Welcome to Highfield RFC Website

Welcome to the website of Highfield Rugby Football Club, founded in 1930. Club Newsletter August 2009. Contents: • Meet our President • A message from our President • Committee News • Rugby News • Club Captain • AIL Fixtures • Coaches and Management • Club Coach • Youth Section • Ladies Rugby • Membership Fees • Social update • Supporters Business • Our thanks to… • Comments Club President - Harry Matson. The Matson family name has been synonymous with Highfield Rugby for nearly half a century. Jack and Charlie, brothers of Harry, played Senior and Junior rugby starting in the early sixties, Michael, resident in Dublin, was an avid supporter but didn’t play. Jack’s son David played junior and minor with the club before being transferred to Tralee. David is the current team doctor. Harry’s son Paul has been a regular on the first fifteen over the last eight years. It is, therefore, no surprise, to see Harry taking over the mantle as President for the coming season. Harry began his rugby career in Presentation Brothers College and was on the team that won the coveted Munster Senior School’s Cup in 1966. This side was captained by the great Barry McGann who went on to play for Ireland on many occasions. Upon leaving “Pres” Harry joined Highfield in 1967 and won a junior league medal in his first season. The following season he was on the Highfield senior side that won the Blackrock Festival in Dublin. He made his Munster Senior Cup debut in 1971 and the following season was selected to play in a Munster Trial game for the possibles. Harry became vice-captain of the club to Der Healy in 1974 and that season Highfield won the Cork Charity Cup and contested the Munster Senior League final. Harry was on the tour to Spain in 1973 and Canada in 1979 and it was on the Canadian trip that he wore the Highfield jersey for the last time after a very successful career lasting twelve seasons. Having retired from the playing end of the game Harry continued to support the club both as a spectator, sponsor and fundraiser and sat on many committees over the years. We wish Harry, his wife Barbara and family a very successful and enjoyable year ahead. A Message from our President. It is a tremendous honour for me and my family to have been elected President of this great club for the season ahead. I am only too aware of the high standards set by those who went before me and I hope that I can, at least, match their efforts. I know that I will have the support of many and I am looking forward to a wonderful season ahead. Many members will not be aware of the work that has been carried out by various committees throughout the off season but I can assure you it was immense. I feel that we will see many positives on the playing pitches from youth level up to the first team squad. Training is in full swing and many new faces are to be seen. These new players are very welcome and I thank them for joining us. I also welcome the return of many past players. It is always good to see old friends returning. May you all enjoy an injury free and a very successful season and may you play with true sportsmanship at all times. I extend congratulations and very best wishes to Club Captain John Murphy. I know he will lead by example. I extend my very best wishes to all coaching personnel within the club and I ask all players to support them at all times. I also ask all members to encourage the coaches both on and off the pitch. It would be impossible for me to thank the backroom staff sufficiently for their total commitment to the various teams under their wing. They are seldom seen, attend all training sessions in all weathers, attend all matches, home and away, attend to washing gear, supplying gear and supplementary foodstuffs at training sessions and a hundred other things that I know nothing about, and, they are all volunteers. Thank them for a job well done when you see them. I am asking all members to show their full support for all teams but especially during the A.I.L. Our aim is to gain promotion to Division 1A and we need your backing. Come to the games early and meet up with fellow members before the matches. Be seen by the players as they warm up on the pitch. Welcome them as they come out for the kick-off and let’s get that old Highfield train running again. I would like to thank all those members who are sitting on the Management Committee and various Sub-Committees for their continued hard work and allegiance to the club. I extend my sincere thanks to all our sponsors for their continued support. The list of sponsors is displayed on the electronic screens in both bars and members are requested to promote them. Finally I welcome all new members to the club. I look forward with anticipation to the start of the season and feel that it could well be a season to remember. Harry Matson, President. Committee News The following were elected at the AGM in May Management Committee President: Harry Matson. Chairman: Jack O’Keeffe. Hon. Secretary: Fergus O’Mahony Hon. Treasurer: Gerry Griffin. Vice-President: Billy Moriarty. Immediate Past President: Jack O’Keeffe. Members: Pat O’Donovan, Kevin Fitzgerald, John O’Hea, Martin McNally and Tony Loughry. The Management Committee made the following appointments: Chairman Rugby: Martin McNally. Chairman Finance: Gerry Griffin. Chairman Facilities: Pat O’Donovan. Chairman Bar: Dave Skelton. Chairman Dev: Kevin Fitzgerald Chairman Youths: John O’Hea Chairman Fundraising: Billy Moriarty. Club Pro: Tony Loughry. Club Captain: John Murphy. Rugby News Club Captain John Murphy lives about 100 yards from the club but escaped the clutches of our Youth Section until he was sixteen. John attended Colaiste an Spioraid Naoimh where he played Basketball and G.A.A. and also played with our neighbours Bishopstown G.A.A. Club. John was introduced to rugby by Phil Rees but admits he may have had a greater incentive when told by his friends that there was a tour to Wales and England imminent and he could come if he took up the game! In John’s own words “that was the start of it, I have had some great coaches in Phil Rees, Frank Cooper, Paul McDonald, to name but a few and I was lucky enough to represent Munster and Ireland at under age levels.” He continued to play with Highfield until moving to College in Wales, where he attended University of Wales Institute, Cardiff (UWIC), studying Sport and Exercise Science. During his tenure there he played for UWIC and represented Welsh Universities and Irish Exiles. On finishing his degree he returned to Cork and Highfield working in the CIT as a Munster Branch Development Officer for the College. The following year John went to London to further his academic career by attending the London School of Sport Massage (LSSM) studying Sport and Remedial Massage Therapy. John took time out from rugby in that time but returned to Highfield two years later and began playing again. John is now employed by an independent exercise company called Fit For Life and spends most of his spare time training and playing. “I was honoured when asked to be captain of Highfield RFC. I have been privileged to play under some great coaches and alongside great players whose love for the game and Highfield was evident from the moment you met and spoke to them. I hope that I can lead my peers and the club to a good season and I look forward to the challenge ahead”, says John. We wish John and all club players the very best for the coming season. AIL Fixture List 2009-2010 October 3 2009 Bruff Home October 10 2009 Old Wesley Home October 24 2009 Malone Away October 31 2009 Thomond - Away November 14 2009 D.L.S.P - Home December 5 2009 Bective - Away December 12 2009 Greystones - Home January 9 2010 Clonakilty - Away January 16 2010 Terenure - Home January 23 2010 Corinthians - Away January 30 2010 U.C.D. - Away February 20 2010 Dublin Univ. - Home March 6 2010 Lansdowne - Away March 27 2010 Belfast Harlequins - Home April 10 2010 Old Crescent - Home Coaches and Management Director of Rugby: Tom Redmond. Senior Squad. Coach: Dave O’Brien. Assistant Coach: Brian O’Connell. Manager: Holger Ertz. J1. Coaches: Kevin Fitzgerald Jnr. and Ricky Galvin Manager: TBA. J2. Coach and Manager to be announced. Under 20. Coaches: Brian Roche & Donal O’Driscoll. Manager: Niall Hartnett. Club Coach Dave O’Brien. It is a great pleasure to welcome, (and introduce to anyone who was on Mars for some time), former player Dave O’Brien as Club Coach. Dave went to Colaiste an Spioraid Naoimh and then to PBC before graduating from the College of Commerce. He is employed by PVC Fabrications since 2000. His versatile sporting career, rugby and gaelic football, began with the Highfield Youth Section and continued in “Pres” where he won a Munster Senior Schools Cup medal in 1995/96 and that same season he was selected on the Irish Schools team. In tandem with this Dave also played Gaelic Football with Bishopstown G.A.A. club and was on the Cork Minor Football Team in 1996. He won two Minor and two Under 21 County medals and was on the Senior Panel with Bishopstown. On leaving school he joined Cork Constitution where he played on the senior team from 1996 to 2000 winning an AIL league medal in 1998/99 season. During that period he played with the Irish Colleges from 1997 to 1999. Dave then moved to Dublin where he joined Clontarf RFC from 2000 to 2003, winning a Leinster Senior Cup medal in his first season and captaining the club in 2003. He then returned to Cork and was captain of the “Con” side that won the Munster Junior Cup in 2004. In 2005 Dave returned to Highfield where he played full back on the senior team up to the end of last season before retiring. He has now taken up the mantle of club coach and we know he will be as professional in his new role as he was as a player. We wish him every success. Youth Section. The Youth Section resumes on Saturday 5th September from 10.30 to 12.30am. Following a great season last year which saw the club win the South Munster and Munster Under 18 Leagues, the All Ireland Under 18 Championship, the South Munster Under 18 Cup and the South Munster Under 16 Cup the club was presented with the Youth Section of the Year Award by the Munster Branch at a function in Thomond Park. We look forward to another good season and we welcome back all players, coaches, parents and friends, old and new, and we hope you enjoy the year ahead. The club shop will be open every Saturday from 10.15am and light refreshments will be served for parents in our club bar during training. All are most welcome. Youth Chairman: John O’Hea, 087 665 1007 Vice Chairman: Philip Newton, 087 252 1280 Youth Secretary: Marty Horgan, 086 882 7371 Youth Treasurer: Cormac Mahony, 086 046 3498 Reg/Subs: Peter O’Rourke, 086 825 6972 Mini-Rugby: Niall Murphy, 086 171 3401 John O’Hea, Youths Chairman. Highfield Ladies Rugby Team Highfield ladies opened the 2008-09 season with a surprise victory in the inaugural Munster Meteor Sevens women’s tournament. With a new coach, John Canavan, who was joined by Stuart Armstrong, a new backs coach, the team maintained their strong showing on a national basis, winning the Munster Women’s Cup with a victory over Shannon and finishing third in the AIL Division 1 league campaign behind Ul Bohs and Blackrock. Highfield ladies represented the club at provincial and international level also. Helen Brosnan, Chris Fanning, Heather O’Brien and Nicola Aherne were involved in Munster’s all conquering interprovincial campaign, while Helen Jones was a key player for Connacht and was short listed by that province for their player of the year award. Highfield has six representatives on the Munster squad for the coming season, Laura Guest, Chris Fanning, Karen Casey, Heather O’Brien, Helen Jones and Helen Brosnan. Helen brosnan and Helen Jones also represented Highfield on the Irish Women’s team during the 6 Nations campaign last season where Ireland recorded their best result ever, finishing third overall. With the women’s World Cup taking place in London in 2010 hopes are high for Highfield representation at that event. The Highfield u18 girls teams continued to progress with Karen Casey, Norita Duggan and Donna Hughes taking over the coaching reins. The numbers attending training has grown substantially with up to 30 girls aged 12 to 18 coming to the Friday evening sessions. New players are always welcome. Emma Crowther and Meg O’Regan were selected for the Munster U18 squad which had a number of comprehensive victories against touring sides and the other provinces. Karen Casey is senior ladies captain for this season. With the women’s AIL League kicking off early this year (first game 13th September) training is already in full swing. Training is twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays at 7pm, and again new players are welcome, no experience required. Information on the happenings of the ladies teams (some even rugby-related) is available on the ladies page at www.highfield-rugby.com Highfield ladies wish to thank the club and members for their on-going support and interest and wish Harry Matson the very best in his Presidential year. We also wish Dave O’Brien, John Murphy and the Senior Squad and all other Highfield teams the very best in the season ahead. Membership Fees: Your membership fee is due now. All persons using the facilities of the club must be paid up members. Payment please to Billy Duggan. Failure to pay your annual subscription will result in embarrassment. Social Update; Members are advised to visit our website, scan the notice boards, visit the club or consult with our many office volunteers for details of social events throughout the season. Supporters Business; Our sincere thanks to all our supporters who came in such huge numbers to our games last season. On days when first division matches were also being played in Cork we had bigger attendances. Anyone interested in travelling to our away matches by coach should contact Martin McNally. Keep up the good work. Our Thanks To.... To all our Sponsors who are continuing to support us during these trying times for everyone. All members are asked to promote and support them accordingly To all our volunteers who continue to work in the background without a lot of recognition. Comments; If you have any comments to make, complaints to air, suggestions to put forward, stories to relate or photographs to donate please write to us and we will include them in the next issue if they are deemed appropriate. This newsletter will be available in hard copy at the club during match days in September and also on our website: www.highfield-rugby.com