Family, Friends and Trophies
This coming Friday 8th March is set to be one of the biggest nights of this, or any, season in Park Avenue when Railway celebrates all that’s important to us – family, friends and trophies !
Two international teams, one from France and one from the USA, arrive to take on two of Railway’s… whisper it…. never-ever-been-beaten sides…. the Legends and the Women’s 1sts.
Family and Old Friends
The Legends announced their squad this week to take on French side Les Gasbarians and have confirmed a number of debutants, as well as a unique twist on qualification to playing with the Legends.
“In the spirit of the Legends, we have decided that we will allow younger club members play with the team before their time on condition that they are only on the field at the same time as their fathers,” said Legends Team Manager Stuart Jones, “Therefore, we are delighted to call upon Josh Fallon and Tadgh Hennessy to guest with the Legends and play with their fathers Liam and Peter.”
Jones denied this was a ploy by Director of Rugby John Cronin to encourage another fifteen years out of John ‘Old Man Fitzy Ain’t What He Used To Be’ Fitzgerald in the hope he would continue to play until he could eventually take the field with his young son Eoin.
In keeping with the family theme, Graham Polley returns from Germany especially from the game and will take to the field in the Railway colours once more with elder brother Nick and afterwards there will be a presentation of the proceeds of the charity Carol Singing fundraising initiative undertaken by Railway players to Railway Legend Bernard McNally’s sister Theresa McCann of St Michaels House.
The Legends also have a number of debutants in Eoin Tippins, Keith Sothern, Daire Fitzgerald, Pat Noonan and Karl McDonagh.
New Friends
As well as new friends visiting us from France, the Women’s 1st team take on new friends from the US in the form of the Monmouth Renegades.
Railway Legend Pat Moroney, who is now based on New Jersey and is yet to confirm or deny he is togging out with the Legends on Friday, is the current head coach of the Monmouth men’s side and has facilitated the fixture between both of his clubs.
The Monmouth Renegades team are also due to visit Muckross College school in Donnybrook on Friday lunchtime to meet the girls participating in Railway’s Jones Lang LaSalle Girls Schools Rugby 7s Programme.
Monmouth’s Colleen Dwyer said the team were “thrilled to the playing a team like Railway” and were immensely looking forward their time in Dublin. The Monmouth Renegades are a highly regarded side and will be the biggest test to date for Shirley Corcoran’s team.
Trophies
Representatives from the Leinster Branch will be in Park Avenue to present Railway’s three winning league teams – the Men’s 1sts, Men’s 2nds and Women’s 1sts – with their respective winners trophies and league pennants from the most successful season in Railway’s history.
It promises to be a huge night and all support is welcome.
Timeline
6.30pm: Railway Legends v Les Gasbarians (FRA)
Officials: Filipe Fiel, George Walsh and Ciaran O’Brien (all ALRB)
7.30pm: Trophy Presentation On Main Pitch
7.45pm: Women’s 1sts v Monmouth Renegades (US)
Officials: Tim Townsend, David Robb and Filipe Fiel (all ALRB)
Here we come !
What a attractive program
Thank for welcome us
See you tomorrow
Can’t wait to see Liam Fallon and Peter Hennessy make tools of themselves!
Looking forward to seeing Ben and Tess McNally though
So……. what happened in the game against the Monmouth team? Those of us back in the USA are wondering and wishing we could have been there. Maybe next time.