By Tommy Butler Longford RFC PRO lrfconnects@gmail.com 

Longford Senior Men play second pre-season game.

Longford Senior Men took on Tullamore in their second pre-season friendly on Saturday past notching up an impressive 7-10 win with tries from Dylan Quinn and Barry Stewart against a side heavily littered with players from Tullamore’s AIL squad.  

At the time of going to press there are no further confirmed pre-season friendlies but this may change over the next few weeks.  As of yet there is no confirmation on how Dublin and County moving to Level 3 will affect the start of the Leinster League with Longford due to travel to Clondalkin on October 4^th.

Post Match Reaction by Longford Senior Men’s Coach Glenn Baskett

We had a good runout against a well coached Tullamore side Saturday. We travelled with  more game like squad numbers wise, however with the Covid regulations the getting our game day timings right is still a work on, it just doesn’t give us much time to play with. But again like the week before we started well, and having spent a bit of time on our shape earlier in the week that showed too in some of our attack. We’ve spent a lot of time on our defence and we are starting to get those policies working better. David Mills, Daithi Connolly, Ian McCormack and Packie Molloy all played their first games for us which was good for them to get a run out. Again we wanted to play opposition that is going to challenge us and Tullamore did that like Monkstown the week before. The score wasn’t relevant to us it was how we played. We got a couple of combinations together that would be familiar so that helped our play. Again we had good spells and then maybe weren’t as accurate as we could be. We got a little predictable at times, especially in the 22. But we had showed good play to get ourselves there. Barry scored off a well worked try that started up the field from a Danny McHugh break. Our second came from a well worked line out maul which Dylan Quinn finished off crossing the white line with the ball. Tullamore asked a lot of questions of us defensively, they had some good attack out wide which we looked after reasonably well. Some good direct play from them made us execute our tackles and they had us scrambling on more than occasion. The game was another good build up for the league, but the new restrictions in Dublin could now impact our first game against Clondalkin in 2 weeks, we will wait and see how Leinster direct us for that game. Regardless we will keep training and be ready for the first competitive game, either Clondalkin or Mullingar.

Longford Senior Men’s J2 Team presented with Leinster League Trophy

John Geelan and Philly Dardis (Captain) with the 1B Trophy and Pennant

Longford Senior Men’s J2 side captained by Philly Dardis were unbeaten last season in the Leinster 1B J2 League and were awarded the title after the Covid-19 shutdown as it was impossible for any side to catch them even with a couple of matches remaining.   It was only possible to present the medals and trophy now due to Covid-19.  It was great pleasure that the players received their medals on Saturday along with Philly lifting the trophy. It was the first time that Longford won the title and is a great tribute to the whole playing group and coaching ticket as a J1 side is only ever as good as their J2 side.  Our J2s will be hoping to build on the success again this season.

Longford J2 Squad Members

Longford Senior Men’s Provisional Fixture List 2020-2021 Fixture List

Sunday October 4^th Leinster League Clondalkin (A) J1 3

Sunday October 11^th Leinster League Mullingar (H) J1 3 J2 1.30 

Sunday October 18^th Leinster League Boyne (A) J1 3 J2 1.30 

Sunday November 1^st Leinster League Mullingar (A) J1 2.30 J2 1

Sunday November 8^th Leinster League Clondalkin (H) J1 2.30

Sunday November 22^nd Leinster League Boyne (H) J1 2.30 J2 1

Sunday December 6^th Leinster League Cill Dara (A) J1 2 J2 12.30

Sunday December 13^th Leinster League Tullow (H) J1 2 J2 12.30

Sunday January 17^th Leinster League Wicklow (A) J1 2.30 J2 1

Sunday January 24^th Leinster League Carlow (H) J1 2.30 J2 1

Sunday January 31^st Leinster League Tullow (A) J1 2.30 J2 1

Sunday February 21^st Leinster League Cill Dara (H) J1 3 J2 1.30

Sunday February 28^th Leinster League Carlow (A) J1 3 J2 1.30

Sunday March 7^th Leinster League Wicklow (H) J1 3 J2 1.30

Sunday March 20^th Provincial Towns Cup 1^st Round v TBC J1 3

Sunday March 27^th Provincial Towns Cup 1^st Round v TBC J1 3

Longford Senior Women

As previously reported Longford Senior Women were confirmed as promoted to Leinster Division 3 at the start of September.  Excitement is building in the squad especially as their Leinster League fixture list has just been issued.  They start off with a long trip to New Ross at the start of October before hosting Garda on October 11^th.  No doubt the Ladies will be aiming to continue their good form and aiming to finish as high in Division 3 as possible.

Longford Senior Women’s Provisional Fixture List 2020-2021 Fixture List

Sunday October 4^th Leinster League New Ross (A) J1 1

Sunday October 11^th Leinster League Garda/Westmanstown (H) J1 1 

Sunday October 18^th Leinster League Naas (A) J1 1 

Sunday November 1^st Leinster League Greystones (H) J1 1

Sunday November 8^th Leinster League Portlaoise (A) J1 1

Sunday November 15^th Leinster League Clondalkin (A) J1 1

Sunday November 29^th November Leinster League Arklow (H) J1 1

Sunday December 6^th Leinster League New Ross (H) J1 1

Sunday January 17^th Leinster League Garda/Westmanstown (A) J1 1 

Sunday January 31^st Leinster League Naas (H) J1 1

Sunday February 7^th Leinster League Greystones (A) J1 1

Sunday February 21^st Leinster League Portlaoise (H) J1 1

Sunday February 28^th Leinster League Clondalkin (H) J1 1

Sunday March 14^th Leinster League Arklow (A) J1 1

19-20 Season Over for Irish Teams.

Saracens seem to have become something of a ‘bête noire’ for Leinster when again they knocked Leinster out of the Champions Cup.  This loss would have been far more painful as all the cards seemed to have been falling Leinster’s way pre-match with 7 players from the Saracens side that vanquished them in last season’s Champions cup final having moved on to pastures new and England Owen Farrell out-half unavailable.  Leinster achilles heel was their scrum on the day, from which they leaked a lot of penalties.  This is worrying as it was potentially a starting Irish front row of Healy, Cronin/Kelleher & Porter who started for Leinster.  Leinster got their act together in the second half but the gap built up by Saracens in the first half was too much to bridge.  So, the curtain comes down on Leinster’s season, again as Pro-14 Champions but without their fourth elusive Champions Cup title.  One good thing is that after Saracens relegation from the English Premiership due to breaking the salary cap that they will not feature in the Champions Cup for at least the next two seasons.  Ulster headed to Toulouse more in hope rather than expectation and succumbed to a Toulouse side playing on front of 5,000 supporters, something of a novelty in these times.  Ulster have leapfrogged Munster this season in reaching the Pro-14 final and Champions Cup quarter finals and it will be fascinating to see the pecking order in Irish rugby at the end of the 20-21 season, with Leinster still the favourites to be top of the pile.

Ireland’s Eight Nations

Many of Irelands provincial players will now turn their attention to Novembers inaugural Eight Nations competition.  Covid-19 put pay to Ireland confirmed November Internationals so instead a new competition to bridge the gap has been added where the Six Nations side will play a mini tournament along with Fiji and Georgia called the Eight Nations.  Ireland are in a group with England, Wales and Georgia and will play each team once.  The other group comprises France, Scotland, Italy and Fiji.  After the pool fixtures are played, all the teams will play one final game against the team that finishes in the same position of the other pool, with the winners of the match between the teams that top each pool declared the inaugural Eight Nations Champions.  Irelands confirmed fixtures can be found below:

Ireland Eight Nations Fixtures

Friday November 13^th Wales Home 7 PM

Saturday November 21^st England Away 3 PM

Sunday November 29^th Georgia Home 2 PM

Saturday December 5^th TBC Home 2.15 PM

Senior Training

Longford Senior Men train every Tuesday and Friday night at 7.45 with matches generally on a Sunday.  It is great to see so many of last year’s U18s in at training over the last few weeks along with so many of our regular players.  If you would like to play rugby, want to restart your rugby career or are new to the area you are very welcome.  Please give Director of Rugby Niall Moran 0879185073 or Head Coach Glenn Baskett 0876036175 a ring if you are interested.  Please note a Covid-19 questionnaire needs to be filled in before starting training.

Our Senior Women are also back training and are welcoming new and returning players.  If you would like to give rugby a go (you do not need to have played before or be very fit) you will be very welcome.  Training is on Tuesday and Friday nights at 7.30 PM. Please give Women’s Head Coach Nuala McGoey a ring on 0862482005.  Again Covid-19 questionnaires needs to be filled in before training.

Minis/Youths Training

The good news for all our Underage players is that rugby is back.  The work that has been going on behind the scenes to ensure compliance with Governments Covid-19 guidelines is immense and thanks to Gerry Carthy (Mini/Youths Chairperson), Gerry Larkin (Club Covid-19 Officer) all the coaches, parents and players on making it work.  Each group has their own compliance officer.  Everyone is loving being back to training and cannot wait to play a few matches.  In the meantime, they are working hard on their fitness and skills.  Again Covid-19 questionnaires needs to be filled in before training.  We welcome new/returning players at all levels.

Minis

U7-U10 Sunday 10.30-11.30

U11 Thursday 7-8 (check with coaches for following week) (born 2010)

U12 Sunday 10.30-11.30 (born 2009)

Boys

U13 Thursday 7.00-8.30pm (born 2008)
U14 Thursday 6.30-8.30pm (born 2007)
U15 Mon 7.00-8.30pm and Thursday 7.00-8.30pm (born 2006)
U16 Tuesday 7.30-9.00pm (born 2005)
U17 Wednesday 7.30-9.00pm (born 2004)
U18 Wednesday 7.30-9.00pm (born 2003 & up to 01/07/2002)

Girls
U12&U14 Thursday 7.30-8.30pm
U16&U18 Wednesday 7.30-9.00pm

Contact 0862526741 for more information.
Longford Rugby Club is a 'Minimum20' club. Youth teams up to U15 promote minimum 20 minutes game time for all players on match day squads. Longford Minis rugby promotes equal game time at all times during games or blitz events.

Longford RFC Mini/Youth Boot Room

As we move towards getting back out on the pitch, there are a lot of players who need bigger boots.  So instead of spending big on new ones why not use the #LongfordRFC Boot Room instead?  It is a great concept where growing members swap the boots they have outgrown for nearly new bigger ones.  They donate the ones they have outgrown back to the boot room.  It benefits everyone and is way members can support each other post Covid. 

The Boot Room Concept

How many months use do you get out of a new (and very expensive) pair of boots before your child moves up a size and a new (and equally expensive) replacement pair is required? Aimed particularly at Minis and Youths we are going to set up a “Boot Room” where you can trade your perfectly good (but outgrown) pair of boots for a larger pair.  Boots will not be for sale – the Boot Room will operate on the basis that you trade in your own pair for another pair.  In this way, the plan is that the Club will have a self-replenishing supply of boots available to anyone who has a decent (but outgrown) pair which can be traded in return.  To set up the Boot Room we are asking you, the parents, to scour your garage, utility room, footwear box, kit bag or whatever for any outgrown or unloved pairs of boots which you would be willing to donate or trade.  We would only be interested in good quality boots without rips or tears and which can be used for playing rugby (ie. no blades).  If you have any, you can bring the boots to training and give them to any of the coaches, bring them to the Minis training on Sunday, leave them at the Club for the attention of Padraig Murphy or Gerry Carthy or any or your coaches.

Volunteers/Players for the coming season

Longford Rugby Club is a progressive club that fields Men’s/Women’s teams at Senior Level and has more than 400 Mini/Youth Players training every week both male and female from U6 right through to U18. We are looking for more players, coaches and volunteers at all levels of the club. If you would like to join Longford Rugby Club at this exciting time, please contact any club coach or volunteer.

The Sin Bin

The Sin Bin Bar & Restaurant at Longford RFC is one of the best club house facilities in the country. It offers a welcoming atmosphere, great food and drink and is the perfect place for members and friends to hold functions/events with lots of free parking and is just outside Longford Town. As of July 2020, it is now under the management of Andrew Reynolds who is a very experienced operator in the food/beverage area.

There has been very positive feedback on the great food being served all in a Covid 19 compliant setting with lots of social distancing between tables.

For reservations and enquiries about functions/events, please ring Andrew on 087 1631075.
Food is served at lunchtime from 12-4 Wednesday to Sunday and dinner Friday to Sunday from 5 PM. Please like and follow the Sin Bins Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/thesinbinlongford/ for updates and specials.