‘We Learned So Much, On And Off The Field’ – Tullow’s O’Brien On Their #EnergiaAIL Journey

Paul Canavan’s side will play their final match of their debut Energia All-Ireland League season when they pay a visit to fifth-placed Wicklow on Saturday afternoon (kick-off 3pm).

Tullow, the market town club from County Carlow, gave it their all in climbing through the ranks in Leinster and achieving the ultimate aim of gaining All-Ireland League status via the promotion play-offs last April.

While the step up to senior level did prove very challenging, they can certainly hold their heads high with plenty more to come from the club’s Women’s programme which was founded in 2008.

O’Brien was just one year too young to join the Women’s senior squad back then. At 17 she trained with the team that included her sister Caroline, who had a big influence in setting up the side, as did current team manager Cora Browne, one of the catalysts behind the formation of the Women’s set-up in Tullow.

Sister of former Ireland and Leinster star Sean, Alex always had an interest in rugby, but with no underage team at her local club at the time, her rugby career did not begin until she reached 18.

The only player still active with Tullow that has been there since the beginning, O’Brien was called up by Connacht in 2019. She played a season with the westerners, starting at number 8 against Munster, but cruelly suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury the following week against Ulster.

Speaking to IrishRugby.ie, O’Brien, the team’s vice-captain, says it has been a dream come true to fly the Tullow flag in the All-Ireland League, and proud represent the club around the country in the maroon and white.

“I started playing rugby the minute I turned 18, I’ve played in the maroon and white my whole playing career,” she said. “It is very special to me that we went from the development league to being an AIL team, genuinely a dream for me.

“Cora has been the heart of the Women’s team since herself and my older sister, Caroline, formed it back in 2008. She’s also been there since the very beginning.

“The Tullow jersey really is a special one because you’re not only representing yourself but also your family and your ‘club’ family. You’ll always be part of this extended family once you’ve worn it.”

Tullow Rugby Club has become a real focal point of the local community, and it means an awful lot to its members and there has seen great success for both the Men’s and Women’s teams over the years.

Family links to the club have been there since the beginning, a notable one being current captain Grace Kelly, who has scored six tries this season. She lined out alongside her mother, Maggie, when Tullow won the Leinster League Division 2 title in 2018, with O’Brien the skipper that day.

With their underage pathways beginning to flourish, Tullow have brought some exciting young players into their senior squad. O’Brien and the likes of Nicola Caldbeck and Hilary Fitzgerald, who have also represented Connacht previously, bring their experience to bear.

That experienced spine that runs through the team includes Chloe Farrell, last season’s captain, and Lana Brennan, and the hard work being done by John Manifold, the club’s mini rugby co-ordinator, will hopefully ensure that Tullow will have even stronger numbers across their adult teams in the future.

“We’ve been through a lot together and continue to do so. It takes time to get used to the higher standard of rugby. The first year is only a learning curve, the second year is where you start building properly,” admitted O’Brien.

“We’ve a phenomenal underage structure in place from minis to Under-18s, and we hope we can prove to those young girls that playing at the top level is achievable and most importantly achievable within your own club.

“It’s been a huge part of Tullow Rugby Club’s development structure over the last number of years. The girls’ participation is increasing each year with a lot of work from John from the minis up.

“To have that structure now in place for young girls to go from Under-6s the whole way to senior is brilliant. As we all know, the best time to learn is as a young child and then to be able to develop and grow that knowledge into your adult days is an advantage.”

O’Brien captained Tullow to Leinster League and Paul Flood Cup success along the way, and has used her experience to help the younger players in the group in this whilrwind of a season. However, the jump up in standards has been tough to manage.

They have one more opportunity this weekend to get their first points on the board, and while injuries have hindered their progress, Canavan’s charges have fulfilled all their fixtures, sometimes with just 16 players available.

The Carlow outfit are growing their numbers, and creating a second team this season will give them an additional platform for players to come through from underage level. Playing in the All-Ireland League could well attract new members for the 2025/26 campaign.

“The biggest challenge we’ve had is the depth of our squad. Unfortunately, we had a few bad injuries in our first game of the season and didn’t have the depth of numbers to fall back on,” explained O’Brien.

“Those big clubs just have so much depth that it’s already a disadvantage to the likes of little old Tullow to compete with. It’s taken those clubs years to get to that place of comfort too. It doesn’t happen overnight.

“We actually have a Division 4 team starting this season also, but they are beginners, and you obviously couldn’t expect those girls to make such a big jump to play AIL, but it’s certainly something we hope to continue to build on, making that step up from 18s to senior.”

She added: “The standard of rugby (in the AIL) is a massive adjustment, the physical and mental aspect. Adding to that is the pressure of a straight relegation.

“There are so many positives from this season, though. We’ve learned so much, on and off the field. It’s definitely united us even more too as a group.

“This team is many things, but its determination and willingness to put their bodies on the line is exceptional.  We can definitely hold our heads high.

“Coming up against Wicklow will absolutely be a massive challenge, but again, we’ve nothing to lose and everything to gain, so we just need to go out and play rugby and enjoy it.

“Next season we will certainly have a point to prove, and we plan to go back to Division 1 (of the Leinster League) and make a statement.”

Keep up to date with all the latest news in our dedicated website hub at www.irishrugby.ie/energiaail, and follow #EnergiaAIL on social media channels.