Maynooth To Host Conroy Cup
The very prestigious annual Irish Universities Rugby Union’s Conroy Cup competition takes place in the national University of Ireland, Maynooth this coming Saturday the 19th of October.
This is the first year NUIM have hosted this great university tournament.
The event features NUIM, UCD, Queen’s University, Dublin University, NUIG and UCC in a play-off for this commemorative trophy.
The Conroy Cup gets it’s name from the late Judge Conroy who was President of UCD in 1953/54. He played for UCD in the 1920’s and won a Metropolitan Cup medal with UCD in 1924/25.
He was one of the driving forces in the Club from the 1930s to the early 1960s and became Hon Sec of the Leinster Branch (from 1961 to 1972). While with the Branch he was instrumental in the introduction of Under 19 grade rugby.
“The Judge” was elected President of the IRFU in 1972/73 but continued to be active in the Club. His son Paddy Conroy was active as a player and alicadoo in UCD from the 1950s to the 1970s and was Hon Sec of the Leinster Branch from 1978 to 1985. Paddy Conroy was President of UCD in 1987/88 but died suddenly in his year of office.
In 1988/89 the Conroy Cup was presented by UCD RFC to the Irish University Rugby Union in honour of the two men and to recognise the significant contribution they have made to UCD, Leinster, University and Irish rugby.
It is one of the most sought after Cups in University rugby and one that NUIM will be looking to win in only their 2nd year taking part.
In preparation of the tournament, the NUIM Elite Scholarship program was stepping up a gear last week as they had their first training session in the IRFU Gym in Carton House in Maynooth.
With NUIM catering for 35 scholarship students this year, the University have gone into partnership with Carton house to provide state of the art training facilities for the elite scholars so they can maximise their potential in the program and get a feel for what it takes to train and play like a professional.
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The program, which was developed by Director of Rugby in NUIM and Head Coach of NUIM Barnhall RFC, Dennis Bowes, is in its 5th year.
The University teams, NUIM Barnhall RFC AIL team and U20 Premier teams are going from strength to strength in recent years and the programme is showing some great results.
PITCH A NUIM V DUFC 1130 hrs ko
PITCH B UCD V QUB 1130 hrs ko
PITCH A NUIM V NUIG 1230 hrs ko
PITCH B UCC V QUB 1230 hrs ko
PITCH A DUFC V NUIG 1400 hrs ko
PITCH B UCD V UCC 1400 hrs ko
PITCH A 5th V 6th Playoff 1500 hrs ko
PITCH B 3rd V 4th Playoff 1500 hrs ko
PITCH A FINAL 1600 hrs ko
PRIZE GIVING AND DINNER PHOENIX BUILDING 1700 hrs