on been involved in sports”, he says. “I was freelancing in the Nottingham area when I was in college and I was looking to get onto another broadcasting course and part of the requirements was that you had to submit an interview. “Brian Clough was manager of Nottingham Forest at the time and didn’t do much media at time. I’d rather cheekily wrote him a letter asking him for an interview. I told him I was a Forrest fan, which I think helped. It worked anyhow and things progressed from there”. Harrison cut his teeth in the Nottingham, Leeds and York with the BBC, covering a wide variety of sports, including cricket, rugby union and rugby league. His ‘youthful enthusiasm’ as he puts it, saw him rise through the ranks of the BBC to such a point that 1994 Sky Sports would come calling, looking for Harrison to become the stations chief rugby commentator. “It was a very tough decision to leave the BBC”, he admits. “When I got the phone call from Sky I was actually a tennis commentator and I was working at the French Open, so I didn’t really have a second to think about things. “Part of me felt that the call from Sky had come too early in my career. Sky were in for the long haul so it was a big decision. I think it took the better part of a month for me to decide. Eventually Sky said ‘if it’s not going to be you then it’s going to be someone else’ and that stuck with me and focused my mind. I couldn’t have watched someone else do it. That was eighteen years ago and I am still here”. Harrison’s link up with Sky tied neatly into both his own career and the evolution of what would come to be the biggest sports channel on the planet. Both were starting out on a new and exciting adventure. One of the biggest tournaments for both Harrison and Sky to cover came early in the relationship. The 1997 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa was hugely significant for a number of reasons. It would be the last time that a Lions touring side has won a series in the southern hemisphere. It was also, Harrison feels, the breakthrough for his new employers.
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“I think that was a huge event for Sky. Looking back if we had got the Lions in 1994 would we have been ready? I’m not too sure. We were certainly ready in ’97 and we were itching for that ‘big’ moment to show what we could do. “The whole nature of that tour was magnificent. It was the first professional Lions tour but there was a lot of the old amateur ethos around the tour. There was a lovely crossover between the old and new. It was a very special tour and the fact that they went there and won. That second test match was incredible and is still as vivid as any game that I have commentated on since”. Harrison’s passionate commentary as Jeremy Guscott nailed that last gasp drop goal still sends a shiver down your spine even today and that is perhaps what marks him out as a commentator of the highest order. Listening to one of his commentaries, his raw, undiluted passion for the game makes the television viewer feel as if they are a part of the action. Ireland rugby fans will perhaps know Miles best as the voice behind the Heineken Cup action over the last decade or so.
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Intro Matchmaking agency Dating has changed in Ireland in the last 20 years. When there were slow sets you knew there was a designated opportunity to make a move on the person you’d been eyeing up all night. Now everyone stands around looking beautiful, taking ourselves ever so seriously and nobody wants to make the first move and risk the agony of rejection.
MILES HARRISON on... ...his favourite game You think back to Munster’s famous Heineken Cup win against Biarritz or Leinster’s dramatic Heineken Cup final win against the Northampton Saints in 2011, and those games are peppered with Harrison’s lucid tones, capturing the emotion of the occasion perfectly. His love for the competition is obvious, and he feels that the European competition has grown to such an extent that it now rivals the Six Nations as the premier northern hemisphere tournament. “It has become a behemoth”, he says. “I don’t know what is going to happen in the future, as regards the structure of the tournament. All I do know is that we have had a magnificent competition that has pushed forward some of the biggest names in club rugby. “There are times when the quality of the rugby on display is better than you would see in test matches. There are some European games that I would want to watch in front of some test matches. The players treat it equally as important as their test careers. One could argue that the Heineken Cup is on a par now with the Six Nations”. While the big games and the big occasions bring out the best in him, he is equally at home calling a run of the mill Aviva Premiership game. One could fully understand that he would be nervous calling, for example, Leinster v Clermont at the Aviva, but as he explains; the challenge is to rise to the more mundane games. “The bigger games are somewhat easier to call, because everyone is so well known, but as one of my early bosses said to me to me ‘well let’s see how you call Birmingham 0-0 Preston on a cold wet night at St Andrews and see how good you are. “So while you get ‘big game’ nerves’ there are nerves of a different sort for the games further down the ladder because you have to keep the audience entertained and frankly, stop them from switching off”. Along with Stuart Barnes ‘we are like a half-back combination’ Harrison has become one of the most recognisable voices in world rugby. His relationship with Barnes has grown and developed to such an extent that they have become, as he jokingly admits ‘nearly like a married couple’. “We joke that we see each other more than our wives. It is great working with him because he can explain the finer details of the game. It’s almost like we know what the other person is going to say before we say it. We get
“There is one game that really was a stand out for me and that was the 2011 Heineken Cup final between Leinster and the Northampton Saints. It was such a unique game because I have never seen a game of rugby swing so much. You had Northampton completely dominate the first forty minutes. Then you had Leinster, who just came roaring back in the second half, led of course by Jonny Sexton. Many people ask me ‘did I think the game was over at half-time?’. I didn’t and I am glad that we didn’t say that it was over at half-time. Because one of my images of that day was how tired Northampton looked going down the tunnel at half-time. They look exhausted and Leinster weren’t that far out of sight. You have to remember that Northampton had a very hard game the week before the Heineken Cup final, so there was always that little doubt in the back of your mind of ‘could they keep this going’ in the end they couldn’t but you couldn’t take anything away from Leinster. It still needed a tremendous performance from Leinster to come back, but you felt that they had that type of second half in them. If Northampton got the first score of the second half, then things may have been different. When Jonny Sexton got that first try, you could feel the momentum building and it almost became like a juggernaut. It was an incredible game and one that was a privilege to be at. That is the beauty of the Heineken Cup, because the tournament can throw up games like that, games that stay in your memory for a very, very long time”.
on so well, and it’s important that you do. It wouldn’t work otherwise”. The forthcoming British & Irish Lions tour to Australia will see Harrison’s voice boomed across the globe and it is that spirit of adventure, the chance to do a job that many people can only dream off, that will keep him in front of the microphone for many years to come. “I come back to my original point. I would hate to see someone else doing this. I couldn’t sit and watch someone else doing this fantastic job. The fact is that someday someone else will take over from me, but with the Lions coming up, why would anyone think of doing something else?”. Why indeed. Even now the sky appears to be the limit for Miles Harrison.
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Experts in the Footsy Index
Online Dating has become very popular in Ireland in the last decade with a raft of websites of all different varieties catering for very different motives it seems. This is where Intro Matchmaking comes in. Owned and operated by Rena Maycock and Feargal Harrington, Intro is operating 2 years and now has a team of 6 employees. Intro was propelled to top of the Introductions’ agency landscape after the couple appeared on the Late Late show earlier this year. Intro has an excellent success rate with 1 in 4 succeeding in developing a relationship through an Intro introduction. “We started the agency after spotting an attractive, well-dressed guy in his 40’s at our local Gibney’s in Malahide, seemingly alone and hanging out there to try and meet someone” says Maycock. “Dating is tough in Ireland, it’s hard to meet people in bars and for those that don’t like the exposure of online dating, we are the best option for getting straight to the point and meeting like-minded, suitable matches the easy way.” Harrington says the process couldn’t be simpler “you just call us on 016777000 and arrange an appointment. You come along and meet us at our offices on Dawson Street, the appointment takes about 30 to 40 minutes. You’ll tell us who you are and what kind of person you’d like to meet and then we’ll get working on arranging your suitable matches”. “Dating in Ireland is hard and loneliness can have a devastating impact on a person’s emotional well-being. Social Media, speed-dating, singles nights and even joining Tag Rugby or enrolling in courses to try and meet someone are all efforts people are going to-all with apparently limited degrees of success. “It’s very difficult to meet that special someone so people are turning to introductions agencies like Intro to cut out the nonsense and target the type of people that they want to meet”.
Interesting Facts • Our youngest member is 22 and our oldest is 79 so you’re never too young or old to look for love!
If you are finding the bar scene very taxing or that internet dating profiles can be more creative than Enron’s accounts then INTRO is the solution. At INTRO, Ireland’s most specialised and exclusive matchmaking service, we don’t believe in online dating or wasting time and money in bars because research and experience has shown us that the majority of successful relationships start with an informal introduction. As we meet all clients face to face, exaggerated dating profiles are a thing of the past, ensuring you meet the people that actually suit you. Client’s details are never made available on our site so the service is completely private and confidential. Simply tell us who you are and what type of person you want to meet then we will introduce you.
• The number one thing that men DON’T want in a partner is Bossiness, and the number one thing that women don’t want is Meanness-of the fiscal variety… Smoking comes a very close second for both. • The top 2 qualities women want are Taller and Loyal – which would imply cheating is an issue • The top 2 qualities that men want are down to earth women that look after themselves. • Religion is listed as an important criterion to only 3% of our members while a further 4% class themselves as either Spiritual or Atheist. • 52% of our members are single while 39% are separated or divorced and 9% are widowed
INTRO Matchmaking Agency, 39 Dawson Street, Dublin 2. 01 677 7000 info@intro.ie www.intro.ie
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ULSTER BANK LEAGUE Leagues finish with a bang Saturday March 30th proved to be the pivotal moment in this season’s Ulster Bank League, as it marked the date that Lansdowne Football Club were finally crowned All-Ireland League champions for the first-time in their history when they overcame Clontarf 32-25 on the Aviva Stadium’s back pitch with the help of tries from Mark Roche (2), Sean Carey and Ron Boucher. Mike Ruddock’s charges did lose their remaining fixtures to Old Belvedere (3418) and Shannon (38-19), but their 14 victories during the campaign helped them to finish a full 18 ahead of runners-up Garryowen. The Dooradoyle outfit did finish the term on a high, though, as narrow successes over Dolphin and Clontarf helped them to pip the latter in the race for second spot. ‘Tarf’s four successive losses to Lansdowne, Dolphin, Cork Constitution and Garryowen saw them slipping down to third place, with Ulster Bank Bateman Cup winners Cork Constitution coming fourth with 11 triumphs from 18 outings despite a final day defeat to basement side UL Bohemians (35-7). Just behind them in fifth were Con’s fellow Leesiders, Dolphin, who did lose their concluding fixtures to Garryowen and Old Belvedere, but managed to accumulate enough points to finish ahead of Young Munster. They did bring this slump to an end with a comprehensive 18-0 win over Shannon on Saturday April 13th, before departing player-coach Mike Prendergast ended his reign with a battling 44-24 loss to St Mary’s College. Old Belvedere, who have struggled for consistency since winning the league in 2011, maintained their top-flight status with outstanding wins from their final three games against St Mary’s College (25-13), Lansdowne and Dolphin (40-26). St Mary’s College, had a similarly difficult campaign with nine wins and nine draws from 18 games, but the strong leadership of full-back Gavin Dunne was decisive in April wins over Shannon (27-20) and Young Munster. An improvement in form since the New Year by Shannon has given them a fighting chance of survival, and they will face UCD on their home turf on Saturday in May 4th in the Division 1A/1B Promotion/Relegation Play-Off. The winner will play in the top-tier next year, whereas the loser will join UL Bohs in Division 1B for 2013/14, as the Limerick College finished bottom of the 1A, despite enjoying three wins on the trot against Young Munster (6-0), St Mary’s College (15-3) and Cork Con. Ballynahinch were very worthy winners of Division 1B, and will be tough opposition for all their counterparts in 1A next season. They were confirmed as champions of the second-tier on Saturday April 20th, when Robin Harte helped himself to three tries in a 41-8 demolition of Buccaneers. This was the sixth of seven straight wins for ‘Hinch, as they ended with a magnificent 16 wins and one draw from 18 games. Their only defeat of the league season came against UCD on February 16th, who may well be joining them in gaining promotion for the new campaign. Trinity might well be disappointed that they failed to make the top two places, but they have impressed in their first season as a Division 1B team, as their 20-10 victory over Malone on April 27th meant that they finished with 13 wins for the season.
Tullamore triumph It has been a season to remember for all involved with Tullamore RFC, and the Offaly side finally laid some ghosts to rest on Sunday April 21st in nearby Edenderry when they overcame Longford on a score-line of 38-6 to secure their fifth-ever Powerade Provincial Towns Cup triumph.
In fourth were Buccaneers, who maintained a solid footing in the division thanks to 10 wins earlier on in the season. Further down the table, Malone, Belfast Harlequins and Blackrock College all finished on 38 points, with Dungannon five points behind them in eighth position. With just six wins between them, Bruff and Ballymena were always likely to be the ones to lose out, and they will be replaced in 1B next year by Terenure College and Corinthians, who finished as the top two in Division 2A. Both Terenure and the Tribesmen recorded 13 wins and 2 losses from their 15 games, but the south Dubliners finished as top team by virtue of their two losing bonus points against Seapoint and Corinthians. The Galway men comfortably achieved their primary objective, as they had an 11-point hold over third-placed Banbridge, who finished narrowly in front of fourth and fifth placed sides City Of Derry and UCC. Cashel, Old Wesley, Bective Rangers, Seapoint, Queen’s University, Old Crescent and Highfield made sure of their status with some vital wins, but Greystones were not so lucky, as they return to Division 2B after their 44-23 defeat against Naas in the Division 2A/2B Play-Off. They will be joined in the fourth-tier next season by Midleton and De La Salle Palmerston (who were 2A’s bottom two teams for the term), with Rainey Old Boys, NUIM Barnhall and the aforementioned Naas stepping up to replace them. Rainey Old Boys have the distinguished honour of being the only team in the Ulster Bank League to remain unbeaten during 2012/13, as a January 26th draw with Naas was the only game from 15 played that they didn’t win. They finished on 67 points, 11 points in front of both Barnhall and Naas. Barnhall’s vastly superior scoring difference meant that they achieved automatic promotion, as the gripping battle between the two great Kildare rivals provided one of the highlight’s of the Division 2B season. It was largely between the above three in the race for the title, but Nenagh Ormond (in particular), Boyne, Armagh, league new boys Skerries and Navan all produced good form at various stages. Sligo, Suttonians, Instonians, Thomond, Ards and Sunday’s Well struggled to find their best form, but they did ultimately secure their senior status. Clonakilty succumbed to back-to-back relegations when they were defeated in the All-Ireland Qualifying League Round Robin Series by Tullamore. Joining Clonakilty in returning to the junior ranks are Connemara, whose only points of the season came as a result of their surprise 21-12 win against Thomond on February 16th.
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Having already gained promotion to the Ulster Bank League after finishing top of Division 1A of the Leinster Senior League, and also emerging as the main men from the Provincial Qualifying League Round Robin Series, Tullamore were in buoyant mood ahead of their clash with The Demesne outfit, and despite having their three consecutive losses in the 2009, 2010 and 2011 deciders fresh in their minds, they were emphatic winners on the day. They had earned their place in this showdown thanks to a hard-fought 24-15 semi-final triumph over Tullow, who had also suffered the pain of a Towns Cup Final defeat last year to Enniscorthy. Having held a slender 3-0 lead at the break thanks to a well-struck penalty by out-half Aaron Deverell, Tullamore built a distance between them and the Carlow men thanks to tries courtesy of full-back Brian Geraghty and Conor Molloy, both of which were converted by Deverell. This left Tullow with too much to do in the closing 25 minutes of play, and even though they showed admirable persistence to break through for a couple of well-earned tries, a converted try by Ivor Deverell in between these scores ensured that the Spollenstown men progressed to the final stage. They were joined in the last two by Longford, who held off the determined challenge of Roscrea with five points to spare (20-15). Aaron Carroll had slotted a brace of penalties between the posts for their opponents in the opening period, but a 12-point contribution from Colm Glynn gave Longford a 12-6 lead with 40 minutes gone. Carroll once again split the posts two minute after the resumption, but Longford registered the pivotal score of the game on the hour mark with a try from Clifford Richardson. Roscrea did rally to narrow the gap to two points with another brace of penalties from Carroll, but a composed strike by player-coach Glynn helped the Division 1B side to book their place in the showdown. This set things up rather nicely for the showpiece at the end of April, and although they entered the game against high-flying Tullamore as rank outsiders, they did have plenty of enjoy in the early stages of the finale, as a brace of penalties from Glynn helped to keep the favourites at bay. However, having soaked up the pressure against the wind, Tullamore eventually settled into their groove, and a 29th minute try by left-wing Tom Gilligan was essential in giving them a stranglehold on the game. They brought a 13-6 cushion into the interval, and when Adrian Hanley broke through for a second try (following excellent approach play by Richie Hughes) shortly after the restart, Longford’s fate was effectively sealed. Conor Molloy and Cathal Feighery were on hand to cross the whitewash before the game’s end, and with the outstanding Aaron Deverell chipping in with four penalties and three conversions, Tullamore completed their treble of Leinster Senior League, All-Ireland Junior Cup and Provincial Towns Cup successes for 2013 in some style.
Matters were much tighter in the Ulster Towns Cup decider, however, so much so, in fact, that the City Of Derry 2nds and Ballyclare couldn’t be separated after extra-time at Ravenhill on Easter Monday (when the scoreline was 28-28), which means that both teams will have to share the trophy for 2013. This is only the second in the competition’s long and distinguished history that the silverware has been shared, with the only other occasion being way back in 1886 when Bessbrook and Dungannon had to settle for a stalemate. Having overcome Enniskillen (13-10) and Omagh (19-13) respectively in semi-final encounters, City Of Derry 2nds and Ballyclare had every reason to believe that they could take their Towns Cup journey a step further at Ulster Rugby HQ. Both sides also have good history in this competition, as before this year Ballyclare had been victorious on a total of five occasions, whereas City Of Derry had 11 triumphs to their name. Ballyclare opened the scoring with seven minutes gone when flanker Gary Weatherup applied the finishing touches to a breath-taking move inside the Derry half. Full-back Robert Smith expertly converted this try, but Derry had restored parity to the contest by the 21st minute when Bob McKillop stormed over from a powerful maul, with centre Richard Peoples supplying the bonuses. However, Ballyclare managed to regain the lead four minutes before the interval when Weatherup grabbed his second try at the end of a sweeping counter attack involving Stuart Cusack and back-row partner Willie Logan. Smith found his radar once more from the subsequent conversion, as the Cloughan outfit brought a 14-7 lead into the second half. They moved even further into the ascendancy with a successful three-point kick from Smith on 44 minutes, but when McKillop joined Weatherup in scoring his second converted try of the afternoon just three minutes later, it was very much game on. This offered Derry plenty of confidence at a vital stage in the game, and thanks to the deadly accuracy of Peoples from a brace of pressurised kicks at goal, the Kukri Qualifying League (Section 2) side suddenly found themselves staring into a tricky deficit. To Ballyclare’s credit, though, they really increased their intensity during this spell, and after developing a number of promising moves in the opposition ‘22’, Smith eventually brought the action into additional time (with the sides tied at 20-20) with his third penalty of the game. Ballyclare did suffer a set-back in the early stages of extra-time when Smith was sin binned, and even though Peoples was off target with his penalty from this offence, he made no mistake with a second opportunity two minutes before the end of the first period. A fine score from stand-in place kicker JJ Baird levelled the sides with the final kick of this half, but Derry looked like they might have enough in the tank to push themselves over the line when Phil Duffy found a way over the try line for an unconverted try. Ballyclare were not prepared to come away empty handed, however, and Loughlin ensured that the team finished evenly when he grounded in the corner, and with Smith failing to convert from a tricky angle, both sets of supporters were able to go away with a smile on their faces.
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The Rise and Rise of Wexford Youths Rugby In 2008, the youth’s section of Wexford RFC had just four Leinster titles to speak of across all under age grades, spanning a forty year existence. Since then, and in just five seasons, Wexford have added an additional nine titles across the grades and look primed to add to that haul this season.
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Andy Chen arrived in Ireland full of business ideas and determined to work hard on becoming a success in his new home. Along with Brian Lee, a young entrepreneur and personal trainer , they each recognised an entrepreneur in each other and began to experiment in business. Chopped is their latest joint project. This healthy fast food outlet opened its Baggott Street doors in May. Now there’s finally somewhere people can find good value food and meal plans they need to fuel their training, manage their weight and improve a healthier life style.
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The underage set up in Wexford was founded by the great Jimmy O’Connor, long standing servant to the club and still contributing at an age which would make Alex Ferguson seem but a pup. A long development pathway over the following decades saw the youths section grow steadily, but the last eight years is when this part of the club has really blossomed, according to Youths Coordinator Bobby Cummings, a role he shares with Colm Mahon. “The Heineken Cup really caught the imagination, down here anyway” says Cummings, and points to the Leinster success as being a big influence on young players and parents who in the past may not have given the sport a passing glance. “Gordon D’Arcy’s (pictured right) influence has been brilliant too. He makes himself available as much as he can and would be down here regularly” The genesis of this ‘recent’ upsurge in fortunes and playing numbers can be traced to the important contributions of the hardworking Mahon along with club stalwarts Sean Ahern and Gerry Cassidy. They set down some ground rules for development and in adhering to them rigidly brought massive improvements to the system. The rules were as follows;
• All coaches MUST have coaching qualifications. • All coaches MUST undertake to do some form of refereeing course. • No coach may stay with a team for more than TWO seasons. Meeting these rules and achieving their goals was facilitated by Leinster Development Officer Maurice Logan, whose contribution has been immense. Running courses locally was the secret. Allowing greater accessibility and, as a result, greater attendance – Wexford found improved numbers gaining qualifications and very quickly were in the enviable position that they could assign four qualified coaches to each grade from Under6 all the way up to Under19. The referring courses ensured coaches had a better feel and understanding for the game, plus knowledge of the rules, and by only allowing coaches a limit of two years with a team, fresh voices could keep bringing a team on, new ideas could bed in and coaches themselves could develop. The question had to be asked – ‘How does a club gather so many committed volunteers willing to give the required time and also regularly upskill themselves as part of a continuing development plan?’ The answer again came from a strategic plan formulated to extract maximum volunteer support. “We have our parents night at the start of the season” offered Cummings, “we explain our goals and the benefit to the players, the children, and we find the response is very good, by-and-large. Many people want to help when the see that their children will benefit”. Simple! A common sense answer to a problem that nearly all clubs face every single season! Of course great leadership starts at the top and is emulated
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by those around. You won’t speak to a member of Wexford RFC who doesn’t recognise the energy and commitment of Debbie Carthy, Club President. The epitome of the term ‘club servant’, “Debbie does everything from make the sambos to line the pitch” and still finds time for the administration chores and committee obligations which come with the role of President. A club treasure without doubt. With coaching and management resources grown and an investment in intellectual ‘rugby’ property, the leadership team in Wexford went about building a clear module of development for players from Under6 upwards. “From Under6 to the 12s the focus is participation, get everyone involved. To grow numbers, one Saturday morning we told every player to bring down somebody new to the game. We called it ‘Bring A Buddy’. Everyone had to do it. Numbers blossomed.” From there Wexford built what Cummings referred to as a ‘ladder system’. The principle behind the ladder is that at each grade there is an expectation that all individuals will have a certain skill competency. So for example a player must be able to pass to both sides, or tackle safely below the waist by a pre agreed age level. A ‘rung’ on the ladder, if you will. With the ladder system in place players begin to develop via a logical progression route with heavy emphasis on the core skills and offers a challenge to be met. This approach is very instructive for coaches too, providing a clear definition of what is required for each season and what is important at a specific grade while also giving each coaching group a sense of being part of a bigger picture. Moving into Youths rugby, from U13 to U19, the Coordinators developed a clear criteria for selection to ensure ground rules were adhered to and the
team/club was put first. In order, the criteria is as follows: 1. Players MUST be club members to be selected. 2. Players MUST attend training.
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Very quickly the criteria, with support of the coaches, were taken on board and players behaved, then performed, to high standards.
So with much recent success, what are the immediate and long term goals for this vibrant forward thinking club? Is continued dominance at youth level an aim? I am informed that despite winning silverware more regularly nowadays, titles are NOT the biggest measurement of success down Park Lane. Improvements in players are how they measure their progress. For example; last season was the first time Wexford fielded at Under19 level, and again some innovative thinking helped ensure this was another success. The first team in the club ensured that between three and five first team players would join in every Under19 session to help build the standard, but also so that senior players could learn the names of, and learn about the younger players coming through. Rather than charge a young player straight from age grade rugby with building relationships and getting to know the older established guard, Wexford turned it on it’s head. “Our goal is to get lads playing first team rugby, so with the senior guys getting to know the younger lads, the next step is that they can bring them through and mentor them when they go up to senior level” Wexford continue to contribute more and more players to the ‘South West’ representative team which feeds into Leinster Youths. They develop their players with a goal to play first team rugby ultimately and if their ability and work ethic deems them good enough to progress to representative level, so much the better. One thing is for sure though, they’ve a plan, they know what they want and they have set off collectively towards a shared goal. No wonder they’ve been hogging the podium of late! Their player orientated community effort has a lot to teach us. In the words of the modest and tireless Bobby Cummings; “Fill the pitch with players, and the trophy cabinet will fill itself”.
Dental Plus Ireland As with the majority of services in Ireland, the cost of dentistry has climbed over the last number of years. Nowadays more and more people are looking to foreign lands to have their dental work taken care of. In the search for the best treatment at an affordable price, Dental Plus Ireland provide a service that will bring a smile to your face. Dental Plus Ireland are the leading agency based in Ireland helping you organise your dental holiday abroad. They will help and organise your trip for advanced and professional dentistry abroad at Kreativ Dental Clinic which is one of the most advanced cosmetic dental clinics in Budapest, Hungary. Dental Plus is managed and directed by Mary Flanagan who assists and supports the Irish patient from the time of enquiry right up to aftercare. Unlike other dental representatives, Mary’s own experience as a patient 9 years ago, has led her to represent the five star Kreativ Dental Clinic, in Ireland, which is the best endorsement there is. Mary’s own personal experience with dental care ‘cannot be learned, only experienced’. “I suffered an awful lot with my teeth when I was younger”, Mary explains. “15 years ago I had to get a number of dental implants and I found that the cost of dental care in Ireland was very expensive. “Through a number of friends I was put in contact with Kreativ Dental Clinic in Hungry. I travelled over, on my own, about nine years ago and what I saw was very impressive. Kreativ Dental Clinic is a centre of excellence in the dental world. It is a purpose built clinic and is miles ahead of their European counterparts in terms of the treatments they offer and the cost of having procedures carried out”. Kreativ Dental Clinic are proud to have Mary as their representative in Ireland, her understanding and empathy for patients, combined with her interpersonal skills ensure that all Kreativ Dental Clinic’s patients are treated with dignity and respect and above all as individuals. Mary’s attention to detail and her organisational skills leave all Kreativ Dental Clinic’s patients with a wonderful feeling of trust and of being cared for, from the very moment they make contact with Dental Plus Ireland. Whatever treatment you may require, dental implants, dental crowns, bridges, cosmetic dentistry, restorative dental treatment, conservative treatment eg. Extractions/surgical extractions, Mary will help and guide you on your dental holiday. Joe Nally is one such person who has undergone treatment at Kreativ Dental Clinic and was bowled over by the treatment that he received. “I travelled over to Kreativ Dental Clinic in 2010 and it far exceeded my expectations. I spoke with Mary before travelling over and it was comforting to be able to talk to someone who has gone through something similar. “The personal touch that Mary and Dental Plus Ireland give to each of their clients really makes the difference. I would whole heartily recommend Dental Plus Ireland and Kreativ Dental Clinic for anyone who is looking to have dental treatment done”.
4. ‘Ability’. Only when the first three criteria are met, will a coach select on ability.
Gathering players has been a huge success for Wexford RFC at under age level and the result of much effort. Circumstance has been kind in some ways in that locally there is no nearby Section A or B school competing for the ‘rugby time’ of a given player, and therefore no major player drain at youths. Kilkenny College accounted for one player this season and that was it! For that again though, planning and relationship building has overcome losing players to other sports which can affect many others. The club has consciously built relationships with those around them and sought to share rather than compete. Cummings outlined the working arrangement; “We have four local GAA clubs and we get on great with all of them. We’ve an understanding and we work together.” The rugby club actively encourage GAA players to finish their season with the GAA club before returning to rugby so as not to interrupt key end of season games. The Gaelic Clubs reciprocate, so player sharing is handled in a way that benefits the clubs, codes, and crucially – the players. Further evidence of this harmony can be seen with ‘St Johns Volunteers’ who are located ‘next door’. “We share parking, dressing rooms when needed, function room and so on. We’ve lights so if they need them, they can use them. It’s a two way relationship, no money is exchanged or anything, we’ve keys to each others clubs and just use as we need”
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Sandycove Dental Care Originally established by Dr. Kevin Keenan, Sandycove Dental Care has grown over the last 20 years to become one of the busiest dental practices in South County Dublin.
Heavey feels that the trust that the team at Sandycove Dental Care have built up with their client base is one of the fundamental reasons why the Practice has grown and developed over the years.
Dr Keenan built up a large patient base over many years of dedicated service before Dr. Garry Heavey took over the Practice in 1985. Dr. Heavey has since been joined by Dr.Sean Malone, Dr. Ciaran O hUiginn and Dr. Lorna McCourt with Dr. Anne O’Connell, Consultant Paediatric Dentist, doing a weekly session.
“Trust is the basis of any patient/dentist relationship. To help our patients trust and understand our advice each surgery is equipped with an intra-oral dental camera. This allows patients to see inside their own mouths on a monitor. This helps our patients understand the necessity for any treatment we recommend. Our website offers people a virtual tour of our facility. Everything is fully transparent and patients can be confident that they will get first class treatment when they come to Sandycove Dental Care. Our goal is to make the time that they spend with us as comfortable and stress free as possible.
The team at Sandycove Dental Care are dedicated to maintaining their family practice ethos. They also provide the most up to date procedures available for cosmetic and preventative dentistry. Dr Garry Heavey qualified from Trinity College Dublin with a B.A. and a Bachelor of Dental Science and after some years working abroad, moved back to Ireland in 1985. He took over the practice in Sandycove and over the following years has expanded it into a successful family practice with a staff of 15. He obtained his Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Dentistry from T.C.D and in 1999 he was made a Fellow of the International College of Dentists. Garry is a Past President of the Irish Dental Association and the Irish Dental Council and has been Vice Chairman of the Board of the Dublin Dental Hospital. Dr Sean Malone is currently President of the Irish Dental Association, a Board member of the Faculty of Dentistry Royal College of Surgeons and is a Past President of the Metropolitan Branch of the Irish Dental Association. While a trip to the dentist is something that many people dread, Dr.
“The recession has had an impact on our Practice. A lot of what we do now is routine restorative and preventative dentistry in order to maintain our patients’ oral health. Fewer patients are having elective cosmetic work done. I am sure many may not realise that their smiles can be improved with inexpensive cosmetic procedures such as tooth whitening and cosmetic bonding. We also offer bridgework, implants and crowns, so there is a wide range of options for people to choose from. “We have a detailed price guide on our website. Along with that we have a membership plan that starts from as little as 60 cents a day. Our membership plan allows you to spread the cost of your dental examination and hygiene visits by paying a monthly direct debit, which we feel can help our patients maintain their oral health in these recessionary times”.
Quality Dental Care For All The Family Sandycove Dental Care 2 Mount Pleasant, Sandycove Road, Sandycove, Co. Dublin Tel: +353 (0)1 2801684 Fax: +353 (0)1 2842344 info@sandycovedentalcare.ie www.sandycovedentalcare.ie
Cosmetic Dentistry Tooth Whitening Implants Crowns Root Fillings Gum Disease Bridgework Veneers Paediatric Dentistry Mouth guards are recommended to prevent dental injury and reduce the chances of concussion when participating in contact sports. We provide custom made mouth guards where a mould of the user’s teeth is used to create a best-fit mouth protector. A 15 minute appointment is usually made to take an impression of the teeth, which is then sent to the laboratory. Once the gum shield comes back, the fit is checked and occasionally small adjustments are required. Gum shields can be made in 1,2 or more colours – often matching club or school colours. Cost €65.
BALLINCOLLIG RFC NEWS RESULTS STATS ProfileS Monday May 13th is a major date in the diary of Ballincollig RFC, as they will be hosting their Annual General Meeting (AGM) in their clubhouse at 8.30pm. A number of positions will be filled within the club on the night, with nominations having gone through by April 15th. In order for your name to be put forward for consideration, you had to complete a Nomination Form, signed by a proposer and seconder, who must be a Full Club Member.
them to ease towards victory in the closing moments. This result will have come as a disappointment to Ballincollig, but it was a positive campaign for them in an overall sense, and the efforts of players like Considine, Shane Kavanagh, Keith Lynch and David Power cannot be faulted.
Aside from the main positions, there are a number of roles on committees and sub committees to be filled, many of which include briefs that centre around coaching and refereeing. This is an important event for Ballincollig, and all club members are encouraged to attend on the night.
Played in blustery conditions, Bantry enjoyed a good deal of possession during the opening half, but with Cameron Lucey, Aaron McNamara, James O’Donnell and Shane Quinlan tackling courageously, they ensured that the teams remained scoreless at the midway point.
Heading into their March 24th meeting with Killorglin, Ballincollig were in an excellent position to gain promotion from the Munster Junior League Division 3, but despite their best endeavours, they ultimately fell to an 11-point defeat (19-8) against the Kerry outfit. As a result, Killorglin were crowned champions of the division, with Waterford City finishing behind them in second place. Ballincollig had started the game in good spirits, and took the lead in the early stages when Denis Galvin converted a 40-metre penalty. Indeed, Killorglin’s first visit to the Ballincollig 22-metre-line didn’t come until the 18th minute, but they came away with a converted try from this attack, and they followed this up with another seven-point salvo on the half-hour mark, which gave them a 14-3 cushion heading into the second period. This left the Tanner Park men with a mountain to climb upon the resumption, but they gave themselves a fighting chance when Fergal Considine crossed over to the right of the posts following fine build-up play by Denis Casey and John Stevenson. This score sparked the Cork side into life, but despite applying plenty of pressure on the Killorglin line, they were finding it difficult to break through for the second try that they badly craved. The tie was then put beyond any doubt with ten minutes of normal time to play, when Killorglin raced through for a second five-pointer, which helped
Sunday April 14th did see some silverware landing in the direction of Ballincollig, though, as the club’s Under 17 side emerged victorious from a tightly contested U17 South Munster Cup Final against Bantry in the PBC Grounds in Wilton.
In a game of this nature, every score was going to be vital in determining the eventual outcome of the game, and it was Bantry who broke the
deadlock six minutes after the restart, when good pressure in the Ballincollig ‘22’ led to the West Cork men crossing over for the opening try of the game. This was certainly a set-back for Ballincollig, but they responded in an impressive manner, and after good work in the maul 12 minutes after Bantry’s opener, Dylan Desmond took the initiative from five metres out to touch down for a try of his own. This set the game up intriguingly for a nail-biting final quarter, and even though it looked for a while like the two sides wouldn’t be separated, Ballincollig’s Cameron Lucey had the final say, as his delicately struck penalty sailed between the posts, offering his side a hardearned 8-5 success in the process.
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SLIGO RFC
Presidential thoughts Far beyond the glitz and the glamour of the professional game, the next generation of rugby players are learning their craft at the coalface of the game, thanks to the likes of Ballincollig RFC. Current President Tim Murphy is one such example of someone who’s love of the game was fostered away from the bright lights of Thomond Park, the Aviva Stadium or the RDS.
Having failed to ‘dodge the bullet’ in a sense, Murphy assumed the top role within the club at a challenging time. Reduced playing numbers, thanks in large part to emigration, along with reduced budgets, meant that Murphy and his fellow committee members were forced to look at streamlining the running of the club. It was a challenge, as he explains, that was daunting to face into.
Having, as he admits, played rugby ‘badly’ in his youth, Murphy grew away from the game for a period of time, before coming back into the fold, in large part thanks to his children.
“It was a huge challenge”, Murphy admits. “Like the majority of clubs throughout Ireland we are carrying a bit of debt, so we’ve had to reexamine how we run things around here. During the good times, when there was lots of money floating about the country, we did a fair bit of rebuilding. We upgraded our two pitches along with our dressing rooms which I am glad we were able to get done before the recession hit. There was a fair bit of restructuring that needed to be done. We made a number of changes to our committee and put a five year plan for our underage teams in place.
Keeps smiling “It was when my son began to play for theyou club that I, once again, became involved in rugby. I helped out with the coaches at the beginning and things gradually progressed from there. There were never any grand ambitions to become President of the club. “I was press ganged into it, you could say”, Murphy laughingly states. “I was working away, behind the scenes for about six years and it slowly dawned on me that my time was coming, so there was no escaping it, my time had come”.
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“We feel that for the club to progress in the right direction, everyone needs to be pulling in the same direction. There is a real desire around the club to look after it as well as we can. There was a time, a few years ago, that people maybe expected the club to look after itself. I think in the last few years, people have begun to realise that if the club is going to come through this recession, then they are going to have to put in a lot of work to ensure that it happens.That said, there is a tremendous spirit within the club at the moment. We are a big part of the local community and we take our role very seriously”.
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NEWS RESULTS STATS ProfileS The Sligo U15 side concluded their 2012/13 season with a Plate decider against the Creggs rugby club of Galway (a small village positioned between Glenamaddy and Athleague), but despite producing a brave effort during the course of the tie, they were ultimately defeated on a score-line of 15-5. For the most part, this squad has been together since the age of seven, and played some sparkling rugby throughout the season. They lost out to the eventual winners of both the league and the cup by a single try, which is an indication of what the team is capable of when they perform at the height of their abilities. Unfortunately, Sligo did suffer a number of injuries in the early stages of the Plate Final, with Ross Hickey, Sam Donaghy and Jack Bourke all picking up knocks during a period when they were still trying to settle into the contest. Because of this, Creggs were able to take advantage (despite playing against the wind), and brought a 12-0 lead into the second period. This left the Strandhill outfit with an uphill battle after the restart, but to their credit, they did perform admirably in the face of adversity, and crossed the whitewash through Shane Flanagan. Creggs had that bit extra in the tank at the end, but with Flanagan
and forwards Mark Keegan and Cal McGrath producing fine performances; there is plenty of encouragement for the Sligo management team as they aim to continue the progression of this team in the years to come. Friday May 10th promises to be a memorable night for all involved with Sligo RFC, as the club will be hosting their Annual Awards night and Dinner Dance in Glasshouse Hotel. Kicking off with a drinks reception in the view bar at 7pm, it will be followed up by the main event starting at 8pm. The dinner will take place at this time, and later on ‘Dancing To Deja Groove’ will commence. Tickets for the entire night are at a cost of €35, and interested patrons are asked to book early to avoid disappointment. Tickets can be bought from the following: Clare Storey (087-7823898), Viv Hannon (086-8685193), Michael Storey (086-8198540), or Mary O’Hehir (087-2697083). This promises to be a great night of entertainment for the club, as players (past and present), coaches, ordinary club members, parents, and friends of the club all come together to celebrate the game of rugby in Sligo. Having safely secured their senior club rugby status for another season, there is a good level of stability in the club, and events like this are essential as they aim to raise their profile to an even greater degree throughout the county.
That role has seen Ballincollig expand and deepen their underage structures over the last number of years. Along with receiving a lot of support from the Munster branch, Murphy is keen to make sure that the good work that has been started is carried on, long after he vacates the President’s seat. Our mouth guards are available in a wide array of colours and thicknesses, so that all players can be sure they are wearing the best and are looking the best! Please do not hesitate to contact us for more information on THE ISHSKO CENTRE, Barrack Yard, Westport, County Mayo.
“We have started on a journey, and while we have accomplished a lot in the last number of years, there is still a lot of work to be done. All the way from the U-7’s to the U-19’s we want to create a culture within the club, an ethos if you will. If the correct structures are in place, then we can begin to put our own stamp on the club. The hope would be that we would have players that would join us at a young age and continue to stay within the club as they grow up. If that happens you have a better chance of developing your own brand of rugby and your own identity.
Connacht Rugby Pre-Season Training, Sligo RFC, Strandhill
“Our ladies team is also progressing very well. They are currently in Division II of the AIL and have 30 young members in their panel at the moment. The contribution that they bring to the club cannot be underestimated. They are a huge asset to the club”. Telephone: (00353) (0) 98-26200 Email: info@mercuryfreedentistry.eu Web: www.mercuryfreedentistry.eu
A huge asset to the club. You get the feeling that talking to Tim Murphy, that he is one of the clubs biggest assets. Past, present and no doubt, well into the future. We specialise in quality and prestige used cars and commercial vehicles. We stock over 120 vehicles in all makes and models to offer an extensive range of options to our customers. We also have a full service workshop and do car servicing, NCT preparation, mechanical repairs, body repairs and have a recovery and tow truck service. We can also provide Finance and Warranty facilities for the purchase of your used car or commercial.
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Presidential thoughts While she would never describe herself as a trailblazer or a pioneer, Clare Storey, President of Sligo RFC is something of a rarity in club rugby in Ireland, as she is only one of two female Presidents of an Ulster Bank League club. Despite having never played rugby at any level, her involvement with Sligo and the rugby club stretches back nearly two decades. Her initial exposure to club rugby came from making the sandwiches for the players to snack on after their game, and as she puts it ‘lending a hand wherever I was needed’. “That’s how things began really”, Storey explains. “I started helping with the Juvenile section initially as my son was playing at the time and my husband was a coach for the Juvenile section. As the years progressed I gradually became more involved in the off the field side of the club. “I was part of the committee for a number of years, along with being the treasurer of the club. It was never a big ambition of mine to become President. A number of people had asked me would I be
interested in going for the position. At first I was a bit reluctant to put my name forward, but I am thrilled that I did. It was, and is a tremendous honour to be President of Sligo”. You wonder, given the fact that she was stepping into what is generally perceived as a ‘male’ role, was there any sense of trepidation when she did make the step up to the most prestigious role within the club? “I wouldn’t say there was any trepidation, but there was a certain novelty factor to it. I have to say that everywhere I have travelled I have received a tremendous welcome. We are one of the oldest rugby clubs in Ireland and I joke to people that it only took 112 years for a female to become President!”. Storey has stepped into a challenging role. Sligo are currently coming to the end of a 5 year plan, which has seen the club develop both on and off the pitch. A change to their constitution has seen the club become more streamlined. However as she admits, it is a case of a lot done, but more to do. “The club has made great strides over the last number of years. There is a certain feel good factor within Connacht rugby at the moment and that has worked its way into our club. Like every club we are battling away in very tough economic conditions. We have seen a drop off in the number of volunteers in the last while, some due to emigration, while others simply don’t have the time to help around the club. So it’s tough but we are getting there. “One of the things that I would like to see happen is for the club to establish a link with Sligo IT. One of the difficulties we face is that we struggle to hold on to players, once they reach a certain age. We don’t have a relationship with them at the moment, but if we could establish something with them, perhaps a rugby academy, we feel that it could be mutually beneficial for both parties”. On the pitch, things continue to progress at an impressive rate for the Connacht club. The Ladies side are one of the most successful sides in the Province, while their youth section has gone from strength to strength over the past few years culminating with their U17’s reaching the All Ireland Final this season., while promotion to Division 2A of the Ulster Bank League remains the top priority for the men’s senior side. “We are one of only five Senior Connacht Clubs so there are always challenges in maintaining our Senior status including finance and retaining players. We have to maintain our Ulster Bank League status to ensure further progression of the club. “I would be delighted to see the senior side move up a division. The development of our underage system is also something that is very important to me. We are ‘out on our own’ in some respects but that is the challenge. We like to think of our club as a ‘pathway to progression’ and that progression is something that we continually strive for”. Perhaps trailblazer is the right word to describe Clare Storey after all.
Supporting Athletics Ireland Fit 4 Youth Programme
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CLUB NEWS
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Daire WALSH
The Latest From Around the Grounds BALLYNAHINCH
DOLPHIN
Although their 1st XV side have taken much of the plaudits in the Ulster Bank League Division 1B this season, the Ballynahinch 3rds actually became the first team in the club to collect silverware in 2012/13, as they held off astrong second-half fight back from the Coleraine 2nds to be crowned Crawford Cupchampions. ‘Hinch had given themselves an excellent platform during the opening period, as both No 8 John Gunson and Mark McCormick crossed over for tries mid-way through the half. Out-half Robbie Irvine was on hand to convert both of these scores, which enabled the county Down men to bring a 14-0 lead into the second period. With 15 minutes remaining, they still looked odds on for victory, but Coleraine gave themselves a lifeline when Andrew Hutchinson grabbed a five-pointer for the Derry outfit. Captain Paul Shiels made no mistake with the bonus attempt, and matters became even edgier for ‘Hinch when Nigel Hall broke through for a 75th minute try. At this point it looked like the game was destined to finish as a stalemate, but Shiels was off target with his kick this time, much to the relief of Ballynahinch, who held out for a memorable success.
Wednesday April 3rd was a special evening in Dolphin RFC, as Lord Mayor Cllr John Buttimer was in the club at 8pm to present the U15 side with their tour gear for a recent journey to Wales, which saw them playing two intriguing games against Penclawdd RFC and Tonyrefail RFC. It was an early start for all concerned on Friday the 12th, as the squad’s bus left Dolphin at 4.30am. They arrived in Pembroke at 12.45pm, and took in a Millenium Stadium Tour at 4pm. They then left their hotel at 8.30am for a clash with Penclawdd in Swansea two hours later, before returning to Cardiff for the Rabo Direct PRO12 game between Cardiff and Zebre. After dinner that evening they went bowling, before leaving once again at 8.45am on Sunday morning for a 10am kick-off in Tonyrefail against the local team. Once this encounter had concluded, they departed for the Ferry, and eventually arrived back to Musgrave Park at approximately 10pm following an exhausting but extremely beneficial trip.
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May 11th 2013 is a date for all Banbridge RFC members to keep in their diary, as they are set to jointly host their Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Players Awards Dinner at their clubhouse in Rifle Park. The county Down outfit’s 2013 AGM will commence on the Saturday evening at 5pm sharp, and will then be followed by the Players Awards Dinner. The Agenda for this meeting will run as follows: 1. Apologies 2. Club President’s Address 3. Minutes of 2012 AGM 4. Hon Secretary’s Report 5. Hon Treasurer’s Report 6. Notice of Motion 7. Offices declared vacant 8. Election of Office Bearers 9. Other business. A number of nominations have already been received for positions within the club, but further proposals can be made before the meeting. Some of the positions to be decided upon include Club President, Senior Vice President, Hon Secretary, Hon Treasurer, Rep to Ulster Branch, Hon Fixtures Secretary, AIL Clubs’ Comm Rep, PRO & Director of Rugby. This is a very important point in the club calendar, and all those involved with Banbridge are urged to make every effort to attend.
CORK CONSTITUTION
TERENURE COLLEGE
It was with great sadness that we learnt of the unexpected passing of Cork Constitution Vice-President Bobby Casey on April 10th. Having been introduced to the game while attending CBC Cork, Bobby progressed to star at scrum-half on the teams that won successive Munster Senior Leagues between 1965 and 1970, and the Munster Senior Cups of 1965, 1967 and 1970. Having also been capped by Munster in 1966, Bobby concluded his playing days in some style when he helped the Temple Hill men to capture the much-coveted Munster Junior Cup in 1973. However, Bobby continued to be a popular member of Con after his retirement, and was extremely lively company during the club’s tour of the US East Coast in 1973. Bobby is survived by his wife Judy, along with family members Robert, Sarah, Jackie and Harry, and will be sadly missed by all those who knew him.
Having guided the club to the Ulster Bank League Division 2A title this season, Terenure College RFC Director Of Rugby Ian Morgan can expect his stock to rise. However, his son George (aged 12) is also making a name for himself, after his rugby skills video entitled ‘Hey All Blacks check this out’ became a YouTube sensation. At the time of writing, his video has just under 195,000 hits on the website, and it also grabbed the attention of legendary New Zealand out-half Dan Carter. “Just got sent this. Future AB??? Actually he is Irish so he might be wearing the Green Jersey one day #FutureStar,” Carter tweeted at the time. Since then, Carter has also sent Morgan a personal video message, and having also appeared alongside his father on a recent Late Late Show appearance on RTE, we can expect to track the progress of Morgan (who lines out at club and school level with Terenure) through the schoolboys section with much interest.
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DUBLIN UNIVERSITY Despite producing a tremendous comeback in the second period, Dublin University were on the receiving end of a heartbreaking 27-26 defeat to near rivals Lansdowne in the All-Ireland Under-21 Final at Wanderers on April 14. Having trailed 22-7 five minutes after the restart (lock Liam Curran had scored a try in the opening half), Trinity were left with a mountain to climb, but they managed to force their way back into the reckoning when replacement hooker Cameron. Falcon drove over the Lansdowne line for his team’s second try of the contest. This helped to give Trinity some much-needed momentum, and when right-wing Caleb Morrison registered an impressive sevenpoint salvo, there was only three points (22-19) separating the sides. Things got even better for Trinity with ten minutes remaining when former Clongowes star Max McFarland crossed the whitewash for a converted try that, incredibly, moved them into the ascendancy. They looked primed for a remarkable victory at this point, but Lansdowne displayed admirable resilience to secure the trophy with a try in the closing stages. This defeat will have come as a major disappointment to Trinity, but they can take great pride from the way they performed throughout the competition.
BANBRIDGE
PACE FITNESS CENTRE
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How does Laser Therapy work? Ultimately all healing must take place at a cellular level in the body and this is precisely where the energy emitted from our infrared lasers target. Instantly providing the targeted tissue with the optimum level of energy to allow the process of mitosis or cell division to take place. Photons of light from these lasers have been proven to effectively interrupt the production of chemicals responsible for pain and inflammation by rebalancing the sodium potassium pathway (Harvard Medical School 2010)
Transform Laser Therapy Clinic Commercial Quay, Wexford County Wexford Tel: 053 912 1050 www.wexfordlasertherapy.ie
Unlike other forms of treatment Laser Therapy is unique in that it provides the body with the ingredients to rapidly increase the healing process reducing pain levels and inflammation in as little as two to five treatments. Transform Laser Therapy Clinic in Wexford, under the guidance of the highly experience therapist Philip Siggins has built a reputation as one of the finest clinics in the country. Philip explains ‘’Now more than ever people are looking for a cost effective proven safe effective method of dealing with their chronic pain or recent injury’’. Most people simply can’t afford long drawn out visits to physio’s and chiropractors before they start seeing results. “Laser Therapy is fast and cost effective, it ticks all the boxes because it’s safe and pain free with zero side effects. 60% of our clients fall into the category of ‘’no hopers’’ they have tried everything else and were unsuccessful so we are the ‘’the last chance saloon’’ for these clients who may have endured years of pain and suffering so we take the job seriously and view it as a privilege and an honour to work with this type of client to resolve their problems. “Sometimes we see dramatic improvements after one or two sessions especially when combined with more traditional forms of physical therapy and massage , but a lot will depend on how long the condition has been present and the persons overall state of health. A positive mental attitude plays a more important role then many people realize in making a speedy recovery, but it isn’t a magic wand. “I think the unique fusion of techniques we use is what makes us succeed where others fail. Bottom line in this business is can you get results that’s all people are interested in, how you do it is not important just as long as you can do it.’’
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Image FItness www.imageft.ie
ASPIRE FITNESS Aspire is an established Sports performance centre set up by Offaly Senior Footballer Joe Quinn. One of the biggest reasons behind the setting up of ASPIRE (Advanced Sports Performance Ireland) is to help teams & individuals get that winning edge needed for improvement and success in their Sporting arena. One of the main advantages that place Aspire ahead of the competition is the ability to address all aspects of sporting performance under one roof. Among the aspects that Aspire cover are:
• Cardiovascular fitness
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• Team cohesion.
• Strength & Conditioning,
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The other advantage is the expertise available at Aspire. Joe’s qualifications, which include an Honours degree in Sport and Exercise Science, along with a strength and conditioning qualification from the I.R.F.U, means that he can guarantee a thoroughly professional approach to any training activity. His experience from working with teams such as, Leinster rugby, Westmeath Senior footballers, Galway Camogie, Offaly Senior hurlers and Toomevara Senior hurlers, means that the knowledge gained along the way will be used to help your teams improve performance. As well as physical improvement, Aspire runs team building activities that get teams working together. It combines enjoyment with trust, communication and team cohesion, which Joe feels is one of the most important ingredients for successful teams. Based in Co Offaly, Aspire is the perfect, one stop shop, for all your fitness and self-improving requirements.
Helping your team achieve sporting excellence Advanced Sports Performance Ireland
KIWI FIT Kiwifit is all about achieving results whatever your goals may be, from losing weight, gaining muscle, running faster or simply being healthy and living life to its fullest. Whether your goal is health or performance motivated, a Kiwifit personal trainer is the professional to guide, motivate and advise you. With Kiwifit personal trainers, clients have an exercise program designed specifically to cater for your needs and goals. Their personal trainers will provide you with the motivation and guidance so that you attain these goals. Kiwifit personal trainers are available to all members for private training sessions where you will have access to their knowledge and expertise. At the heart of this growing business is Matt Corbett, the founder of Kiwifit. Matt has over 20 years’ experience in the fitness industry. He has a Bachelor of Physical Education Degree in exercise science as well as qualifications in neuromuscular therapy and massage. Matt has been a leader in the fitness industry in New Zealand and Australia before coming to Ireland. He played rugby in New Zealand, before coming to Ireland to continue his rugby and fitness education. With a wealth of experience he has helped thousands of people get into shape and attain their fitness goals. Matt is an expert in weight loss, muscle gain, injury rehabilitation, nutrition, power training and sports specific training. Having developed their business from a premise in Sutton Cross, Co Dublin, Kiwi Fit now also has a branch in the Clarion Hotel, Liffey Valley and has taken on a number of skilled professionals, who are dedicated to proving the latest treatments for their clients.
At the heart of their business ethos, is a commitment to not just providing a service but providing structures and systems for people to enjoy a healthy lifestyle, as Matt explains. “We are very committed to our clients and offering them the best possible service that we can. The people that we work with can range from a young athlete, looking to develop themselves, right up to people of an older generation who are looking to maintain mobility and an active way of life. “There is a quote I heard recently ‘it isn’t the years in your life, but the life in your years’ and that is something of a motto of ours here. “Recently we have expanded our team, so we now have five personal trainers, two neuromuscular therapists and a dedicated sports rehab physio. So we are consistently expanding our knowledge base and advance our training methods so we can stay ahead of the game and offer our clients the best service that we can, and that is something that we are consistently striving towards. “We provide a range of different services and programs from sports rehabilitation, yoga, pilates, and even olympic lifting. We do a thorough body composition and movement assessments to ensure that any areas of weakness or limitation are addressed and maximum results are achieved. “We are also currently developing a sports specific conditioning and rehabilitation program specifically for athletes in their off season. In this program we target areas of weakness or injury which may have occurred in the previous season and aim to eliminate them for the upcoming season”.
Aspire is a new state of the art sports conditioning center, set in the heart of the Irish Countryside. Our facilities are ideal for your team to get away and gain that extra edge in a variety of different areas to help bring them to the next level. Teams & Athletes can experience a professional , sport specific approach with: • Speed & agility sessions • Strength & conditioning sessions and programmes • Pitch based sessions at Aspire or teams venue • Full fitness testing • Overnight training camps including food and accommodation for full panel.
All your sports performance needs under one roof Check out Aspire clara on Facebook to see what teams have been getting up to while with us Aspire, Clara House, Clara, Co. Offaly Tel: 057 9368913 Mob: 087 2649401 Email: info@asp-ireland.ie Web: asp-ireland.ie
Want to get into shape? Is your current program not getting you the results you want? Finding it hard to stay motivated? Kiwifit personal trainers are the professionals to help you achieve results. Kiwifit trainers are all about achieving results whatever your goals may be. Lose weight, gain muscle, run faster, be healthy, live life. Whether your goal is health or performance motivated, a Kiwifit personal trainer is the professional to guide, motivate and advise you.
Unit 11 Seagrove House, Sutton Cross, Dublin 13 and at The Clarion Hotel, Liffey Valley, Dublin 22 Tel: 01-832-5756 Email: info@kiwifit.ie www: kiwifit.ie
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THE LEINSTER CLINIC A ‘one-stop-shop’ for all your health care needs
Leinster Clinic has evolved, since its inception as a Physiotherapy Clinic in 1996, into a modern multidisciplinary Health Centre, offering a broad spectrum of integrated health services, managed and delivered by a team of highly qualified and skilled clinicians. Eammon O’Muirchearthaigh opened his private physiotherapy clinic at the present site in 1996, having graduated with honours in 1993, and having completed the Irish Society of Orthopaedic exams in 1997 with a Diploma in Injection Therapy in 1999.
Leinster Clinic has evolved, since it’s inception as a Physiotherapy Clinic in 1996, into a modern multidisciplinary Health Centre, offering a broad spectrum of integrated health services, managed and delivered by a team of highly qualified and skilled clinicians.
The Leinster Clinic Kilcock Road, Maynooth, Co Kildare, Ireland www.leinsterclinic.ie
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He served as team physiotherapist to the Kildare senior football teams from 1996 to 2005, and senior physiotherapist to the Laois senior football team in 2006, and the Wicklow senior football team in 2007 and 2008, during their win of the Tommy Murphy Cup in 2007. He also served the Leinster Inter-provincial Cup Teams during their Cup victory in 2005, and the Irish International Rules Team in 2002 and 2003 against Australia. Eamonn was an integral part of the TV series, THE UNDERDOGS, acting as their physiotherapist from 2004 to 2006, working with footballers, hurlers and ladies football. He also served with the European Tour as a physiotherapist to the professional golfers at several events, including the European Open, West of Ireland Open, and the Northwest of Ireland Golf Open. Becoming a Chartered Physiotherapist was something that Eamonn always wanted to become, and it’s that passion that he brings to the role that marks him out as a physio of exceptional ability, and The Leinster Clinic as a company of the highest standards.
How to Keep Yourself at the Peak of Your Game! The Dublin Therapeutic Massage Clinic is a leading provider of all services related to therapeutic massage in Dublin and the surrounding area. The team are highly qualified and trained, expert professionals giving you access to over 20 years of experience. Sports and therapeutic massage can ensure that you can stay in peak condition, reducing your chance of injury or the need for medical intervention, whilst also increasing your energy levels so you can enjoy your favourite sports to your full potential. Therapeutic and sports massage keeps you playing your sport through: Postural assessments, identifying areas of weakness and restrictions that are then corrected. Maintenance treatments, keeping you in peak condition. Post-event treatments, helping to identify areas of minor injuries, returning muscles to normal resting state and reducing muscle fatigue. Injury treatments for sprained ligaments, strained muscles and recurring strains. Post-injury rehabilitation, restoring pain-free functional movement and full range of motion. Rachel Chambers, a founding owner of the Dublin Therapeutic Massage Clinic explains, “We are passionate about giving each of our clients the best possible attention, identifying their individual needs and capabilities, and helping them to reach their treatment targets.” Along with her two colleagues, Rachel prides herself on keeping up with the latest massage techniques. It is this attention to detail and commitment to excellence that has brought the Dublin Therapeutic Massage Clinic to the forefront of the massage world in Ireland. “Word of mouth is a huge thing in our business and our industry”, Rachel explains. “You cannot get a better recommendation than a client’s endorsement. We want to give our clients the best possible attention and that is why we continually up-skill ourselves, so we can offer the most effective treatments to our clients”.
DUBLIN PERFORMANCE INSTITUTE Having formerly worked in the software industry for a number of years, John Kelly took his lifelong passion for fitness and training and created what is now a nationally known brand of fitness excellence, in the shape of the Dublin Performance Institute.
“A couple of months later I met John by chance in the gym. Within a couple of sessions I was back running pain free. I could not believe it. I now continue to work with John as I firmly believe he is the best in the business”.
John has had a keen involvement in the world of fitness for the better part of the last two decades and has a wealth of experience to match his undiluted passion for his business. Among his own personal achievements are gold medals in Dublin Championships, Leinster Championships and All Ireland Championships as a sprinter.
Having increased his reputation John continued to grow and develop the Institute’s reputation. His belief in training the person on an individual basis, rather than as a part of a generic training programme, is just one of the key traits of a company that is renowned, around the country, as one of the premier places to go if they are looking to improve their health and lifestyle.
“I have been studying since 1998 to obtain the qualifications I have as a Therapist and due to the ever changing nature of this business I am continually improving my education. “I also use my Neuromuscular Therapy background to fix any postural issues which may arise during a weight training session for all my clients. For example, very often a client may have a lower back problem which is limiting their training session so that is identified and fixed to allow the session to continue.
“We want to help and to make a difference to people’s lives”, explains Kelly. “There are a lot of details that going into making a successful sportsperson and we look at each individual detail. A person can train as much as they like in the gym but without knowing the inner workings of their body, all that training will count for nothing. Among the services that the Dublin Performance Institute provides are:
Everyone needs a break in life, and John’s came when he met Irish athlete Brian Gregan in a gym one day. Brian had spent a number of months off the track, due to on-going injuries, however one meeting with John in his establishment, would see the talented runner on the road to recover, as he explains.
• Neuromuscular Therapy
“I badly injured my groin when I was 15 and was told to take 3 months off. I returned to find my groin was still sore & I was told by a number of doctors that I wouldn’t run pain free again.
• Cardiovascular Health
• Trigger Point Dry Needling • Personal Training • BioSignature Modulation • Nutrition • Orthotics
Neuromuscular Physical Therapist and Strength & Conditioning Coach PICP 3 • Neuromuscular Specialist • Personal Trainer • Strength & Conditioning Specialist (P.I.C.P. 3) • BioSignature Modulation Practitioner • Trigger Point Dry Needling • Spinal Manipulation • Pelvic Manipulation
FACILITIES SANTRY: • Indoor 80 metre Track • Outdoor 400m Mondo Track • High Performance Gym with Eleiko Plates and Bars FREE PARKING
Tallaght, Dublin 24. Telephone: +353 86 398 7596 jkellyie@gmail.com www.dublintherapy.com
Dublin Performance Institute was founded by John Kelly in 2000
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Member of the Chiropractic Association of Ireland
Chiropractic Clinic
Dr. Lynn Marie Chapman
Are you suffering from sports injury or recurring muscle strains and pains? Chiropractic could be the answer Areas Treated Jaw Back Neck Joint Limb Shoulder Headaches Briarhill, Galway 091 795735 Showgrounds Road, Ennis 087 7002302
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Body Balance Chiropractic (Chapman Chiropratic) Chiropractic treatment has been around for over a hundred years healing people with musculoskeletal conditions and in the very capable hands of Dr. Lynn Marie Chapman, Body Balance Chiropractic Clinic has become one of the foremost chiropractic clinics in the west of Ireland. Dr. Chapman’s approach is a natural, non-invasive and drug free system of health care; utilizing several techniques to manipulate the spine, removing nerve interference and increasing range of motion. She also includes exercise programs to stretch and strengthen the spinal and extremity musculature to produce better function for the body as a whole. Since graduating from Chiropractic College in Atlanta, Georgia, Lynn Chapman moved to Ireland fourteen years ago and began working with another chiropractor before setting up her own clinic in Galway twelve years ago and has recently expanded her practice to Ennis. Dr. Chapman has also trained in chiropractic care for animals such as horses and dogs. Lynn feels that the knowledge she has gained throughout her career enables her to provide the best level of care she can possibly offer to her clients, covering everything from migraines to a sore toe. “I have studied twelve different chiropractic techniques throughout my career and have performed adjustments on people ranging from five day old children, up to a 99 year old man. I have treated high level athletes for sports injuries and to correct postural balance for improved performance and to reduce the risk of injury”. “Our priority is to get to the root cause of whatever the complaint is. We give each of our clients a thorough examination so we can accurately gauge the source of the pain and set about restoring function to the body”. On your first visit Dr. Chapman performs a thorough case history which includes details of other health problems and past medical history which helps her to decide the best course of action for treating your complaint. She then uses a range of procedures including a state of the art Computerised Thermographic Scan to help Dr. Chapman assess the state of your spine, joints and nervous system to assess your specific problem. The Thermographic Scan works by measuring minute temperature changes along the spine which are caused by injury and swelling. Chiropractic treatment is helpful for most joint problems particularly; lower back pain, neck, shoulder and arm pain also sciatica and disc problems, headaches and migraines and joint stiffness. It can also be utilised to help treat sprains and strains, muscular pain and arthritis. Dr. Chapman feels that keeping the joints mobile is the key to a pain free and active lifestyle.
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LOW LEVEL
LASER THERAPY
Scientifically proven to significantly relieve pain, inflammation, speed healing and increase range of motion. Laser Pain Relief & Healing with No Side Effects Low Level Laser Therapy can be used to treat: • Acute and chronic pain • Sprain/strains • Joint Injuires • Inflammation • Tendon/Ligament injuires The Bodywise Clinic Co-founded by practitioners Siobhán Meehan and Siobhán Ryan, The Bodywise Clinic is comprised of a team of highly qualified Complementary Therapy Practitioners. The Clinic offers several Alternative Therapies under one roof in their Dublin 2 premise. Owners and best friends, both Siobháns left the corporate world several years ago and jointly established The Bodywise Clinic. The ladies have grown the business over the last number of years, to the point where it has become one of the foremost Complementary Clinics in Ireland, specialising in Muscle Injury Therapies and Low Level Laser Therapy. “Both my business partner and myself have had a passion for health and well-being our whole lives. I can remember knowing exactly what I wanted to do at the age of sixteen”says owner Siobhán Meehan, 36, who has been headhunted to treat some of the biggest names in the music and entertainment industry. For more information, please contact the Low Level Laser Therapy specialist at The Bodywise Clinic directly on 086-1941366 or email Siobhan.m@thebodywiseclinic.ie
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