Top week-end of local rugby with four big wins

The U15’s had an entertaining win over Highfield in Cork. The U17’s put in a massive away win over Clonmel to put themselves in contention for a top of the table finish.
On Sunday, the U19s put in a huge effort to get the better of Young Munster. The first XV had a tight win over old rivals Skibereen to put us clear second on the table with 2 games left. Both games were played before huge crowds for Knocknacolan.

A few interesting fixtures for the week-end with the first XV taking on St. Marys in the 4th round of the Junior Cup.

Save the Date – Interpro Match Announced
The Interpro game Munster Versus Ulster has been fixed for Saturday 5th May. This will be a big day for the club and we hope to have a huge crowd and maybe a representative(s) aswell. We will have further up-dates closer to the event.

Touring side.
We have the honour of hosting Aylesford touring team for our U 17-18 players on Sunday the 19th February. We will have more details close to the date for this game aswell. This will be an interesting game as we have a very talented age group that will come up against a different style of rugby playing team .

Clonmel RFC 7 – 32 Kanturk RFC
The 17s travelled to Clonmel for their latest game in the U17 pan Munster league on Saturday. To follow up on their hard earned win against Ennis the previous week Kanturk knew they would have to be at their very best at the Tipperary venue. From the off Clonmel looked dangerous and it wasn’t long before they opened their account with a well worked try which they duly converted. The concession of an early try seemed to spark Kanturk to life and they piled on the pressure through some outstanding work from their forwards in particular Denis O Donoghue and Conor O Sullivan. Two tries from James Sherlock and a conversion and penalty from out half Paul O Keeffe set Kanturk on their way in the opening period. The second half saw no let up from the Kanturk side and further tries from Sean Cremin, Conor O Sullivan and Ronan O Brien plus a conversion from Paul O Keeffe finished off the Tipp side. Some outstanding defensive work from the visiting team kept Clonmel from crossing for a consolation score at the end. Despite the concession of the early score this was an outstanding display from Kanturk with every player giving a great account. Kanturks replacements came in to great effect to ensure the visitors remained dominant throughout. Next up for the lads are Listowel at home on Saturday with a kick off at 12.00 pm. A win here would ensure Kanturk top spot in their group and a home draw in the Munster quarter final.
Team, R O Brien, C Moylan, A O Brien, S Cremin, J Sherlock, P O Keeffe, C O Keeffe, C O Sullivan, C Boyce, E Breen, N Harman, J McAuliffe, D O Sullivan, D O Donoghue, P Collins. Replacements, T Murphy, S O Callaghan, P O Connor, P O Callaghan, M O Sullivan, P Hogan.

U19’s Eat the Cookies for Sunday Morn Breakfast
A lively and entertaining game in the U19 Munster competition saw The Duhallow outfit come out on top. Playing up the hill but with a big wind, Kanturk lead 3- 0 in the first half. A major talking point was a dis allowed try in the corner by one of the teams outstanding players Mark Healy. Young Munster stalwart Johnny Casey was close on hand to influence the ref in favour of the Limerick side.

A strong second half showing did not yield the result as the visitors came back to level with a few minutes to go. Bernie Daly and Conor O Donoghue excelled in the pack and Jack Berkley showed his class in the backs to give the home side a vital lift. A great turnover was the impressive Mark Healy ended up with Kanturk piling on the pressure in the bottom half. Daniel Sheehan scoring in the corner. It is not fair to pick out indivuals as all players put in an honest and impressive display. Shouted on by the boisterous crowd, Kanturk finished stronger but face a difficult tie against Nenagh this Friday night under lights in the Tipp venue.

Footnote – A twit from Celebrity Butcher Jack McCarthy was seen online at 1.15 on Sunday saying – "Munsters Bate and Casey gone home…"


And then there were two
Kanturk maintained the pressure on Richmond in the Division 1 Munster Junior league after grinding out a 9 points to 7 victory over Skibbereen in this all Cork encounter. Both teams entered the match in joint 2nd position so the stakes were high. Coming off a strong performance in Waterford last week and playing in fortress Knocknacolan there was huge expectation from the Kanturk faithful. The U19's had pulled off a magnificent victory over Limerick giants Young Munster earlier in the day so the mantle lay with the Junior team to produce a similar result.
The game started in frantic fashion with both sides battling vigorously to gain supremacy. Several deep forays into the Skibbereen 22 by Philippe Trippier and Gary Piggott almost yielded scores for Kanturk but the vital try scoring pass or grubber kick would not go to hand allowing Skibbereen to clear their lines. The Kanturk lineout was functioning like a well oiled machine whilst the Kanturk scrum spearheaded by Bryan "Nailor" O'Neill did not yield an inch. Paul Cotter and Darach Meade at 9 and 10 respectively were pulling the strings, quickening the play which suited the mobile Kanturk pack. However despite having the majority of possession in the opening 20 minutes Kanturk could not breach the "Skib" defence and as the half progressed the away team grew in confidence. Several big carries from their loose forwards allowed quick ruck ball which greatly stretched the Kanturk rear guard and only massive hits from the impressive Dan McCabe and man of the match Michael O'Sullivan kept the red and white tide at bay. Eventually the resolute Kanturk defence creaked though and a few missed tackles allowed the rampaging Skibbereen loose head prob to bundle over the Kanturk whitewash with the resulting conversion being scored. Try as they may, Kanturk could not garner an effective response and "Skib" continued to threaten leaving the score 7-0 at half time.
The second half was a dogged tight affair with neither side making any real head way. Playing up the hill but backed by a strong wind, Kanturk tried to impose themselves by playing rugby in the oppositions half and moving the ball quickly but this Skib side continued to justify their league position by thwarting any momentum Kanturk tried to create. With 25 minutes to go the "Turks" management decided to mix things up and introduced Michael "Twigs" Twohig and Conor Sullivan. With a loss certainly ruling out any title hopes, Kanturk begun to realise that a response had to be mounted and fast. An enticing garryowen kicked by Paul Cotter and an effective chase from Twohig resulted in a penalty which Munster's leading junior points scorer Darach Meade duly dispatched. This score instilled some believe into Kanturk and they begun to take the game to Skib. Strong carries from the Kanturk back row put their opponents on the back foot resulting in another penalty for offside. Meade carried out the necessaries and only 1 point separated the teams. Kanturk were now playing with a fierce intensity and aggression matched with controlled discipline. Another penalty was awarded against the Skib number 9 for offside at scrum time (Nailor insisted the penalty was front row related.. Hmmm) and Meade being in a prolific scoring mood split the posts with a great pressure kick. Now leading for the first time in the game, Kanturk had to withstand a late rally from Skib but resolute defending kept the West Cork side at bay for the final minutes. A failed penalty kick in the last action of the game left the score at 9-7 ensuring victory for the North Cork Club. Knocknacolan erupted into scenes of jubilation and an historic victory was topped off by a great night at the annual club quiz.
Kanturk now lay in second place and with only 2 games left in the league its still all to play for.
On a separate note, well done to the quiz winners Nek Minnit and also for the outstanding "humming" performance by Johnny "All the Single Ladies" O'Sulllivan.
By Michael Twohig

Quiz Report
Another memorable quiz night was had in the Kanturk RFC Clubrooms. A striking statistic was revealed that each time a quiz has been held, Kanturk have won the game beforehand. With the U19’s gone home to study for the mocks and a few college students gone back to do “ assignments”, it was largely a mature crowd.
The highlights were again the Humm a song round where the Rebel gave a poor performance (Britney Spears). However, Vincent Meade gave a rousing version of The Fiddler on the Roof classic “If I was a rich man”. Unfortunately his team mates didn’t get it.

A massive shout out to Ned English for sponsoring most of the prizes. Also to Jack McCarthy Butchers who had a spot prize to Jimmy Murphy Nadd’s Nackers. Noel Sheehan’s Winky Wanky Birds came in second and Nek Minnit superbly captained by Brain box and member of the Management coaching Team Patrick FitzPatrick.
The True/False round was won by Mick Scan. His knowledge of Facebook won the day.
A great night entertainment was had which was followed by a bit of a Sing-song and a one man Haka by Phillipe Trippier.


Charity Donation.
Sister Helen of Mercy HouseKanturk wanted to pass on her thanks for the 500 Euro cheque that was donated last Sunday. This was a result of the St.Stephens Day Tag tournament and topped up by the club itself. The funds will be vital to the existing services that are carried out for the elderly in the community.

Forecast Tickets. – 500 Euro Prize
Please support our forecast competition on this years 6 Nations Championship. These proceeds go into the running of the club and are much needed and are available from players/members and some selected outlets in the area.


Fixtures
Friday 27th
U19 V Nenagh under Lights in Nenagh 8.00

Saturday 28th Both in Knocknacolan
U 10 Blitz Saturday Morning 10.30 am.
U17 V Listowel 12.00 Pan Munster Competition.

Sunday 28th

Mick Barry Cup
Cobh Pirates V Kanturk Cobh 12.00

Munster Junior Cup
Kanturk V St. Marys – Kanturk 2.30

Hello Rugby Followers

A contrasting week-end just gone with our underage winning and our Juniors suffering a setback.

Munster Representative Players.
Two of the U17 squad played against the Sweeden U 19 National Team in Cork on Wednesday night. Congrats to Prop Forward Denis O Sullivan and Loose Forward Conor O Sullivan who played in the 20-20 draw. A huge honor to play for Munster at any level. We hope this is a stepping stone for the lads and to the other Kanturk players on the Munster Cadets.

* Also we would like to mention that the Munster team was managed by Director of Rugby Tony Daly, another great honor for Tony.*

The Kanturk U 17 Team now play in the Premier Pan Munster Competition and take on Ennis this Saturday at 11.30 in Knocknacolan. If the match is any bit as good as last weeks win over Bandon, than its a great hours entertainment with great skill and speed on show. Please see report below and thanks to Brendan Moylan for complying it.

Kanturk 15 – 8 Bandon.
The U17s hosted Bandon in a crucial tie last Saturday morning to decide their fate in the regular league and their qualification for the pan Munster League. Due to the loss of key players due to injury this contest was the ultimate test of the strength and depth of the squad. After a rocky opening period where the visitors contested and often dominated the exchanges, the dead lock was finally broken when Paul O Keeffe finished off a snipping run and finished in the corner. Bandon replied shortly after with a penalty following a period of pressure to the Kanturk line. However, Kanturk were now beginning to shake off the rustiness from the Christmas break and were becoming more dominant up front, following some superb work from the forwards in particular Ciaran Boyce, Conor O Sullivan and Denis O Sullivan, centre Billy O Gorman crossed for a try to leave the score 10 – 3 at the short whistle.
The second half offered the home team the chance to dominate possession and this they did to great effect through their forwards who put together some great phases to deny Bandon any quality ball. Eventually Kanturks pressure paid off when Paul O Connor crashed over for the decisive score to leave the score 15-3 going into the last ten minutes. Bandon to be fair did not fade out of the game and threw everything at the Kanturk defence to score their only try with minutes left, some resolute defending however meant Kanturk closed out the game and qualified for the South Munster league semi final and ensured pan Munster qualification.

Team. R O Brien, C Moylan, A O Brien, B O Gorman, J Sherlock, P O Keeffe, C O Keeffe, J McAuliffe, D O Donoghue, D O Sullivan, N Harman, P O Connor, E Breen, C Boyce, C O Sullivan. Replacements, M O Brien, S O Callaghan, T Murphy, J Bradley, M O Sullivan.

U17 Munster League. Kanturk v Ennis, Saturday 14th , Knocknacolan. Kick off at 11.30 am. All support welcome.

Our U19's also had a strong win against our Kingdom rivals Tralee. This was a complete performance and it is unfair to pick anyone out but Pat Joe and Tim Cremin were fantastic also not forgetting Mikey. In all seriousness, all players played well including Luke in the front row and Bernie in the Back row and Mark Healy in the backs scored two fantastic trys. Dan Drake came on in the wing position and also caught the eye. They play St Senans in a friendly this week-end and look forward to hosting Young Munster in Knoknacolan in the coming weeks in our own Killing Fields. Im sure the Cookies will have one lone supporter from Kanturk for that one.

Scrap Metal
Please note that the club are still collecting scrap metal and need another push in the coming weeks. Please contact Con Goggin or Jerry Collins for further information.

Boot Recycling Programme
Any boots apart from blades are wanted for a recycling scheme. Anyone that has an old/spare/unwanted pair please bring them to the club so that they can be put to good use.

Second XV Go down Fighting
The Junior B's lost out 7-0 to a much fancied Old Christians side. However this is a good reflection compared to the start of the season when we were well beaten by the same side. The tackling was hugely impressive and with Steven The Bulldog McAullife pulling the strings at 10 and centers Mark Fitz and Damien Stokes playing well, Old Christians found the going tough. Calvin Noonan was a collosus in the lineout, showing age does not matter on the rugby field. The Team just missed out on All Ireland qualification and will look back on the Cork Con defeats with regret. However, with a few cups left, there is plenty life in the season yet.

Crosshaven put dent in Kanturk Campaign
A poor performance in the East Cork venue resulted in a 23-14 loss to the All Ireland Champions. Kanturk were impressive at the start and continued pressure against the wind resulted in Johnny O Sullivan going over in the corner. However, two try's in the 1st half for Croasshaven, one just before half time swung the momentum to the home side. Brian O Neill was a stand out player but too many unforced error's did not help the Duhallow side. Another try from a scrum to the home side all but finished the tie. However, enterprising play in the last quarter was rewarded with a Phillipe Trippier try in the corner. We hope to re-group for the vital clash against Waterpark this Sunday in the Sunny South East venue.With 4 games left to play and a few of the top teams playing each other, the league is still open. Waterpark have only recently come down from Senior Ranks and have a large catchment area to draw players from. We expect a massive game in prospect.

The players acknowledge the large support that came to Crosshaven last Sunday and were disappointed that the performance did not merit the great numbers. The season continues and there is lots more rugby to be played.

Fixtures

Saturday

U17 Munster Comp

Kanturk V Ennis - Knocknacolan - 11.30

Sunday

J1 League Clash

Waterpark V Kanturk - Ballinakill 2.30

Please feel free to email kanturkrugby@gmail.com for anything that you want added to the newsletter. Also, please forward anyones email address that may be interested.

Good Morning Sports Fans,

Another good week for the Duhallow Rugby club with the big winners being the U19's.

The facilities at Knocknacolan can now accommodate nighttime rugby. On Thursay night a combination of U14/15's played Charleville. The visitors started off with a few early try's as they were a bigger and physical side. However, encouragement from coaches Tony Daly, Darach Meade and Mick Breen made for a huge improvement in tackling as the game progressed. The good interplay between backs and forwards resulted in a great fightback and Kanturk replied with a few choice trys themselves. Good to see a large number of parents in attendance.

The U17's suffered another lose to West Munster opponents on Saturday morning. Abbeyfeale overcoming them in good conditions. The size of the squad is a comfort to the coaches compared to last season.

U19's More than a Match for Midleton

The under 19s left the square early on Sat morning heading for a tough game against Midelton. They had to make a rather early pit stop on the way at Roskeen to collect kicking coach Pat joe Cremin who was rather under the weather :) Kanturk recieved the kick out and played great rugby in the first half hour with Mark Healy and Sean Piggot going over for tries. healy failed to covert his own try from the touch line but Jack Birtly converted from under the sticks. A lack of discipline from the Kanturk boys led to a Midleton penalty followed by a Midleton try. A few words of inspiration from coach Tim Cremin and linesman Miky Cremin helped the boys to get back in the game and finish strong with Birtly taking a quick tap and going under sticks follwed again by another try by Healy . Healy converted both and Kanturk finished worthy winners by a score line of 33-8. Strong performances by Danny Mullane Mark Healy and Jack Birtly while a massive performance by the pack turned over most Midleton scrums giving the backs a strong platform.
Thanks To Kevin Mac for the report.*

Kanturk Keep On Track
Kanturk maintained their fine form in this their sixth game in the Munster Junior league. Having lost to Tralee earlier in the season in the Junior Challenge Cup they knew that they were going to face a stiff task especially as they kicked off into a strong wind. Kanturk started brightly and for the first 10 minutes dominated the game with the forward's winning the battle up front and the backs threatening in attack, but against the run of play they found themselves trailing 7-0 after Tralee scored a soft try which they converted. From a lineout outside the 22 Tralee all too easily picked and drove to the line and while there was a question mark over a double movement the try stood. Moments later Kanturk lost John O`Sullivan to what looked to be a serious hand injury and some might have thought that the Gods were against Kanturk but after an absence of 10 minutes John was back on the field in what was a miraculous recovery. Kanturk were going well now but could not capitalise on their dominance, the pack led by their outstanding captain Dan McCabe continued to edge the bruising battle up front, with solid scrums and clean lineout’s Paul Cotter had quality ball to give to his dangerous backline but persistent infringements by Tralee were keeping Kanturk at bay and although the penalties were coming it was Darach Meade`s 4th attempt that finally got the better of the strong wind to make it 7-3 with 5 minutes to halftime. On the restart Kanturk infringed and Tralee were awarded a penalty which was well kicked by Gareth Walsh to leave the score 10-3 in the Kerry men’s favour at half time.

The strong wind was now in Kanturk`s favour and they picked up where they left off in the 1st half, strong play by the forwards again resulted in a penalty but this time the referee had enough and produced a yellow card leaving Tralee down to 14. McCabe smelling blood passed on the penalty kick and instead went for the corner and after a sustained attack on the Tralee line John O`Sullivan eventually raced over to score in the corner. It was back to business as usual for Meade as he split the posts to tie the game at 10-10. Credit to Tralee they upped their game and for the next 15 minutes had the lion’s share of possession but were met with a fierce defence and rarely passed Kanturks 10 metre line. When Kanturk did have possession they lost it too easily, the lineout began to malfunction, the ruck became messy with slow ball the result. A draw looked to be on the cards but the sideline reacted and emptied the bench and with fresh legs aboard the tie started to swing back in Kanturks favour. Tralee could no longer withstand the pressure and finally conceded a penalty in front of the posts which Darach converted to the relief of the travelling support. Dan McCabe uncharacteristically knocked on the restart to give Tralee a rare visit to the 22 and there were nervous moments but a powerful drive by Kanturks pack in the resultant scrum earned them a penalty and the danger was averted. In the remaining minutes Tralee tried to penetrate the Kanturk defence but it was to be in vain.Final score Tralee 10 Kanturk 13.
By Karlton O'Leary

Kanturk: Karlton O'Leary, Conor O'Sullivan, Bryan O'Neill, Barra Buckley, Ed English, Mick Sullivan, Johnny O'Sullivan, Dan McCabe, Paul Cotter Darach Meade, Daithi Fitzpatrick, Steven McAuliffe. John Duggan, Keelan Buckley & Peter Earlie.
Subs: Pete McCabe, Brendan Kelleher, Damien McNamara, Malcolm O'Leary & Jack Murphy all played.

This Weeks Fixtures.

Couple of interesting fixtures this week-end. The Second XV will face a tough task against Old Christians under lights at the Rathcooney venue on a Saturday night. A lot of players expressed concern in that they may miss the start of X-factor! The First team face Thurles at home on Sunday and hope a big crowd can turn out for this vital clash. This will also give supporters an opportunity to see some unusual facial designs on some of the players. These may look strange but is actually for a good cause - {Irish Cancer Society].

Please see the link below for those that wish to donate or have a chuckle :¢

http://ie.movember.com/mospace/2535648/

Mini Rugby

U8's U9's & U10's have a blitz in Fermoy on Saturday 19th
Bus leaving Clubhouse at 09:30 - € 3 per person

U11's & U12's have a match at home on Saturday 19th against Castleisland.

Kick Off at 11 AM

No training for U7's this weekend.

[Please remember that the phone number 087-7834797 that will have a message on the Week-end Fixtures for the Mini's.]

Saturday 19th November

U13 - Mallow v Kanturk, Mallow, 10.00

U17 - Cobh Pirates v Kanturk, Cobh, 12.30

South Junior 2 League Section D: Old Christians v Kanturk, Rathcooney, 7.30

Sunday 20th November Division 1

Kanturk v Thurles, Kanturk, 2.30

Hope to see you all in the Clubhouse after the game for some after match activities and a drink and a chat.

**Club Table Tennis Tournament to be played over the remainder of the season. Open to All. Entry 5 Euros. Cup and Plate [for 1st round losers] competitions.**

Have a good week.

Yours in Rugby
Kanturk RFC

Mixed fortunes for teams across the board this week with another win for the 1st XV to keep them near the contenders of the table.

Saturday Morning saw a host of kids playing rugby on our new pitch in good weather conditions.

The U13's opened the days proceeding against Shandon. The team is coached by Mick Breen, ably assisted by John Cronin. Director of Rugby Tony Daly was on hand encouraging the kids in the spirit of the game. They had a comprehensive win scoring some great trys and showing some unbelievable skill that some of the juniors should take note of. Captain of the day was Daire O Keeffe who was very impressive. Thanks to Paul Cotter for an excellent display of refereeing.

The U15's lost to a very strong Fermoy side. Coaches on the line for the day were Darragh Meade and Dan McCabe who although disappointed with a lose, were happy with the performance. Jack Murphy and Jack McCabe were impressive. Credit to John Duggan for a complete refereeing performance.

The U17's took a bit of a hiding Sun morning against a Tralee side bringing them down to earth. With a few players missing due to GAA commitments, a few fringe players performed really well and will give headaches for the coaches for the upcoming games.

** The state of the playing pitches has not gone unnoted and credit to Mick Riordian and his field team for the great work been done. **

Killer B's Miss Golden Opportunity
Our Second XV took on a physical Cork Con side and missed out on a famous win by one point. The hits were ferocious and Kanturk were well on top in the 1st half. A great break by the lively Scrum Half Olan Daly opened up the scoring. A penalty for a high hit on Thady Jack lead to a lineout deep within the 22. Roared on the bosterious crowd, the forwards drove over with Kelloggs getting the vital touchdown. A Con comeback was evident and they went over for a try. A John Cronin penalty got Kanturk up to 13 points. Unfortunately, the second half contained a few missed kicks and Cork Con went 14-13 ahead and that is how it finished. U19 player Jack Birkley certainty showed his class and with a good squad of players hopefully this team can finish the season strong.

Footnote - Also spotted in the crowd was Jerry Collins of Autoroller.ie, one of the club sponsors. Many would have seen his interview on TG4 Friday evening before the Leinster V Munster game. Unfortunately, Jerry was not taking any interviews on Sunday.

Kanturk hold off Persistent Pirates
After the highs of our win over Clonmel, it was a tough task to repeat the same level of performance. Kanturk started well and field position put us into the Kilbrin Road corner. Good throw by Conor O Sullivan lead to a massive drive with Karlton O Leary claiming the touchdown. From the corner, Darragh kicked an impressive conversion. Failure to claim the kick offs put us on the back foot at times and Cobhs quick play and tap penalty resulted in a try for the visitors. However, a good run up the line by Peter Early gave us good territory again. The continued pressure eventually paid off as MIck Sullivan and Dan McCabe went over the line only to be held up. A solid scrum and quick pass by the captain lead to Paul Cotter going over in the Club house corner. Another difficult conversion was slotted over By DM.

Kanturk lost Gary Pigott to a broken nose but more importantly, Gary may have lost a Calvin Klein Modelling contract that he was in contention for these last few months. The joys of Junior Rugby. Keelan Buckley, who impressed in the B game replaced Gary and showed that the Knocknagree GAA training has a high fitness emphasis. More good work by both forwards and backs lead to a penalty but instead of wasting time asking for the tee etc, Meado decided to drop kick it over from almost 40 yards. Halftime 17-5.

The second half with the sun in our eyes was largely a defensive one. A few mistakes and incorrect decisions kept us under pressure. However, last ditch tackles and Cobh knock ons kept them out till 8 minutes to go when good play by their backs lead to a converted try. We held on for the win as the last few plays as the pirates were on the attack. We face a make or break game now against Tralee next Sunday in the Kerry venue. Having lost to Tralee 9-6 in the cup already this season, a huge game should be in prospect. Hopefully the travelling support that was in Clonmel can make their way across the border to the kingdom.

Meade/Bird take out the Doubles Title
Darragh Meade and the Bird beat Con Sull and Con Breen in the inaugural Table Tennis Doubles final. The bird puts it down as skill has no age. Most spectators would put it down to Meade continuing his good form on the field to the table tennis table. Keep an eye out for more after match activites in the coming weeks.

Fixtures

U15
Cork Constitution v Kanturk, Mahon, 10.45

U14
Cork Constitution v Kanturk, Temple Hill, 12.00

U19
Midleton v Kanturk, Towns Park, 11.00

U17
Kanturk V Abbeyfeale - Knocknacolan -11.00 {TBC - Contact Mac/Bird/B Moylan}

Munster Junior League Div 1
Tralee v Kanturk, Tralee, 2.30;
Please Support

Yours in Rugby
Kanturk RFC

Please feel free to email kanturkrugby@gmail.com to add friends / family or for any feedback which would be greatly appreciated.

Hello Sports Fans

Another great week for this small club from the country. The first XV had an away victory that made the headlines in The Irish Examiner and the Evening Echo.

The underage success continues each week. A reminder that the Phone number for the Mini Rugby is 087-7834797 Please pass on this number to parents involved to improve the access of information as there will be a message left on there each week.

As the numbers have increased so much in these last few years, we are one of the few clubs that can field an U14 and U15 team on the same day. Tony and Darach with a few much needed volunteers took the two teams to CBC in Cork last Saturday. Tony reports that although there was two losses, they played great rugby with many playing for the first time. With a few more players to come back for the U15's another good season should be in store. The important factor here is that there are large numbers playing rugby which is the reason the club exists.

U17 Minimize Midleton - Kanturk 39 – 0 Midleton.
Despite the focus being very much on Charleville and the fate of “Birds” greyhound, Kanturks U17s produced a top drawer performance on Saturday in the league to gain maximum points. Despite some close early exchanges Kanturk were never in trouble and went in at the short whistle 22-0 in front with trys from Conor O Sullivan, Alan O Brien, Paul O Keeffe and Billy O Gorman with O Keeffe adding a conversion. Midleton to be fair rallied in the second period and produced some good rugby to trouble Kanturk and at times looked like they could make serious inroads into the home sides lead. Further tries from O Brien, Sean Cremin and O Gorman plus a conversion from O Keeffe sealed the visitors fate. Best for Kanturk on the day were the front row trio of Patrick Collins, Denis O Donoghue and Denis O Sullivan with scrum half Conor O Keeffe and wing Conor Moylan all looking lively. The final whistle was greeted with joy of the news of “Birds” greyhound having done the real business of the day and ensuring Sunday was going to be a long one for both of them.

Thanks to Brendan Moylan for the report.

U19 Keep Old Christians Scoreless
The game started with kanturk recieving the kick off ..Kanturk played deep in christians half and had christians on the back foot from the start .Kanturk game close many times but just couldnt cross the line .. teams went into the break all square . Kanturk came out at half time all guns blazing and had 2 penalty attempts with out half jack birtly narrowly missing.. christians then turned over ball on the half way line and it took a last ditch tackle by no.8 Kevin Mc Sweeney and second row Calvin Noonan to stop the winger from going in.. The match ended in a nil all draw but it was a good game for kanturk as they needed game time before playing dolphin this weekend ..
Also good performances by Sean Piggot and dan drake aswell as the whole pack who stook together trough out the match
Thanks to Kevin Mc for the report.

Kanturk Overcome Clonmel.
With the new Drink Driving laws in place last week-end a Bus was the order of the day to carry the team and thirsty supporters.

Against the wind in the first half, in the fablous grounds of Clonmel most people would think the visitors would struggle. However, these players showed their intent early on and carried through the entire first half. The first penalty to Kanturk was greeted with a roar that was heard in the Bulmers factory 3 miles away. The Kanturk team let Clonmel know they were in for a game and so did the vocal Kanturk supporters.

Like all games, the battle up front was key and all the forwards impressed. Mick Sullivan and Karlo putting in big hits, The Nailor and Johnny Sull making big gains. After an earlier miss, D Meade curved a lovely ball over the post for Kanturk to lead 3-0.

The lose of Phillipe Trippier to injury was certainty a blow as his catching from Garryowens has been immense. His linking up with Back 3 Gazza, Pete Early and Daithi Fitz kept the Clonmel backline on thier toes. However, Steven "Bulldog" McAulliffe was an able replacement in the center with John Duggan [ Fresh from making a best man sppech for his brother Denis the day before] who also make a few good inroads.

The tackling and defense out of Kanturk was impressive. Conor O Sullivan making numerous tackles and was hitting his men including the imperious Richie Philpott in the lineouts. A good break by Barra Buckley and good scrum technique lead to another Meade Penalty. With 25 to go, Kanturk keep the pressure on and another trademark hit by Mick Sull spilled the ball near the Clonmel Tryline. A neat little backheel that Lionel Messi would be proud of by Richie lead to halfback P. Cotter diving over for his first try of the season. The distance covered to score may not have been much, but at 5-Ft 6 inchs, every distance covered is a lot for the SFO founder. Meade slotted over from the corner flag and we were sucking diesel.

Clonmel fought back to score a try that they deserved. They have won a lot of games this season and have a good number of high quality players. However, towards the end of the game, Coach Mike Murphy [assisted by Pat Fitz and Kieran Fitz] made good use of the bench introducing Big Damo for a few carries, Ned English for his usual workrate and Bobo who won a massive penalty with his Front Row Colleagues. Darach Meade who got the better of his opposite number and former Senior Munster player Ben Martin slotted the penalty 16-5. Dan McCabe covered massive ground and lead like all great captains.

A major talking point in the dressing room after the game were the supporters. The sheer volume of them. The noise they made. And how happy they were when we won. Their impact on the game was a major factor in key moments. The players are humbled that people give up their free time and spend money to travel to support the team.

Nailor, sang in the dresing room, Margaret Cotter sang in Clonmel Carpark, Twigs sang on the bus, Jimmy did the MC, Mick Breen organised the logistics and everyone got drunk. All in all a good Bank Holiday Week-end.

A great win but still early days in the league. Unfortunately, the injury list is increasing and with 3 games over the next 3 week, the squad will be severly tested.

Cobh at home this week is another big test for Kanturk and with the Second XV playing Cork Con beforehand, a great day of rugby is expected.


This weeks Fixtures:

Saturday 5th November
U19 - Kanturk v Dolphin, Kanturk, 12.30

U15 - Kanturk v Fermoy, Kanturk, 12.30;

South Under 14 League: Kanturk v Charleville, Kanturk, 11.00

South Under 13 League: Kanturk v Shandon, Kanturk, 11.00


SUNDAY 6th NOVEMBER

Munster Junior League Division 1:
Kanturk v Cobh Pirates, Kanturk, 2.30

South Junior 2 League
Kanturk v Cork Constitution, Kanturk, 12.00

Table Tennis Tournie
The Table tennis continues with a short doubles tournament. With Richie Philpott in the US on business, the title is wide open. This week will be only Doubles in a points knockout system. This is open to all players, supporters , and hustlers. A small entry fee and a prize will be part and parcel of the event.

Stay Classy Kanturk Rugby !

Kia ora - All hail the All Blacks

Kanturk Player gets Irish Call
After last weeks Newsletter, word had filtered through via the social media that Mark Healy had been called into the Irish Youths Squad. Marks progress had been documented here and to make a national squad in any sport or form is an unbelievable achievement. We are all very proud of Marks call up and all the coaches involved. Mark goes into camp next month along with the future of Irish rugby. We hope to get Mark for a short interview here in a couple of weeks. Well done again on this achievement.


Mini Rugby New Hotline.
With the great number of mini players and parents, the club have gone all out and provided a hotline so those involved can call to get the fixtures and times for each week.
087-7834797
Please pass on this number to any parent you know for ease of access of communication. Mini Rugby continues this Sunday @ 11.00 for everyone.

U19's Lose out to Youghal
Our youths team put in a brave performance against a bigger Youghal side last Sunday. In wet conditions, a close encounter ensured and the team lost out 22-17. However the coaching ticket of the PMT Cremin Triplets - [PJ, Mikey,Tim] were happy with the performance and think this side will do well this season. Sean Piggott opened the scoring with a try which Mark Healy converted. Healy also went in for a try and also another well taken one by Eoin O Callaghan. Stand out performances by Ian O Connell as well as Bernie and Barry Daly.

Kanturk Out Muscle Muskerry in J2
In what has been described as some of the worst conditions ever, our second XV put in a comprehensive performance winning 32-17. With the dreadful conditions, to score 5 try's all from the backs was a great feat. There has been a crisis in the No 9 jersey in the last few weeks and a man that knows about a crisis or two, step up Willie "Lopez" Ahern. He gave a bit of old school rugby that the Muskerry lads could not handle. Ahern and Brendan "Scobie" Cotter re-united the half back partnership that was last seen in Pat The Guards 1994 U18 team.

The Buckley brothers in the center also caused havoc. Barra, home for the weekend and speedster Keelan broke the line on a number of occasions. Shane Dineen came on and topped off his performance with a try. John Cronins departure at halftime was a major talking point but the leadership of Thady McSweeney did not disrupt Kanturk. Con Coggin came on for a little cameo - [its worth mentioning]. Also kudos to David O Sullivan from Millstreet who scored off a deft Willie Lopez kick. David in his first year of rugby has impressed many of Kanturks supporters. Next game appears to be against Cork Con at home on 6th November where a big scalp can be taken based on this performance.


Kanturk face Top of the Table Clonmel
This Sunday sees Kanturk take on many peoples Favourites for the league Clonmel in the Tipp venue. With 4 games over the next 4 weeks, this will be a massive test. Please check out www.kanturkrugby.com for the usual pre match stats. There is a Bus leaving @ 11.15 Sunday morning for all A + B players that want to travel aswell as the usual suspects.
Clonmel V Kanturk Sunday 30th November 2.30.

Please feel free to email kanturkrugby@gmail.com for anything that you want added to the newsletter. Also, please forward anyones email address that may be interested.

Kanturk Awarded Interpro
The news filtered through during the week that the Munster Junior Vs Ulster game at the end of this season has been given to the Knocknacolan venue. This is a huge honour with the last one in 1989 [ Brian Mac featuring Vs Connacht - who he thought were Leinster according to his performance in the quiz]. The club will throw a good spread and a great occasion should be in store. Hopefully there will be a representative or two from Kanturk aswell.

Big Win for U17
Kanturk 20- 14 Mallow.

Tries from Denis Duggan, James Sherlock and Eoin Breen, a drop goal from Sean Cremin and a conversion from Paul O Keeffe got Kanturk off to a winning start in their league campaign against Mallow. Alan O Brien also impressed for the MBM [Mac Bird Meatie] trained team. Next match is away to Fermoy 22nd October.

Munster Youths claim big Victory
Mark Healy finished off the interpros in style in their win over Connacht. Mark, playing @ outside center scored a vital try in the victory and rounded off a great campaign. Mark made an excellent speech in the Kanturk clubrooms Sunday evening thanking all the coaches and people involved.

Mini rugby continues @ 11.00 Sun mornings and reports that over 100 kids were catered for last Sunday is a credit to the club and all involved. We thank those coaches and parents in giving up their free time. The future is bright.

Kanturk too strong for Kilfeacle
The Junior XV had their first home game of the entire season and after the disappointment of last week, a victory of any kind would have been welcomed. However, a 16-0 win is very encouraging for the season. Unfortunately, the game was held up for a while just before half time due to a horrific leg injury to the Kilfeacle out-half. We wish him a speedy recovery and would like to thank all those who helped out. The players appreciate that we are lucky to have Dr.Cormac Lyons as our club doctor.

Three penalties to Darragh Meade settled Kanturk. And With 10 minutes to go on our own line, a great steal by Johnny Sullivan and a great chase by Luke McCabe who off-loaded to Meade who raced from 60 meters out to score under the posts - D. Meade 16- 0 Kilfeacle.

With such a great performance compared to the week before, it is unfair to single out names but captain Dan McCabe was immense. Golden Oldies Mick Sullivan and Brian O Neill let it be known that they are no way near finished in the jersey. Great tackling on our line by props Bobo and Karlo kept the Tipp visitors scoreless. We now look forward to Old Christians next Sunday and hope another big crowd will turn up again. The large crowd certainty spurred on the players and with 2 home games this Sunday, value for money should be guaranteed.

Muddy Waters prove Know it alls
The Table Quiz was won by Team Muddy Waters and all who took part said it was the best ever. Ger Cotter was seen outside asking for the Doc as he has a pain in his chest from laughing. Highlights included - " Wheres the Ape in Duhallow" visual round and the unforgettable Hummmm a song to your quizmates round. Billy O Connors version of the Thin Lizzy Classic " The boys are back in town" was ah am mmmm memorable.

We would like to thank Sponsors - Philpotts Bar, Supervalu, Considines Quikpick, Kelly Bar and Ned English Potatoes who were asked and gave prizes without hesitation. And also to Aisling and Con Murphy for keeping the bar ticking over for the thirsty punters.

There are rumours of a mini Table Tennis competition for next Sunday after the games.

This Weeks Fixtures @ Home:

U19 Vs Fermoy 12.00 Saturday

Sunday 16th of October

Munster J2 League Vs Old Christians 12.30

Munster Division 1 League Vs Old Christians 2.30

Underage
Mark Healy put in another stellar performance in Donnybrook in Munster Youths 8-0 loss to Leinster. Pat Joe reports that the conditions did not make it easy for the players. He also mooted that a bus may travel to Galway with the U19's for the last of these interpros Vs Connacht to see Mark in action again. However that idea was mooted in Ronnies. Please contact PJ for anyone that may be interested. We wish Mark the best for next Saturday.

Also, the U17's played a friendly against Listowel and were comfortable winners. They play Mallow next Saturday in Knocknacolan 11.30 in what will be a cracker.

FUN FUN FUN TABLE QUIZ FUN FUN FUN TABLE QUIZ FUN FUN FUN
We encourage all to support the club next Sunday Vs Kilfeacle in what should be a bruising encounter. This is the first home game of the season of any kind and hope a big crowd will turn up for this Division 1 clash. The players are running a table quiz after which always proves to be a big hit. The QuizMaster has upped his game and promised a great evening's entertainment with a few surprise rounds.

C'mon Ireland....!

The closest we can get to Thady Jacks try last Sunday in Mallow - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpYMnb0Nglc

Next home game: Sunday Oct 9th - Versus Kilfeacle 2.30

Upcoming Events - Fun table quiz after Kilfeacle game.