Youth is the key for new boy Rob
New Balbriggan coach Rob Conway.
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THE rugby season is yet to start, but it's still a busy time for Balbriggan RFC as they build towards the league campaign under new coach Rob Conway.
As part of their pre-season activities, the club are holding a Family Fun Day next Sunday from 1 to 6pm at their Balrothery Grounds.
There will be a range of activities on the day, both rugby and funrelated, including bouncy castles and kicking competitions, and admission is free to members and non-members.
It is hoped that there will be some rugby celebrities present on the day, and the club is signposted on the main road at Balrothery or on the Naul Road at the junction just after the motorway roundabout.
Pre-season training under new coach Rob Conway – who was already youth development officer – started last week with some novel exercises which entertained the players as well as making them sweat! There was a good turnout of 30 for the first night, despite a number being away on holidays.
Conway now has responsibility for all aspects of player development at Balbriggan, and while the club may lose a few players to the economic recession as they travel abroad to find employment, there are a number moving up from the youth ranks to fill their place.
Indeed, vice-president Larry Hagan is confident that Balbriggan will be in a position to field a 3rd XV for the first time in a number of years.
The 1sts will again be in the Leinster League Division 3 where their pool this year also contains neighbours Swords and Malahide along with Guinness, North Kildare and Arklow, who host Balbriggan in the first league match on September 26th. However, Balbriggan begin the defence of their Jenkinson Cup title before that, with a home tie against Ardee on Sunday August 29th.
Captain Rob Shuttleworth is looking forward to the challenge and knows there is a lot riding on the team to have a good start in the Leinster League, in order to qualify for Section A in the second half of the season.
The 2nd XV will play in the North East McGee Cup, most of their matches will take place under lights on a Friday night and the team will be hoping to do better than their semi-final place last year.
Meanwhile, last Saturday night Balbriggan held their Annual Awards Ceremony for last season, compered by vice-president Larry Hagan.
There was a great turnout from the players and their friends and the Most Improved Player awards went to Al Egan and Ross Halligan. The Players' Player of the Year awards went to incoming captain Rob Shuttleworth and Tommy Uzuseinis, while the Players of the Year were club captain Con Caldwell and Ian Murphy.
The President's Award went to veteran Paddy Joyce to recognise not just the work he does on the field but his participation in all aspects of the club.
- Training/ contact details in Club Notes on Page 63.
