Irish Independent Comp - Schools Rugby

Downtime

Pick your best 15 from this lot and win €2000, if you agree with Uncle Ned and Wardy - a tough ask me thinks. Players from schools rugby over the last 25 years.


FULL-BACKS

Hugo MacNeill (Blackrock College, 1976 & 1977), Niall Farren (CBC, Monkstown, 1980), Dan Larkin (St, Munchins College, 1984 & 1985), Jonathan Bell (Coleraine Academical Inst, 1992), Tom Keating (Blackrock, '96), Gordon D'Arcy (Clongowes Wood College, 1998), Robert Kearney (Clongowes, 2004).


WINGS

Kenny Hooks (Bangor Grammar School, '77 & '78), Michael Kearin (Newbridge '91), John O'Carroll (Cistercian College, Roscrea, 1991 & 1992), James Topping (Ballymena Academy '93), Denis Hickie (St Mary's College, '93 & '94), Simon Doggett (St Mary's, '94 & '95), Cormac Dowling (Presentation Brothers College, Bray, '96 & '97), James Norton (St Mary's '98 & '99), Stephen Grissing (St Mary's '02 & '03).


CENTRES

Alastair McKibbin (RBAI , '75 & '76), Michael Kiernan (PBC, Cork, '79), Brendan Mullin (Blackrock, '81 & '82), Brian Glennon (De La Salle College, Churchtown, '84 & '85), David Hernan (Roscrea, '88 & '89), Alan Reddan (Crescent Comprehensive '91), Ray McIlreavy (Wesley '93), John Lacy (Clongowes '94), Kevin Hartigan (St Munchin's '96), Shane Moore (Belvedere '97), Brian O'Driscoll (Blackrock '97), Kieran Lewis (St Mary's '98), Gavin Duffy (Roscrea '99 & 2000).


OUT-HALVES

Paul Dean (St Mary's '77 & '78), Philip Danaher (St Munchins, '83), Mark McCall (Bangor GS, '85 & '86), Nicky Barry (Crescent Comp '86 & '87), Niall Malone (Methodist '89), David Humphreys (Ballymena Academy, '90), Andy Dunne (Belvedere College, '97 & '98), Eoghan Hickey (De La Salle, Churchtown, 2000).


SCRUM-HALVES

Philip McDonnell (St Mary's '77 & '78), Michael Bradley (PBC, Cork, '80 & '81), Kevin O'Farrell (Clongowes, '83), Bobby Montford (Pres Bray, '84 & '85), Niall Hogan (Terenure College, '88 & '89), Conor McGuinness (St Mary's, '92 & '93), Ciaran Scally (Blackrock '96), Duncan Williams (CBC, Cork '03 & '04).


PROPS

Jimmy McCoy (Portora Royal, '75 & '76), Gary McMahon (Blackrock '79 & '80), Derek Dowling (De La Salle, Churchtown '81 & '82), Gary Halpin (Rockwell College, '83 & '84), Angus McKeen (King's Hospital, '87), Paul Wallace (Crescent Comp, '89 & '90), Clem Boyd (RBAI '92), Byron O'Doherty-Campbell (Terenure, '93), Ronnie McCormack (St Mary's '94 & '95), Marcus Horan (St Munchin's, '95), Niall Treston (Blackrock, '98).


HOOKERS

Harry Harbison (Blackrock '75), Paul Derham (Castleknock College, '76), Willie Burns (Clongowes & PBC, Birr '79 & '80), Terry Kingston (CBC, Cork, '82), James Blaney (Terenure College, '92), Peter Smyth (Blackrock, '95 & '96), David Blaney (Terenure '97), Henry Bourke (Clongowes '99), Colm Tucker (St Munchin's, 2000).


LOCKS

Donal Lenihan (CBC, Cork, '77), Neil Francis (Blackrock, '81 & '82), Paddy Johns (Dungannon Royal School, '86), Nicky Sweeney (Wesley College, '86), Victor Costello (Blackrock, '89), Jeremy Davidson (Methodist '92), Rob Casey (Blackrock, '96), Donncha O'Callaghan (CBC, Cork, '97), Des Dillon (Clongowes '98), Paul O'Connell (Ard Scoil Ris, Limerick, '98), Matt McCullough (Ballymena AI, '99 & 2000).


WING FORWARDS

Philip Matthews (Regent House, '77 & '78), Willie Sexton (Castleknock, '77), Mick Fitzgibbon (Rockwell & St Enda's, Limerick, '82 & '83), Ken O'Connell (PBC, Cork, '86), Stephen Rooney (St Michael's College, '88 & '89), David Corkery (CBC, Cork '91), Kieran Dawson (Bangor GS, '93), Barry Gibney (Blackrock '96), Denis Leamy (Rockwell '99 & 2000), David O'Brien (Belvedere '02), Kevin McLaughlin (Gonzaga College, '02 & '03).


NUMBER 8s

Donal Spring (Roscrea, '75), Barry Walsh (Crescent Comp, '86), David Widger (St Michael's, '88 & '89), Anthony Foley (St Munchins, '91 & '92), Eric Miller (Wesley, '93 & '94), Leo Cullen (Blackrock '95 & '96), Shane Jennings (St Mary's '99), Roger Wilson (RBAI, 2000), Jamie Heaslip (Newbridge, '01).

qwertyup

Barry Gibney (Blackrock '96) - This is an absolute certainty. Ward and other columnists have Gibney as perhaps the best Irish player that never was.

Jak

Tough competition really ... However,

FULL-BACKS

Gordon D'Arcy (Clongowes Wood College, 1998)

WINGS

Denis Hickie (St Mary's College, '93 & '94)
Simon Doggett (St Mary's, '94 & '95)

CENTRES

John Lacy (Clongowes '94),
Brian O'Driscoll (Blackrock '97)

OUT-HALVES

David Humphreys (Ballymena Academy, '90)

SCRUM-HALVES

Ciaran Scally (Blackrock '96)

PROPS

Paul Wallace (Crescent Comp, '89 & '90)
Marcus Horan (St Munchin's, '95),

HOOKERS

James Blaney (Terenure College, '92)

LOCKS

Victor Costello (Blackrock, '89)
Paul O'Connell (Ard Scoil Ris, Limerick, '98)

WING FORWARDS

Stephen Rooney (St Michael's College, '88 & '89)
Barry Gibney (Blackrock '96)

NUMBER 8s

Anthony Foley (St Munchins, '91 & '92)

Downtime

I have.

FULL-BACK

Gordon D'Arcy (Clongowes Wood College, 1998)

WINGS

Denis Hickie (St Mary's College, '93 & '94), Stephen Grissing (St Mary's '02 & '03).

CENTRES

Brendan Mullin (Blackrock, '81 & '82), John Lacy (Clongowes '94),

OUT-HALF

Andy Dunne (Belvedere College, '97 & '98

SCRUM-HALVES

Ciaran Scally (Blackrock '96),

PROPS

Gary Halpin (Rockwell College, '83 & '84), Paul Wallace (Crescent Comp, '89 & '90),

HOOKERS

James Blaney (Terenure College, '92),

LOCKS

Donal Lenihan (CBC, Cork, '77), Paul O'Connell (Ard Scoil Ris, Limerick, '98),

WING FORWARDS

Mick Fitzgibbon (Rockwell & St Enda's, Limerick, '82 & '83), Barry Gibney (Blackrock '96)

NUMBER 8s

Shane Jennings (St Mary's '99)

[Jackass]

Full back: G. D'Arcy
Wings: Hickie, Grissing
Centers: Duffy, Lacy
Out Half: Andy Dunne
Scrum Half: Scally
Props: Horan, Trestan
Hooker: Blaney
Locks: Des Dillon, Paul O'Connell
Falnkers: Gibney, Dawson
No. 8: Jennings

Didn't go for to many "old skool" players since i never saw them play

Downtime

DubGuy22 wrote:

Scrum Half: Scally

What a player - pity he had to pack it in. Remember him skipping merrily by me one match.

DubGuy22 wrote:

Hooker: Blaney

Which one? Both superb productions from the Blaney factory. A hard choice between the two.

tHE vAGGABOND

great comp, the one thing I miss from home is schools rugby

Big ole leinster bias here

15: Gordon D'Arcy (Clongowes Wood College, 1998)

14 Denis Hickie (St Mary's College, '93 & '94)
11 Simon Doggett (St Mary's, '94 & '95)

13 Brendan Mullin (Blackrock, '81 & '82)
12 John Lacy (Clongowes '94)
(sorry have to pick him as along with billy tracey he was one of the big 'names' to watch out for and he made **** of us at JCT and SCT level!)

10 Nicky Barry (Crescent Comp '86 & '87) EVERYONE thought he was a dead cert to be world class, what went wrong!
9 Niall Hogan (Terenure College, '88 & '89) G'wan the nure

1 Byron O'Doherty-Campbell (Terenure, '93)
3 Ronnie McCormack (St Mary's '94 & '95)
Byron the best prop I have ever seen play close up TBH - just awsome, who just hated rugby and gave up very early and Mucker the best prop I ever played against. (that was a fun afternoon let me tell ya!)

2 James Blaney (Terenure College, '92) - Gets the nod over his younger brother for being an amazing captain, leading ireland to play NZ Schools, and doing damn well over there

4. Neil Francis (Blackrock, '81 & '82)
5. Des Dillon (Clongowes '98)
Frano world class but a bit lazy, Des Dillon was the kind of Eric Miller type player who everyone who played schools rugby 3 years above or below him knew about from 14 years old (thought he was an 8 in school TBH)

6. Barry Gibney (Blackrock '96) - a lot of peoples best ever schools player..
7. David Corkery (CBC, Cork '91)

8. Eric Miller (Wesley, '93 & '94)
JCT and SCT Wesley were always tough and had a good cup run on Millers back alone. Personally, the best schools player I ever saw

[Jackass]

Downtime wrote:

Which one? Both superb productions from the Blaney factory. A hard choice between the two.

Thought i was gonna get away with either, or,

Prob actually swop O'Connell for N.Francais at lock also.

Downtime

I should say if you didn't buy the Indo - All you have to do is to fill in the coupon and send it to SPORTS MONTHLY, Powerade Senior School team '75-'05, c/o Irish Independent, 27/32 Talbot Street, Dublin 1 to reach us by not later than Monday, February 21.

Longstaff

Where's Joey Muldowney? The most talented schools player there ever was. Bar none.

tHE vAGGABOND

Joey Muldowney - rofl, thats a name from the past..

He had talent, but its wasted talent. He was not even picked for Ireland Schools in his final year (wonder who was?) - I remember singing 'joey for ireland' in cup game after cup game..

He was good, but not nearly great. (and this is speaking with my terenure bias here!)

Longstaff

Joey was great - great enough to be drafted in by current leinster coach Declan Kidney earlier this season after 10 hard years on the sauce to see if they could rebuild him to do a job at 10. He had lost none of his magic - there were reports of him dazzling - he just broke too easy.

Downtime

Yes he was great - remember singing Joey for Ireland myself back in the day - he had trials with Blackburn Rovers aswell did he not. A fantastic player - not many can say they got selected for Leinster after a seasn at J4's !!!

Longstaff

joey played on 4 cup teams in terenure, won 3 cups and was at the epicentre of each of the cup wins. He played for the Irish schools against the Leinster U19's that year scoring all the points in a 24-23 win. Fergal campion got the nod the following week as joey wasn't interested in holding pads.. He was a reluctant hero, but to those who remember him he was truly one of the greats. Within the confines of this competition he must surely be the automatic choice at outhalf..

Longstaff

this is actually a crap competition, there's loads of superb schools players missing for the choices.. The team will be picked on the players current standing and after schools exploits. Brian O'driscoll was not the best centre as a school boy he didn't get on the SCT as an u17 and the following year played outhalf..... BullS*it

tHE vAGGABOND

epicentre of each of the cup wins

In fairness, for SCT anyway - he was playing behind an epic pack who were owning all in front of them with some handy players of their own...

I never heard Kidney had taken him in for a look, thats a mad story. Imagine if he had made it, real roy of the rovers stuff..

I agree about BoD BTW (which is why I did not pick him in my team!) - it was at under 19/20's he magically became this amazing player we all know! He did not even get onto the JCT in school which is amazing thinking about it now he is among the best players in the world. He was a sub scrumhalf behind Scally- in his defence, it was the 'dream team' - who never lost a single game from Under 13s all the way to under 19's (or whatever their record was!)

Johnny_the_fox

tHE vAGGABOND wrote:

I agree about BoD BTW (which is why I did not pick him in my team!) - it was at under 19/20's he magically became this amazing player we all know! He did not even get onto the JCT in school which is amazing thinking about it now he is among the best players in the world. He was a sub scrumhalf behind Scally- in his defence, it was the 'dream team' - who never lost a single game from Under 13s all the way to under 19's (or whatever their record was!)

Jonathan Bell was brillant for Coleraine as a school boy... pick him over Gordon D'Arcy ??

tHE vAGGABOND

Bell may have been good - but I said I do have a leinster bias - and I saw Darcy play for Clongowes myself a bunch of times on both JCT and SCT - so he gets my vote..

clsmooth

BUMPED!

Old thread but I thought it was an interesting read. Also read this article on the Irish Schools team of 95. Anyone have any memories of particular players at Schools level?

Remember a 17 year old Shane Jennings blocking down a kick from the Belvedere out half in injury time in Donnybrook with Belvo leading and running half the length of the pitch to score and nick the game!

Also remember Gordon D'Arcy being huge for his age at schools level!

CatFromHue

clsmooth wrote: »

BUMPED!

Also remember Gordon D'Arcy being huge for his age at schools level!

I think D'Arcy even said he was bigger then than he is now!

[Jackass]

clsmooth wrote: »

BUMPED!

Old thread but I thought it was an interesting read. Also read this article on the Irish Schools team of 95. Anyone have any memories of particular players at Schools level?

Remember a 17 year old Shane Jennings blocking down a kick from the Belvedere out half in injury time in Donnybrook with Belvo leading and running half the length of the pitch to score and nick the game!

Also remember Gordon D'Arcy being huge for his age at schools level!

As a Belvo man, that is my single worst memory for all the senior cup games I've ever been to. My dad and I still talk about it to this day when Shane Jennings comes up.

That was the same Bevlo side who had Damien O'Donohue (Paul O'Donohue's older brother and Brian O'Driscoll's best man), Downey in the centre (now of Northampton) I think it might have been the year after Andy Dunne...It was definitely the best Belvedere team since the 70's (so I'm told, and certainly in all the 90's) and by far the best side in senior cup that season, just absolutely blew it. I think Rock went on to win it.

gcgirl

Jees I heard poor Ross O Carroll Kelly is suppose to be inconsolable from his exclusion in the list

clsmooth

[Jackass] wrote: »

As a Belvo man, that is my single worst memory for all the senior cup games I've ever been to. My dad and I still talk about it to this day when Shane Jennings comes up.

That was the same Bevlo side who had Damien O'Donohue (Paul O'Donohue's older brother and Brian O'Driscoll's best man), Downey in the centre (now of Northampton) I think it might have been the year after Andy Dunne...It was definitely the best Belvedere team since the 70's (so I'm told, and certainly in all the 90's) and by far the best side in senior cup that season, just absolutely blew it. I think Rock went on to win it.

Yep I think Mary's got beaten by Rock in the semis and Rock went on to win it. That Belvo team won the JCT against Mary's as far as I remember. Was a good Mary's team with the likes of Kieran Lewis and James Norton

power76

Most conspicuously absent name = Peter Lynch, Clongowes Number 8 in 94. Best player on the pitch in both the final and the replay of the final. Destroyed Eric Miller in the Semi against Wesley and captained Irish schools that year.

Also hard not to watch the final the previous year without mentioning Joey Muldowney again - it was like watching an international playing in an U14s match (and a number of names on the final list were on the pitch at the time).