Under-18 Festival Set To Kick Off At University Of Limerick

The IRFU is hosting a new-look Under-18 Interprovincial Rugby Festival over the next 10 days at the University of Limerick which will feature eight representative sides and over 200 players.

There are Under-18 Clubs teams representing Leinster, Munster and Ulster, a combined U-18 Clubs & Schools side from Connacht and U-18 Schools teams from Leinster, Munster and Ulster as well as an U-18 IQ Rugby side (Irish Qualified) which is made up of players who have come through the IRFU Exiles talent identification programme.

All players and staff will reside on campus at the University of Limerick over the course of the festival and will have the opportunity to experience what it is like to be in professional style ‘rugby camp’ environment.

They will train on pitches across the campus, take part in gym sessions, eat meals together and manage their recovery in a balanced and controlled atmosphere while also competing across three match days on the 3G surface at UL.

IRFU Athletic Performance and Nutrition staff have tailored recovery sessions and strategies for the players as one of the main focuses of the festival is to instil good habits from a young age.

The festival will also include player and coach development modules on non-match days. This will focus on areas such as Skill Development, Mental Skills, Nutrition and Recovery. 

There will be a Q&A session with players from the Munster and Ireland squads on how to manage yourself as an athlete off-field, while Ireland skills & kicking coach Richie Murphy will lead a workshop on individual and collective skills for the coaches as part of their continuing development.

Speaking about the campus-based festival format, IRFU Age Grade Manager Eoin Hogan said: “This is the first year of the new format and we are excited about bringing together all the teams and coaches. It’s an opportunity for everyone involved to develop both on and off the pitch.

“IRFU and provincial technical staff from the areas of coaching, athletic performance and nutrition have been heavily involved in designing the schedule for the festival. For some of the players involved, it is another step for them on the Elite Player Pathway, and as they continue to develop they will hopefully go on to provincial Academies and represent their country in the future, and this ‘camp’ format is a great way to help prepare them for that.

“Equally many players may simply continue with their club or at third level and our aim is to ensure that they have the best advice on how to stay involved in the game and play to best of their ability.”

You can keep up to date with the festival on the Irish Rugby social channels.

IRFU UNDER-18 INTERPROVINCIAL RUGBY FESTIVAL FIXTURES:

Match Day 1 – Saturday, August 18

11am – Leinster Clubs v Connacht Clubs & Schools
1pm – Ulster Schools v Munster Schools
3pm – Ulster Clubs v Munster Clubs
5pm – Leinster Schools v IQ Rugby

Match Day 2 – Wednesday, August 22

11am – Ulster Schools v IQ Rugby
1pm – Leinster Clubs v Ulster Clubs
3pm – Munster Clubs v Connacht Clubs & Schools
5pm – Munster Schools v Leinster Schools

Match Day 3 – Sunday, August 26

11am – Munster Schools v IQ Rugby
1pm – Connacht Clubs & Schools v Ulster Clubs
3pm – Ulster Schools v Leinster Schools
5pm – Munster Clubs v Leinster Clubs

– All games will be played on the University of Limerick Pavilion 3G pitch

IRFU UNDER-18 INTERPROVINCIAL RUGBY FESTIVAL SQUADS:

CONNACHT U-18 CLUBS & SCHOOLS

Alan Duffy (Ballina/Jesus & Mary, Enniscrone)  
Caolan Hopkins (Ballina/St. Joseph’s, Foxford)  
Cathal Fleming (Monivea/ Holy Rosary College, Mountbellew) 
Cian Scanlon (Corinthians/Colaiste Cholmcille) 
Conal O’Grioffa (Corinthians/Scoil Chuimsitheach)
Darragh Murray (Buccaneers/Colaiste Chiaran)  
Diarmuid McCormack (Corinthians/Colaiste Iognaid)  
Donnacha Byrne (Sligo/Colaiste Mhuire)   
Eoin de Buitlear (Corinthians Scoil Chuimsitheach)  
Hubert Costello (Corinthians/ Calasanctius College)  
Kacper Palamarczuk (Westport/Rice College)  
Martin Fallon (Buccaneers/Marist College)  
Matthew Earley (Carrick-on-Shannon/Sligo Grammar)   
Oisin McCormack (Ballinasloe/Garbally)   
Aodha Hession (Creggs/CBS Roscommon)   
Cathal Forde (Corinthians/Colaiste Iognaid)  
Conor O’Shaughnessy (Galweigans/St. Jarlath’s)  
Darragh Hanrahan (Corinthians/Colaiste Iognaid) 
Harry Ballsiger (West Offaly Lions/Gallen CS)  
Hubert Gilvarry (Sligo/Sligo Grammar)   
Jack Power (Galweigans/Colaiste Iognaid)  
Leo McFarlane (Buccaneers/Marist College)  
Luke Hogge (Sligo/Colaiste Mhuire)   
Rory McCleane (Oughterard/Colaiste Einde)   
Sam O’Sullivan (Creggs/Marist College)  
Dylan Keane (Ballinrobe/Roscrea)  

Head Coach – Colm Tucker

LEINSTER U-18 CLUBS

Ben Jones (MU Barnhall)
Cormac Fenton (Wicklow)
David Manning (Mullingar)
Fionn O’Hara (Mullingar)
Jamie Osbourne (Naas)
Josh O’Connor (Wexford)
Karl Martin (Boyne)
Niall Hiiliard (MU Barnhall)
Ryan Foley (Athy)
Tim Corkery (Kilkenny)
Will Reilly (Portlaoise)                           
Cathal Purcell (Dundalk)
David Murphy (Blackrock College)
Diarmuid Brannock (Cill Dara)
Finn Tierney (Newpark)
Jack Hanley (MU Barnhall)
Jordan Finney (Navan)
Mark Boyle (Gorey)
Michael Hand (Birr)
Patrick Kiernan (Greystones)
Phillip Byrne (Tullow)
Rob Murphy (Gorey)
Ryan Doyle (Barnhall)
Sean Kelly-Komolafe (Wexford)
Temilolhwa Adewunmi-Lasisi (Enniscorthy)
James Reilly (Ardee)

Head Coach – Joe Carbery
 
LEINSTER U-18 SCHOOLS

Rob Gilsenan (St. Michael’s College)
Ben Murphy (Presentation Brothers Bray)
David Wilkinson (Clongowes Wood College)
Niall Carroll (St. Michael’s College)
Justin Leonard (Belvedere College)
Chris Cosgrave (St. Michael’s College)
Arthur Henry (Gonzaga College)
Simon O’Kelly (St. Michael’s College)
Ed Kelly (St. Michael’s College)
Tim O’Brien (Clongowes Wood College)
Matthew Grogan (Belvedere College)
Josh Pyper (Presentation Brothers Bray)
Levi Vaughan (Terenure College)
Sam Illo (Wesley College)
Hugo O’Malley (Blackrock College)
Barry Dooley (Clongowes Wood College)
Lee Barron (St. Michael’s College)
Calum Dowling (Clongowes Wood College)
Jonathan Fish (St. Michael’s College)
Alex Soroka (Belvedere College)
Jack Guinane (St. Michael’s College)
Aaron Coleman (Belvedere College)
Jack Barry (Gonzaga College)
Will Hickey (St. Michael’s College)
Tom Gilheany (Clongowes Wood College)
Gavin Meagher (Cistercian College Roscrea)

Head Coach – Andy Skehan

IQ RUGBY U-18S

George Addington (Epsom College)
Liam Bishop (Doncaster Knights Academy) 
Shane Cawley (Munster) 
Owen Chaplin (Durham Johnston) 
David Coleman (Blue Coat School Reading, Berkshire) 
Tomas Donnellan (Hills Road Sixth Form College) 
Albert Dwan (Wellington College) 
Darragh Gleeson (City of London Freemen’s School) 
Caleb Douglas (Ellesmere College)
Joe Keohane (Burnham Grammar School) 
Alastair Merrill (St. Ambrose College) 
Raef Murphy (St. John’s School, Leatherhead) 
Ollie Newey (Christ College, Brecon) 
Oliver Norris (Whitgift School)
Monty Royston (Hartpury College)
Dan Aldwinckle (RGS Guildford) 
Shane Buckley (Munster) 
Sean Bundy (St. Joseph’s College, Ipswich)  
Michael Cooke (Sedbergh School)
Tom Durkan (Newhall School) 
Hayden Hyde (Cranleigh School) 
Zach Kavanagh (SGS Filton)  
James Langston (Harrow School) 
Niall McGann (Whitgift School)  
Matthew Ward (Park View School) 
Jacob Whelan (Wimbledon College) 
Benedict Quinn (St. Peter’s School, York)  

Head Coach – Kevin Maggs

MUNSTER U-18 CLUBS

Ciaran Bohane (Ballincollig)
Conor McMahon (Nenagh Ormond)
Craig Hannon (Galbally)
Darragh McCarthy (Cobh Pirates)
Dylan Brosnan (Young Munster)
Dylan Murphy (Nenagh Ormond)
Eddie McIntosh (Clonmel)
Ethan Coughlan (Ennis)
Fearghail O’Donoghue (Cashel)
Gavin Foley (Skibbereen)
Ihechi Oji (Douglas)
Jack Barrett (Bruff)
Jack Cosgrave (Young Munster)
Jack O’Keeffe (Nenagh Ormond)
Jamie Shanahan (Skibbereen)
Jay Traynor (Waterpark)
Kian Regan (Tralee)
Liam Murphy (Young Munster)
Matt McCarthy (Clonakilty)
Richard Wallace (Killarney)
Tadhg Galvin (Bandon)
Tim Hegarty (Old Christians)
Tony Butler (Ennis)

Head Coach – Noel O’Meara

MUNSTER U-18 SCHOOLS

Donagh Hyland (Glenstal Abbey School) 
Corey Hanlon (CBC Cork)
Billy Kingston (PBC Cork)
Mark Donnelly (CBC Cork)
Craig Finn (St. Munchin’s College)
Luke Obersby (Midleton College)
John Forde (PBC Cork)
Jack Kelleher (PBC Cork)
Jack Ward Murphy (Ardscoil Ris)
Daniel Okeke (Ardscoil Ris)
Niall Queally (Glenstal Abbey School) 
Mark O’ Connor (CBC Cork)
Cian Whooley (CBC Cork)
Jake Connolly (Crescent College Comprehensive)
Jack Delaney (Crescent College Comprehensive)
Killian Dineen (Ardscoil Ris)
Harry O’Riordan (CBC Cork)
Aaron Leahy (CBC Cork)
Michael Hand (PBC Cork)
Conor Sheahan (CBC Cork)
Daniel Hurley (PBC Cork)
Ronan O’Sullivan (CBC Cork)
Will Twomey (Glenstal Abbey School) 
Will O’Callaghan (Ardscoil Ris)

Head Coach – Brendan O’Connor

ULSTER U-18 CLUBS

Michael McKeon Boyle (Virginia) 
Sam Rainey (City of Armagh)
Evan Charters (Virginia) 
Keenan Barrett (Letterkenny) 
James McMaster (Grosvenor) 
Philip Nicholl (City of Armagh) 
Stephen Kelly (Letterkenny)  
Cein McColgan (City of Derry) 
John Glasgow (City of Armagh) 
Ashely Tweed (Ballymoney) 
Jack Milton (Ballyclare) 
James Crummie (City of Armagh) 
Sam Murray (City of Armagh) 
Kyle Gill (Ballynahinch) 
Rory Maginty (Letterkenny) 
Rhys Cobain (Belfast Met) 
Luke McMullan (Dungannon) 
Thomas McDevitt (Instonians)  
Matthew Hamilton (Malone) 
James Campbell  (City of Armagh) 
Thomas Wilson (Carrickfergus) 
Alan Thompson (Coleraine)
Stuart Patterson (FS Lisburn)
Stuart Wightman (Belfast Met) 
Oran O’Neill (Malone) 
Curtis Henry (Cambridge House) 

Head Coach – Jonny Gillespie

ULSTER U-18 SCHOOLS

Jonathan Agnew (RS Armagh)
Ben Carson (Wallace HS)
Reuban Crothers (Wallace HS)
Nathan Doak (Wallace HS)
Joel Dundas (Wallace HS)
Oscar Egan (Coleraine GS)
Jack Gamble (Ballyclare HS)
Luke Graham (Methodist College)
Adam Hanna (Banbridge Academy)
Jack Harte (Friends’ School)
Brandon Hassan (BRA)
Will Hopes (Regent House)
Greg Hutley (Down HS)
Patrick McApline (Campbell College)
Robin McIlveen (RBAI)
Conor McKee (Sullivan Upper)
Ben Moxham (Larne HS)
Luke Pollock (Dalriada School)
Jude Postlethwaite (RBAI)
Conor Rankin (Campbell College)
Jude Roberts (RS Armagh)
Matthew Sands (St. Colman’s College)
George Saunderson (Sullivan Upper)
Tom Stewart (BRA)
Gareth Wells (Bangor GS)
Riley Westwood (Bangor GS)

Head Coach – Kieran Campbell