Club Focus: UCC’s Ten Trophy Haul
University College Cork may have lost last Saturday’s AIB League Division Two play-off final to Ballynahinch, but the 2008/09 campaign was still almost certainly the Mardyke club’s best season in their 137-year history.
The UCC senior squad were crowned AIB League winners in Division Two, after topping the table with 13 wins in 15 matches, and have been promoted to Division One for the first time in their history.
IRFU President John Lyons presented them with their trophy and medals for finishing highest in Division Two last weekend.
The Cork students’ top four squads all won their major league competition. Impressively, these four sides lost a total of three matches between them in the regular league campaigns.
A total of ten competitions and ten trophies were won by five of the six teams in UCC RFC.
Senior – AIB League Winners (Division Two) with Promotion to Division One
Junior (J1) – Munster Seconds League Winners (Division One); South Munster League Winners
Under-20s – South West Conference Winners (won all matches against 11 other Division 1 teams in Munster and Connacht); South Munster Cup Winners; David Ellickson Trophy (Waterpark Blitz, October 2008)
J2 – Munster League Cup Winners; South Munster League Winners; South Munster Cup Winners
Ladies – Inaugural Eimear Carey Cup Winners
UCC Club President Nollaig Parfrey said: “During the previous 2007/08 season we had great success, winning nine competitions and ten trophies, including the UCC Club of the Year trophy.
“This season, however, our senior, J1 and J2 sides achieved more than we did last season. The seniors won promotion which just eluded us last year.
“The Junior 1 squad won the Munster Seconds League Division Two last season, whereas we won Division One this season.
“The Junior 2 squad won the South Munster Plate last season, whereas we won the full South Munster Cup this season.”
Congratulations to all players, coaches, managers, officers and everyone involved from IrishRugby.ie.