Boyne’s AIL Status Assured For Next Season Boyne’s AIL Div 2B status was assured last weekend without their senior team having to kick a ball. Whilst it was still mathematically possible for Instonians RFC to catch Boyne with two bonus point wins and closing a 50 points difference to be made up between the teams, the result from Limerick between Richmond and Instonians, sealed Boyne’s fate. Boyne now enter their final game against Tullamore in the knowledge that senior rugby next season is guaranteed. Nevertheless, the midlanders will be out to avenge two cup final defeats, incurred in recent times, before both these clubs attained senior status. Boyne President, Robbie McGrath, praised the efforts of the playing squad and club coach, Mike Walls, for retaining the clubs senior status. He went on to say, “There has been a transition in playing personnel in the club this year and we had to rely on the younger players coming through from our youth system. We also asked some senior players to postpone their retirement for another season to hold on and help the team and the young players coming through. We are grateful that our request was heeded and we got through a difficult season with the results we needed to preserve our status.” Whilst Boyne have one game left to complete their AIL season, nevertheless, the club has to look at consolidating their playing base for next season. The President went to say; “ We have already commenced plans to make sure that we go into next season with a positive attitude. We have one of the best youth structures in the country and we have to give attention to developing our young players who will be the future of the club. We lost several players this season to emigration and have to be hopeful that this trend is reversed and things will improve in the coming years”. Coach, Mike Walls, was also optimistic that the club can consolidate and progress in the future. He says; “ I never had any doubt that the quality was in this squad of players to achieve survival and we pushed the top teams all the way in our league games. Perhaps the deciding factor for us was the two bonus points we picked up against Ards RFC when we looked down and out with 15 minutes to go and we were something like 20pts in arrears. Our performance picked up remarkably in those closing 15 minutes and Cormac Brodigan, one of our younger players, scored two excellent tries which brought us to within 7pts and our try tally to four, which earned two vital bonus points for us”. Club President, Robbie McGrath will host the Annual Club Dinner next Friday night in Shamrock Lodge when former Blackrock, Leinster, Ireland and British & Irish Lion, Fergus Slattery, will be guest speaker. Among the other ‘greats’ who will be attendance will include Ollie Campbell who played with Robbie on the ’82 Triple Crown winning Ireland side. Proceedings will commence at 7:30pm.
Posted on: Sun, 30 Mar 2014 18:09:13 +0000
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