The Ulster Bank All-Ireland Junior Cup final takes place at Dubarry Park on Saturday. Monivea and Tullamore will bring a large crowd of vocal supporters as the two clubs battle it out for a trophy that has become hugely popular since its inception in 2005. Today we take a look at Tullamore through the eyes of club captain Aaron Deverell.
Tullamore have some history with this competition. Like many of the participants they have embraced the All-Ireland nature of the Ulster Bank Junior Cup with gusto.
Saturday will be the Offaly club’s third final appearance. They lost to Navan in 2008 and beat the same opponents in 2009.
Club captain Aaron Deverell explains the attraction of the All-Ireland Junior Cup. “It is a great competition. It gives teams a break from the league and you get the chance to play clubs you would never normally meet,” he said.
“You could get a trip to Belfast or Dublin or Cork and there are always great crowds for our cup games.”
Tullamore have become something of a cup team in recent seasons. The aforementioned All-Ireland Junior Cup finals can be added to Towns Cup final appearances in 2009, 2010 and 2011 although you have to go back to 2006 for the last time they won it.
Deverell played in that game as well as the two previous finals in the All-Ireland Junior Cup against Leinster rivals Navan.
He remembers them both as great games, adding: “Both teams just really went for it. They were a strong side in 2008 but we really wanted that cup the second time around.”
Deverell is a tillage farmer and his family run the Annaharvey Equestrian Centre near Tullamore. He started playing rugby in Kilkenny College, then had a stint with the Lansdowne Under-20s before returning to the family business and Tullamore RFC.
Tullamore’s road to the final saw them overcome Kilfeacle from Munster, Academy from Ulster and Westport from Connacht.
One To Watch: Openside flanker Rob Connor always leads from the front and is a very dynamic player.
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