IN-FORM Bruff will bid to stretch their unbeaten All-Ireland League run this year to ten games when they face Lansdowne in the Division Two play-off final at Anglesea Road, Dublin this Saturday (2pm).
Just six years on from gaining promotion from junior ranks Bruff RFC have already earned the right to compete in Division 1B of the All-Ireland League for the season.
It is something of a fairytale story for the club founded just 40 years ago and which only earned its place in Division 2 of the AIL in 2008.
Promotion secured
As both Bruff and final opponents Lansdowne have already secured their promotion to 1B, Saturday’s final provides the sides with an opportunity to claim some silverware at the end of a successful season.
In-form Bruff secured their promotion to Division 1B with a home victory over Malone last month. The Kilballyowen side later stretched their unbeaten run to nine games with a highly-impressive semi-final play-off win over Terenure College.
Bruff’s 35-13 success was secured courtesy of four tries from Patrick Thompson, Alan Bourke, Peter Malone and David Gardiner and 15 points from the boot of out-half Brian Cahill.
Lansdowne who finished 14 points clear of Bruff in the Division 2 table, defeated DLSP in the second play-off semi-final at the RDS.
Lansdowne, fielding a side which included several contracted players, including the likes of local man Stephen Keogh and Devin Toner, recorded a runaway 54-13 victory over Bruff in their regular season AIL meeting in October.
Saturday’s decider at Old Belvedere’s Anglesea Road grounds provides Bruff with an opportunity to avenge that defeat. Bruff head coach, Eoin Cahill said: “We were unfortunate to run up against a full-strength Lansdowne side earlier in the season.
“We started the game well, but they had a bonus-point on the bag at half-time after running in four tries in the ten minutes coming up to the break. We are hoping to give a good account of ourselves this weekend.”
Bruff are no strangers to All-Ireland League finals day. In 2007, despite earlier missing out on promotion, the south Limerick club won the Division 3 decider, securing an exciting 18-12 victory over Wanderers at Templeville Road.
Ironically, 12 months later, a season after which Bruff gained promotion to Division 2, the Kilballyowen Park side suffered defeat to Instonians in the Division 3 final at Donnybrook.
A welcome decision
Bruff’s Eoin Cahill again welcomed the decision to re-fix the play-off final meeting with Lansdowne for Saturday afternoon at 2pm from the previous night at 8pm as had originally been the case.
Cahill also praised the players’ attitude this season.
Bruff lost just twice in their 15-game regular season and finished a full ten points ahead of third-placed Terenure College.
“We are pleased with the way things have gone this season,” Eoin Cahill, a multiple AIL Division 1 medal winner with Shannon, said.
“With the lads in the squad, when they reach one goal ,they immediately set the next one.
“So once we secured promotion the players were looking to win the play-off final and perhaps get another crack off Lansdowne.
“Saturday’s game is a great opportunity for everyone to be involved in a big final.
“There is a great sense of excitement around the club ahead of the game,” Eoin Cahill said.
“I believe two 50-seater buses of supporters will be travelling up to Dublin for the game.
“We would be hoping to win the game and finish the season on a high. A lot of the players in the squad have been playing with the club from a young age. They are used to winning things and Saturday’s game provides the players with another opportunity for success. The lads will be giving it their all.
“We know Lansdowne are a quality side, right from numbers one to 15.
“They secured promotion to Division 1B with four or five games to spare.
“But we are looking forward to the challenge.”
Colm Kinsella
Showing posts with label aib all-ireland league. Show all posts
Showing posts with label aib all-ireland league. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
Monday, August 17, 2009
McCarthy vows to remain at helm of Limerick hurling
JUSTIN McCarthy has vowed to see out his two-year term as Limerick senior hurling manager.
Yesterday, after the crushing 24-point defeat to Tipperary in the All-Ireland semi-final in Croke Park, McCarthy told Leader Sport that he will be at the helm for the rebuilding.
“I can see the bigger picture and there is no such thing of laying down and saying we can’t move on,” said McCarthy who is just 10 months into his reign in Limerick.
“I said that I would be down for two years and I have enjoyed every moment of it so far - there is great interest in hurling in Limerick,” Justin McCarthy said.
McCarthy and selectors Brian Ryan and Liam Garvey used 27 players in Limerick’s six championship games in 2009.
“Limerick are in transition,” explained McCarthy after yesterday’s 6-19 to 2-7 loss.
“Limerick have to look to the future and there are young lads coming through and there is not doubt that they will learn from that hardship and set back. Like all things in life, time erodes those things and next year Limerick will be back in the championship,” he said.
“They gave their all and I am not going to blame anyone - they gave their all. This was our sixth game of the championship - we won three, drew one and lost two.”
McCarthy said that he was happy with preparations and felt his side were ready to spring a surprise.
“We put in a great effort and you always think you have a chance of winning, but realistically there is a lot of rebuilding to be done. To win a trophy would be outstanding and that is the first thing,” he said.
“We came up against a very good team - we had our plans in place before the game and we thought they would work, but in fairness a few mistakes were made here and there and they capitalised and we missed a few chances. We were on the back foot after 20 minutes and by half time the game was over,” accepted the disappointed manager.
“We felt preparation was outstanding, the mood was great, fellas attitude was outstanding and we trained exceptionally well. We came up against a team that is probably two years ahead of Limerick in terms of preparation and development.
“They won two Munster championships and a National League and they are a very good team.”
With manager Justin McCarthy confirming his desire to remain in charge, attention will now turn to two of the more experienced members of the pane - Mark Foley and Ollie Moran.
“I don’t know - I will have to wait and see. After being beaten like that it’s a body blow, but I guess at this time it would be wrong to make a decision because your emotions are all over the place,” Mark Foley told Leader Sport last evening.
The thoughts of Donal O’Grady turned to the large Limerick support in Croke Park as the midfielder attempted to analyse his side’s semi-final collapse.
“We are not that bad - that isn’t a true reflection,” he said of the crushing defeat.
“I am more disappointed for the supporters than anything,” explained the Granagh-Ballingarry man.
“It’s just disappointing, that was very bad - we are terrible disappointed,” he said with bowed head.
“We can’t cod ourselves - we are behind Tipperary hurling wise, but no that much.
“We thought we had a great chance of beating Tipperary today and even our heart and our spirit would get us so far, but we couldn’t get the ball over the bar to keep in touch with them,” he recalled.
With Justin McCarthy committed to a second year at the helm O’Grady believes that there is a future for this panel: “There is a very young bunch of players coming through and I hope they stick together and Justin can bring us on another level. We have no other choice, but to pick it up because we want to be up there with the Tipperarys and the Kilkennys.”
Jerome O'Connell
Yesterday, after the crushing 24-point defeat to Tipperary in the All-Ireland semi-final in Croke Park, McCarthy told Leader Sport that he will be at the helm for the rebuilding.
“I can see the bigger picture and there is no such thing of laying down and saying we can’t move on,” said McCarthy who is just 10 months into his reign in Limerick.
“I said that I would be down for two years and I have enjoyed every moment of it so far - there is great interest in hurling in Limerick,” Justin McCarthy said.
McCarthy and selectors Brian Ryan and Liam Garvey used 27 players in Limerick’s six championship games in 2009.
“Limerick are in transition,” explained McCarthy after yesterday’s 6-19 to 2-7 loss.
“Limerick have to look to the future and there are young lads coming through and there is not doubt that they will learn from that hardship and set back. Like all things in life, time erodes those things and next year Limerick will be back in the championship,” he said.
“They gave their all and I am not going to blame anyone - they gave their all. This was our sixth game of the championship - we won three, drew one and lost two.”
McCarthy said that he was happy with preparations and felt his side were ready to spring a surprise.
“We put in a great effort and you always think you have a chance of winning, but realistically there is a lot of rebuilding to be done. To win a trophy would be outstanding and that is the first thing,” he said.
“We came up against a very good team - we had our plans in place before the game and we thought they would work, but in fairness a few mistakes were made here and there and they capitalised and we missed a few chances. We were on the back foot after 20 minutes and by half time the game was over,” accepted the disappointed manager.
“We felt preparation was outstanding, the mood was great, fellas attitude was outstanding and we trained exceptionally well. We came up against a team that is probably two years ahead of Limerick in terms of preparation and development.
“They won two Munster championships and a National League and they are a very good team.”
With manager Justin McCarthy confirming his desire to remain in charge, attention will now turn to two of the more experienced members of the pane - Mark Foley and Ollie Moran.
“I don’t know - I will have to wait and see. After being beaten like that it’s a body blow, but I guess at this time it would be wrong to make a decision because your emotions are all over the place,” Mark Foley told Leader Sport last evening.
The thoughts of Donal O’Grady turned to the large Limerick support in Croke Park as the midfielder attempted to analyse his side’s semi-final collapse.
“We are not that bad - that isn’t a true reflection,” he said of the crushing defeat.
“I am more disappointed for the supporters than anything,” explained the Granagh-Ballingarry man.
“It’s just disappointing, that was very bad - we are terrible disappointed,” he said with bowed head.
“We can’t cod ourselves - we are behind Tipperary hurling wise, but no that much.
“We thought we had a great chance of beating Tipperary today and even our heart and our spirit would get us so far, but we couldn’t get the ball over the bar to keep in touch with them,” he recalled.
With Justin McCarthy committed to a second year at the helm O’Grady believes that there is a future for this panel: “There is a very young bunch of players coming through and I hope they stick together and Justin can bring us on another level. We have no other choice, but to pick it up because we want to be up there with the Tipperarys and the Kilkennys.”
Jerome O'Connell
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
EGM forces Shannon RFC review
THE executive committee of Shannon RFC are to undertake a complete review of how their first team coach is appointed in future, following an at times heated extraordinary general meeting (EGM) of the club this Tuesday night.
More than 100 club members attended the EGM which was convened to discuss the non re-appointment of Geoff Moylan as first team coach in June.
Three-time AIL winning coach Moylan expressed his shock at the decision not to extend his term in charge of the side when it was announced within weeks of Shannon gaining a ninth AIL title. Moylan said he had wished to take charge of Shannon’s first team in the new-look Top 8 section of the AIL in the upcoming season, but the club’s executive had refused to appoint him.
While the signatures of at least 15 club members are required to have an EGM convened, 29 individuals gave their backing for the staging of this week’s meeting. The decision of the club executive not to re-appoint Geoff Moylan was debated for close on three hours at the Shannon RFC pavilion at Thomond Park.
The discussion was said to be ‘full and frank’ and quite ‘heated’ at times. Club members expressed their extreme disappointment at the decision not to re-appoint Moylan, saying they believed it to be wrong. Speakers felt the move had not been taken in the best interests of the club.
At the time the decision not to extend Moylan’s term was announced, a club spokesman said that ‘differences of opinion’ had emerged between the club executive and three-time AIL winning coach Moylan.
The Shannon RFC executive opted not to extend Moylan’s term in charge of the team after receiving a report from a three-man committee which had carried out a full review of the first team’s season.
A Shannon RFC spokesman this week said that the body of the meeting believed that new procedures needed to be put in place in relation to the future appointment of the first team coach. The executive committee would be meeting shortly to carry out a review of the EGM as well as the procedures surrounding the future appointments of the coach.
Shannon moved quickly to announce a replacement for Moylan, with 27-year-old Colm Tucker Jnr was appointed head coach last month. The Shannon RFC spokesman stressed that Colm Tucker would be continuing in his role as first team head coach. The spokesman stressed that all speakers at the meeting were fulsome in their praise of Colm Tucker.
Colm Kinsella
More than 100 club members attended the EGM which was convened to discuss the non re-appointment of Geoff Moylan as first team coach in June.
Three-time AIL winning coach Moylan expressed his shock at the decision not to extend his term in charge of the side when it was announced within weeks of Shannon gaining a ninth AIL title. Moylan said he had wished to take charge of Shannon’s first team in the new-look Top 8 section of the AIL in the upcoming season, but the club’s executive had refused to appoint him.
While the signatures of at least 15 club members are required to have an EGM convened, 29 individuals gave their backing for the staging of this week’s meeting. The decision of the club executive not to re-appoint Geoff Moylan was debated for close on three hours at the Shannon RFC pavilion at Thomond Park.
The discussion was said to be ‘full and frank’ and quite ‘heated’ at times. Club members expressed their extreme disappointment at the decision not to re-appoint Moylan, saying they believed it to be wrong. Speakers felt the move had not been taken in the best interests of the club.
At the time the decision not to extend Moylan’s term was announced, a club spokesman said that ‘differences of opinion’ had emerged between the club executive and three-time AIL winning coach Moylan.
The Shannon RFC executive opted not to extend Moylan’s term in charge of the team after receiving a report from a three-man committee which had carried out a full review of the first team’s season.
A Shannon RFC spokesman this week said that the body of the meeting believed that new procedures needed to be put in place in relation to the future appointment of the first team coach. The executive committee would be meeting shortly to carry out a review of the EGM as well as the procedures surrounding the future appointments of the coach.
Shannon moved quickly to announce a replacement for Moylan, with 27-year-old Colm Tucker Jnr was appointed head coach last month. The Shannon RFC spokesman stressed that Colm Tucker would be continuing in his role as first team head coach. The spokesman stressed that all speakers at the meeting were fulsome in their praise of Colm Tucker.
Colm Kinsella
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Across The Gain Line . . . with Colm Kinsella
THE announcement of rugby’s new British and Irish Cup, which will include a Munster A side, from next season has been greeted with plenty of fanfare, but it remains to be seen how the competition will impact on the new-look Division 1A of the AIL, widely regarded until now at least as providing an ideal mechanism for talented young rugby players to make the smoothest possible transition from the club game into the provincial set-up.
Organisers of the British and Irish Cup have been at pains to point out that fixtures will not clash directly with AIL weekends.
In theory clubs should have their strongest squads available to them for AIL fixtures, but one wonders whether that will in fact be the case?
The best young club players in the province will see the British and Irish Cup as a means of furthering their prospects of securing a professional contract. Players will be in the shop window, playing at a high standard and hoping to make an impression.
It is understandable that talented young players’ first loyalty will be to the Munster A side and not necessarily to their clubs.
And no club is going to stand in the way of any of their players trying to further their rugby careers.
Bridging the gap
Division 1A of the AIL was seen as providing a means by which the top club players could bridge the gap between playing for their clubs and the professional set-up.
But it now seems as if the situation has changed. The British and Irish Cup is being put forward as the mechanism by which talented club players can make that progression.
The new-look Division 1A of the AIL loses some of its gloss with the inception of the British and Irish Cup.
The standard of the 24-team cup, which will feature 12 teams from the English Championship, six from the Welsh Principality Premiership, three Irish provinces Munster, Leinster and Ulster and three Scotland sides, will surely be higher than any AIL game.
As a spectacle, it will very likely prove more attractive to rugby supporters than an AIL game.
So with the full Munster side paying Magners League and Heineken Cup pool games in Limerick on a regular basis and then the province’s A side playing quality English, Welsh and Scottish opposition in the British and Irish Cup, it seems certain that the already modest attendances at AIL games will be hit even further.
In a time of recession, with numerous sporting counter-attractions on TV on Saturday afternoons and viewing facilities at club grounds - with the exception of Thomond Park- modest for spectators, the odds are stacked in favour of fewer patrons attending AIL games next season.
In short, the new British and Irish Cup will benefit the provinces and the development of talented young players, but it is unlikely to do much for a club player of decent standard who doesn’t have the ability or interest in moving into the provincial set-up.
It will also be fascinating to see just how the Irish province’s A sides will fare against English Championship, Welsh Principality Premiership and Scottish Premiership Division 1 sides.
It would be useful at this stage to explain exactly what is envisaged with the new British and Irish Cup.
The 12 competing English side are Championship, or National League One, clubs, comprising of Bedford, Birmingham & Solihull, Bristol Rugby, Cornish Pirates, Coventry, Doncaster, Exeter Chiefs, London Welsh, Moseley, Nottingham, Plymouth Albion, Rotherham Titans.
They will be joined by the top six Welsh Principality Premiership clubs as well as the top two finishers in Scottish Hydro Electric Premiership Division 1 (champions Ayr and Boroughmuir or Heriot’s) and a team drawn from the SRU National Academy and Edinburgh and Glasgow as well as the three Irish representatives from Munster, Leinster and Ulster.
Teams will be divided into four polls, with each one consisting of six teams. Teams play each other once, giving five pool matches.
The pools based on travel/geography with the aim of maximising local interest and minimising cost to teams and supporters
Teams will be awarded 4 points for a win, 2 for a draw, 1 bonus point for either a) scoring 4 or more tries or b) losing by 7 points or less.
The pool matches scheduled for November 7 and 28, February 13, February 27, March 13. These are non AIB League weekends.
Pool winners will progress to knockout stage. The two semi finals are scheduled for April 24, with the final fixed for May 15.
Irish Rugby Football Union Director of Rugby, Eddie Wigglesworth said the British & Irish Cup would introduce a more structured approach to the existing Ireland provincial A game programme in each province.
In 2009-10 this competition when combined with the existing A interprovincial series “will deliver the same number of games as agreed last year, with only the semi final and finals additional games”.
He continued: “Games will take place over the extended weekends (Thursday to Sunday) and will not conflict at any point in the season with the AIB league weekends or the latter stages of the AIB Cup.
“We need this additional professional game opportunity to augment the existing provincial Academy and Development player structure and also need a very strong domestic league. The AIB League represents the top level of our domestic game and professional player involvement in the AIB League is important to both the clubs and our professional structure. We believe this more structured approach can alleviate many of the current interface issues in the coming seasons.”
Further details on the British and Irish Cup will be available in the next couple of months.
A terrific spectacle
Saturday’s All-Ireland League Division 1 decider provided a terrific spectacle at Thomond Park. The meeting of Shannon and Clontarf produced arguably the best final since the play-off system was introduced.
Many neutrals felt that the manner in which Shannon were declared champions after the sides finished level after extra time was unsatisfactory. They felt a replay was the common sense approach to the matter.
But as Shannon officials and supporters were quick to point out later, they didn’t make up the rules governing the competition. They rules for Divisional Championships state that if the clubs are tied after extra-time, then the teams which scored the most tries will be deemed the winner. In this case both teams scored two tries.
The rules state that if the finalists manage the same number of tries, the side scoring the first one will be the winner. As a result David O’Donovan’s 22nd minute touchdown for Shannon was the scored which clinched a ninth AIL title for ‘the Parish’ side.
Incidentally, if the teams had finished level after extra time and neither side had managed to score a try, then the team that scored the first points in the final would be the winner. Shannon would also be declared winners in this scenario as out-half Tadhg Bennett opening the scoring with a first minute drop goal.
And finally, if the game had finished scoreless after extra time, the team occupying the higher finishing position in the League table at the end of the regular season would be declared the winner.
As it turned out, Shannon finished in second place in the League table, one point ahead of fourth-placed Clontarf. So now you know!
Organisers of the British and Irish Cup have been at pains to point out that fixtures will not clash directly with AIL weekends.
In theory clubs should have their strongest squads available to them for AIL fixtures, but one wonders whether that will in fact be the case?
The best young club players in the province will see the British and Irish Cup as a means of furthering their prospects of securing a professional contract. Players will be in the shop window, playing at a high standard and hoping to make an impression.
It is understandable that talented young players’ first loyalty will be to the Munster A side and not necessarily to their clubs.
And no club is going to stand in the way of any of their players trying to further their rugby careers.
Bridging the gap
Division 1A of the AIL was seen as providing a means by which the top club players could bridge the gap between playing for their clubs and the professional set-up.
But it now seems as if the situation has changed. The British and Irish Cup is being put forward as the mechanism by which talented club players can make that progression.
The new-look Division 1A of the AIL loses some of its gloss with the inception of the British and Irish Cup.
The standard of the 24-team cup, which will feature 12 teams from the English Championship, six from the Welsh Principality Premiership, three Irish provinces Munster, Leinster and Ulster and three Scotland sides, will surely be higher than any AIL game.
As a spectacle, it will very likely prove more attractive to rugby supporters than an AIL game.
So with the full Munster side paying Magners League and Heineken Cup pool games in Limerick on a regular basis and then the province’s A side playing quality English, Welsh and Scottish opposition in the British and Irish Cup, it seems certain that the already modest attendances at AIL games will be hit even further.
In a time of recession, with numerous sporting counter-attractions on TV on Saturday afternoons and viewing facilities at club grounds - with the exception of Thomond Park- modest for spectators, the odds are stacked in favour of fewer patrons attending AIL games next season.
In short, the new British and Irish Cup will benefit the provinces and the development of talented young players, but it is unlikely to do much for a club player of decent standard who doesn’t have the ability or interest in moving into the provincial set-up.
It will also be fascinating to see just how the Irish province’s A sides will fare against English Championship, Welsh Principality Premiership and Scottish Premiership Division 1 sides.
It would be useful at this stage to explain exactly what is envisaged with the new British and Irish Cup.
The 12 competing English side are Championship, or National League One, clubs, comprising of Bedford, Birmingham & Solihull, Bristol Rugby, Cornish Pirates, Coventry, Doncaster, Exeter Chiefs, London Welsh, Moseley, Nottingham, Plymouth Albion, Rotherham Titans.
They will be joined by the top six Welsh Principality Premiership clubs as well as the top two finishers in Scottish Hydro Electric Premiership Division 1 (champions Ayr and Boroughmuir or Heriot’s) and a team drawn from the SRU National Academy and Edinburgh and Glasgow as well as the three Irish representatives from Munster, Leinster and Ulster.
Teams will be divided into four polls, with each one consisting of six teams. Teams play each other once, giving five pool matches.
The pools based on travel/geography with the aim of maximising local interest and minimising cost to teams and supporters
Teams will be awarded 4 points for a win, 2 for a draw, 1 bonus point for either a) scoring 4 or more tries or b) losing by 7 points or less.
The pool matches scheduled for November 7 and 28, February 13, February 27, March 13. These are non AIB League weekends.
Pool winners will progress to knockout stage. The two semi finals are scheduled for April 24, with the final fixed for May 15.
Irish Rugby Football Union Director of Rugby, Eddie Wigglesworth said the British & Irish Cup would introduce a more structured approach to the existing Ireland provincial A game programme in each province.
In 2009-10 this competition when combined with the existing A interprovincial series “will deliver the same number of games as agreed last year, with only the semi final and finals additional games”.
He continued: “Games will take place over the extended weekends (Thursday to Sunday) and will not conflict at any point in the season with the AIB league weekends or the latter stages of the AIB Cup.
“We need this additional professional game opportunity to augment the existing provincial Academy and Development player structure and also need a very strong domestic league. The AIB League represents the top level of our domestic game and professional player involvement in the AIB League is important to both the clubs and our professional structure. We believe this more structured approach can alleviate many of the current interface issues in the coming seasons.”
Further details on the British and Irish Cup will be available in the next couple of months.
A terrific spectacle
Saturday’s All-Ireland League Division 1 decider provided a terrific spectacle at Thomond Park. The meeting of Shannon and Clontarf produced arguably the best final since the play-off system was introduced.
Many neutrals felt that the manner in which Shannon were declared champions after the sides finished level after extra time was unsatisfactory. They felt a replay was the common sense approach to the matter.
But as Shannon officials and supporters were quick to point out later, they didn’t make up the rules governing the competition. They rules for Divisional Championships state that if the clubs are tied after extra-time, then the teams which scored the most tries will be deemed the winner. In this case both teams scored two tries.
The rules state that if the finalists manage the same number of tries, the side scoring the first one will be the winner. As a result David O’Donovan’s 22nd minute touchdown for Shannon was the scored which clinched a ninth AIL title for ‘the Parish’ side.
Incidentally, if the teams had finished level after extra time and neither side had managed to score a try, then the team that scored the first points in the final would be the winner. Shannon would also be declared winners in this scenario as out-half Tadhg Bennett opening the scoring with a first minute drop goal.
And finally, if the game had finished scoreless after extra time, the team occupying the higher finishing position in the League table at the end of the regular season would be declared the winner.
As it turned out, Shannon finished in second place in the League table, one point ahead of fourth-placed Clontarf. So now you know!
Monday, May 11, 2009
Burning desire propels Shannon to AIL title
VICTORIOUS coach Geoff Moylan pin-pointed player self-belief and a burning desire to continue the tradition of previously successful sides as the key ingredients in Shannon's dramatic ninth AIB All-Ireland League success at Thomond Park Stadium on Saturday evening.
Shannon and Clontarf finished dead-locked, 19-19, at the end of 100 minutes of pulsating rugby action before an enthralled attendance of 4,879 spectators.
The teams had shared four tries in one of the best ever AIL deciders, but the Limerick side were declared winners after scoring the game's opening try through full-back David O'Donovan.
Three-time AIL winning coach Moylan said: "There is an unbelievable belief in that dressing room.
"The average age of the side is just over 23.
"I said a week ago that 12 or 13 of those guys have no medals. People were saying Clontarf have no AIL medals, but half of our dressing room didn't have them either.
"They wanted one. They were really hungry for it.
"Belief is the key. The players are handed down a jersey, a tradition from teams before."
Shannon have lost just once in 30 cup final appearances since 1989.
During that period the Parish side has won six AIL finals, one AIB Cup final, 11 Munster Senior Cup finals, four Munster Senior League finals, six Limerick Charity Cup finals and one All-Ireland 7s final.
The club's sole defeat in a cup final over the past 20 years came against UL Bohemian in 2007.
Andrew Thompson, who missed Saturday's final due to injury, won his ninth AIL medal this season.
Meanwhile in the Magners League, an understrength Munster side suffered a 12-20 defeat to the Cardiff Blues in the battle of the beaten Heineken Cup semi-finalists.
Munster were denied a losing bonus point by a last gasp try at the Arms Park from Blues' replacement Ceri Sweeney.
Magners League winners Munster will be presented with the trophy following this Friday night's final round tie against the Ospreys at Thomond Park (kick-off 7.45pm).
Speaking in the wake of their defeat to Cardiff Munster coach Tony McGahan said he was encouraged by aspects of their performance coming eight days after their shattering Heineken Cup smei-final defeat at the hands of Leinster in Croke Park.
"It's always difficult to play after such an emotional week as we have had.
"So I thought this was actually a pretty brave performance considering how little possession we had against a good team.
"We were under a lot of pressure in the first half, especially in the scrum which is something we will have to have a long look at.
"But we were far more tenacious in the second half, we had a lot more field position and had opportunities to score."
Colm Kinsella
Shannon and Clontarf finished dead-locked, 19-19, at the end of 100 minutes of pulsating rugby action before an enthralled attendance of 4,879 spectators.
The teams had shared four tries in one of the best ever AIL deciders, but the Limerick side were declared winners after scoring the game's opening try through full-back David O'Donovan.
Three-time AIL winning coach Moylan said: "There is an unbelievable belief in that dressing room.
"The average age of the side is just over 23.
"I said a week ago that 12 or 13 of those guys have no medals. People were saying Clontarf have no AIL medals, but half of our dressing room didn't have them either.
"They wanted one. They were really hungry for it.
"Belief is the key. The players are handed down a jersey, a tradition from teams before."
Shannon have lost just once in 30 cup final appearances since 1989.
During that period the Parish side has won six AIL finals, one AIB Cup final, 11 Munster Senior Cup finals, four Munster Senior League finals, six Limerick Charity Cup finals and one All-Ireland 7s final.
The club's sole defeat in a cup final over the past 20 years came against UL Bohemian in 2007.
Andrew Thompson, who missed Saturday's final due to injury, won his ninth AIL medal this season.
Meanwhile in the Magners League, an understrength Munster side suffered a 12-20 defeat to the Cardiff Blues in the battle of the beaten Heineken Cup semi-finalists.
Munster were denied a losing bonus point by a last gasp try at the Arms Park from Blues' replacement Ceri Sweeney.
Magners League winners Munster will be presented with the trophy following this Friday night's final round tie against the Ospreys at Thomond Park (kick-off 7.45pm).
Speaking in the wake of their defeat to Cardiff Munster coach Tony McGahan said he was encouraged by aspects of their performance coming eight days after their shattering Heineken Cup smei-final defeat at the hands of Leinster in Croke Park.
"It's always difficult to play after such an emotional week as we have had.
"So I thought this was actually a pretty brave performance considering how little possession we had against a good team.
"We were under a lot of pressure in the first half, especially in the scrum which is something we will have to have a long look at.
"But we were far more tenacious in the second half, we had a lot more field position and had opportunities to score."
Colm Kinsella
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