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It all began in a rented field in Ringsend
At the beginning of the 1890s the Medical School rented a field at
Sandymount, between the Star of the Sea Church and Ringsend. The moving spirit in
this, as in so much else, was Ambrose Birmingham, Registrar and Professor of
Anatomy, who leased the ground from a Dr. Nedley. This seems to have been the
first move of its kind in the School, but in A PAGE OF IRISH HISTORY there is
mention of an earlier, short-lived rugby club there called the Cuchullians, which was
formed of first and second year students who, as no ground was available, had played
in the Phoenix Park.
There is no evidence that any rugby was played in Cowper Road in the very
early days and we first hear of it in Sandymount. The impetus for it came from the
School, no doubt inspired by tIle Hospitals' Cup competition which dates back to
1882. It is known that in the 1880s each of the hospitals attended by the Cecilia
Street students - Mater, St. Vincent's, Richmond and Jervis Street - had their own
teams which used the grounds of the established clubs, particularly Bective.
Even at that time canvassing of promising schoolboy players, coming to the
College or the School, was commonplace amongst the established clubs - although
there cannot have been many to canvass then unlike the major industry which
nowadays swings into action each year.
The Golden Jubilee of the present club fell in 1960-61 and to honour the
occasion it published a special programme for the match against the Irish Universities.
Articles by Judge J.C. Conroy, Mr. Justice Cahir Davitt and G.P.S. Hogan give us a
considerable amount of information on the early years. Judge Conroy writes that in
1895 the Catholic University Rugby Club with J. Blaney as Secretary was affiliated to
the Leinster Branch. This might have been Alexander J. Blayney, Professor of
Biology, later assistant Professor of Surgery and Surgeon to the Mater who was
prominent in supporting the sporting activities of the School and later of the College.
The Branch records show that on March 18, 1895 the club beat CUS, Leeson
St. in the- Junior Cup, but was beaten in the next round by the GPO. This was actually
the first formal appearance of tIle Catholic University on the wider sporting scene,
ante-dating the first appearance of the Soccer Cillb by a few months, but in his report
to the Annual General Meeting of the Branch in September 1897 the h011. secretary
reported that the club had ceased to function. Within a month it had affiliated again
1
and played in the Junior League and Cup for the next few seasons~ When this club in
its tum also collapsed - probably due to the loss of the Sandymount ground - it seems
as if there was no serious attempt to form a new club in either the old College or the
School before 1909.
The PAGE OF IRISH HISTORY tells us of two international players:
"Speaking of International Football, the College, (in fact, it was tIle School), was
represented for some years on the Rugby international scene by Tom Little, who was
a very popular student living in St. Stephen's Green.... At an earlier period Tom
Crean [another medical] who also lived near the College, was an international forward
... " Cream, educated at Clongowes, was a student of St. Vincent's Hospital and
played for Wanderers; he won nine caps between 1894 and 1896.
He was a member of the first Irish side to win the Triple Crown in 1894 and
toured South Africa with the British and Irish team in 1896. He played in all four
Test matches captaining the side in two of them. He is said to have brought a new
dimension to scrummaging by developing the wheel. He was to return to South
Africa as Surgeon Captain in the Boer War and WOll the Victoria Cross on 18
December, 1901 at Tyger Kloof.
THE HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY MEDICAL SCHOOL
quotes from the citation: "although wounded himself, he continued to attend the
wounded ullder heavy fire, at only 150 yards range from the enemy. He did not desist
until he was wounded for a second time". He also was later awarded the Royal
Humane Society's testimonial for saving life at sea. He died in London on 25 March
1923. Tom Little was a member of Bective and was capped seven times from 1899,
the Triple Crown year, to 1901 and became a well-known general practitioner.
At the end of 1902 the 81. Vincent's Hospital Club played at Cowper Road,
which is the only record of rugby being played there.
New beginnings
Immediately on the opening of tIle new College a Rugby Club was formed;
" ....on January 10, 1910, it was affiliated to the Leinster Branch on the proposal of
Bective, seconded by Monkstown." It made an imnlediate mark on the administration
of the Branch. The minutes of a Committee meeting on February 2 relate: "An
application from University College FC for a grant towards expenses of touring in
Cork was considered and refused." The minute goes on to say that the following
resolution was then passed: "That in future grants for travelling expenses be only
allowed to clubs that have been merrlbers of the Branch for the three years preceding
the date of application."
At the end of October 1912, the club received a more sympathetic hearing. "A
letter from University College F.C. asking permission to enter for Junior and Minor
League; it was decided to accept entry if same could possibly be arranged with the
league teams, a letter to the Hon. Sec. of League suggesting this proposal."
Prominent among the club founders were the first captain, P. O'Connell (who ,j
was capped with Bective in 1913 and 1914), Dr. E.P. Carey, Dr. Joe Brennan and Dr.
Michael Davitt. At tIle time Michael Davitt was a member of Bective 1st XV and he
did not play regularly for the club until 1913. The first committee listed is that for
1910-11 with P. O'Connell as captain and E.P. Carey as secretary.
The difficulties which faced the founders of the new club were formidable.
No proper playing facilities were available - the only home pitch was one adjoining
the soccer pitch at Croydon Park, until it closed and the College got the use of what is
now Croke Park. This was used on Wednesdays and Saturdays, by the Hurling,
Gaelic Football and Rugby Clubs. Secondly, all the outstallding rugby players in the
College were members of senior clubs. They were loath to leave them to join a club
of unstable foundations and with no proper facilities. In its issue for February 1913
the NATIONAL STUDENT listed 14 prominent Bective players, six Blackrock
players and five St. Mary's players who were College students.
The start of the club was, in fact, unpropitious. During its first season it
entered for no competition. Matches were limited to a few friendlies played at
irregular intervals. In November 1910 the NATIONAL STUDENT'S comment on
the first season was acid. " ... one other club for whose existence we could only
apologise. This is the Rugby Club. Governed by a slack or incapable body of
officials, and having a most invertebrate set of playing members and followers, it
succeeded in often lowering our prestige. Started merely for the purpose of supplying
this year's students with a settled and well organised club, it has ended by turning
away much promising talent fronl the College. Instead of a help it has beconle a
hindrance. To repair the damage done by them a new provisional committee has been
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chosen. In it we are glad to see that none of last year's incapables have been
included."
It may be noted from the fixture card that the club regards its first season as
that of 1910-11 in which E.P. Carey represented it 011 the Athletic Union Council.
Two menu cards, one for the Coming of Age Dinner, and the other for the Silver
Jubilee Dinner give the dates 1911-1932 and 1911-1936 respectively, and in each case
the names of the founders are given as Michael Davitt and Edward Pat Carey.
The first match of which we have a record was played at Nutley Avenue in
December 1910 when College defeated the Dental Hospital by 18pts to six. The
scorers for the winners were O'Donoghue, Collins and O'Connell. A week later
Knockbeg College, Carlow were beaten. We are told by the FREEMAN'S
JOURNAL, which reported both matches, that "the forwards of Knockbeg College
were physically superior to those ofUCD, but the back line of the visiting Dublin side
were good enough to run in two tries, for an 11pts. to nil victory." The arithmetic
seems questionable; still, a win is a win.
The new committee brought about an immediate improvement and we also
have the names of some of the players - McCabe, Coyne, Collins, Donoghue,
Connell, Dundon, Lynch, Morton, Murnane and Farrell. A year after the thunderbolts
from the NATIONAL STUDENT the picture was very different as the hour brought
forth the man with E.P. Carey as secretary a11d the club entered for the Jllnior Cup for
the first time. For the year 1911-12 J.H. McKenna was captail1.
Merrion were defeated in the second round of the Junior Cup by 6pts to nil,
but in the final College were beaten by Carlow. This match created difficulties for the
club according to Cahir Davitt reporting on it in the Jubilee Programme. The
coincidence of the Easter vacation and Leinster Branch Cup matches, still with us to a
certain extent, presented very major problems in those days.
"The match was played on March 30, 1912, by which time half the team had
gone home throughout the country and there were no substitutes. Michael Davitt, not
yet playing for the club, attempted to help by recruiting four Bective nlen so that a
team would at least appear. He was not entirely successful. College started with
twelve men and were one short throughout. Apparently it was arranged that Carlow
would get the Cup anyway but, in fact, they won by 6-nil."
By now, however, the NATIONAL STUDENT was loud in its praises. "It is
flourishing and is assured of a long and vigorous life. Great credit is due to the men
who re-organised the club and made it a real College Club, and not a combination got
together whenever members of outside teanlS thought they would like a match. Great,
very great, credit is due to the Heaven-sent Secretary, Mr. E.P. Carey, whose
enthusiasm and organising ability has been a motive force all along." A year later
came the attack on those students who persisted in playing for outside clubs.
The move to Terenure and its own pitches, in itself a major advance, brought
in several well known players such as Micllael Davitt. The club played its first match
there on January 24, 1914. Results in the League games had been only moderate but
it then went on to win the Junior Cup, even though in January the NATIONAL
STUDENT had been of the opinion that the winning of tIle Junior Cup was as far
away as ever. The club had now arrived, sellior rugby beckoned, but the outbreak of
war meant that all official fixtures were abandoned and it had to wait until they were
resumed.
The War years
The captaill for 1914-15 was W. Marmion with Cahir Davitt as secretary.
Davitt records that Bective, Blackrock, St. Mary's, Clontarf, Merrion and UCD
carried on and arranged fixtures between themselves. A weak UCG team began a
short Dublin tour at Terenure in January, 1915 but were well beaten by 23-nil. In the
1915-16 season under the captaincy of M.H. O'Connor the first match, against
Merrion, was lost but all of the others were won.
In April, it was complained that the loss of the Merrion match had spoiled
what would otherwise have been a clean sheet from the first nlatch with Bective in
1914. There was a good intake of first years, but also criticism of irregularity in
turning out for matches, of unpunctuality when people did appear, a lacl< of
uniformity in jerseys and a general lack of cleanliness as regards togs. Mothers or
5
land-ladies were not as appreciative of footballers' needs as they are today but, of
course, techniques of washing their togs have also made great strides.
The captains for the next few years were F.M. McDermott in '16-' 17 and P.J.
Stokes for the l1ext two years. In March 1918 College had the greater share of
possession against UCC but the final score was 3pts each; McDermot scored the
College try. Throughout all this time UCD were still widely referred to in the press as
the National University. Usually the context makes it clear that UCD is intended but
occasionally difficulties can arise. It took a very long time for the practice to die out
and even still one hears it. It is not so long since I was myself asked had I qualified in
"National".
Before the official post-war resunlption in a competition known as the Dublin
League in which the College, Trinity South Africans, College of Science, S1. Mary's,
Blackrock and Merrion took part was inaugurated. UCD and Trinity South Africans
qualified for the play-off but after two exciting drawn matches the competition was
abandoned.
Into the twenties
On May 21, 1919, the club decided to apply for senior status and adopted
playil1g colours of "Light blue (81. Patrick's blue) jersey with the College arms in
saffron, stockings saffron and light blue ribbed." Before this jersey had been of light
blue and saffron hoops, although there is contemporary evidence of considerable
variation in the colours in which teams turned Ollt. Senior rugby had begun again in
October 1919, and College played its first senior game, against Trinity, on October
18. The Trinity side included several South Africans and had previously beaten
Clontarf by 40 points to nil; they now won by 14-11.
The first captain of the club in senior ranks was Wally Murphy, with Bob
Davitt as han. secretary and A. Cantwell as hone treasurer. The start of the season
was good but by the end of the first term came the complaint that the club had gone
from bad to worse. Players of the time were Hallissey, Sullivan, Johnny Keohane,
Temple, Donovan, Schofield, Cantwell, Hanrahan, Jerry Breen, A.W. Spain, Gerald
Moore, Cussen, DOff, Dowling and Frank McDermott.
The club soon made its mark. In the 1919-20 season Paddy Stokes and Andy
Cour11ley were chosen for Leinster, and Courtney became the first College man to
play for Ireland.
A.W. Courtney seems to have been a character larger than life. Dr. Louis
Courtney, his nephew, provides some backgrollnd information. "He was variously
known as Tony or Andy depending on whether he was in Tipperary or Dublin. Some
of his escapades, both on and off the field, were quite extraordinary. In one season,
1920, he played Rugby for Ireland alld Gaelic Football for Tipperary ....He was also
light-heavyweight boxillg champion of the University at the time, and the Black and
Tans had taken a special interest in him as well, for some reason wllich I have never
been able to fathom accurately.
"He told me that on one occasion wIlen playing against Trinity in College
Green a platoon surrounded the field much to the surprise of tIle other players. Tony
had anticipated their il1terest and had left his clothes in the Turkish Baths in Dawson
Street. I asked him if he thought of making a run for it be he answered with a chuckle
of disbelief: 'What would I do that for, there were thirty of us. I jogged off the field
with the boys and kept jogging through the pavilion, out the otller end, over the
railings and back to the Turkish Baths where I had left my clothes, while the others
were being checked and searched." He then spent the succeeding fortnight in the
residency of the Eye and Ear Hospital in Adelaide Road until the dust settled.
"He told me that during that time he world heavyweight champion had put on
an exhibition fight in Dublin - I think it was Sam Langford. He apparently stayed at
the Shelbourne Hotel and went for a stroll the following nl0ming when Tony and a
friend of his were jogging through the Green. Tony told me that he knew he would
never again get a chance of fighting the world champion so he stopped with his friend
and suggested that they have a go at him.
"His friend, who was the second row forward on the Irish team, asked him if
he were out of his mind and that the champion would kill him. He apparently
couldn't resist the temptation, however, alld challenged and had a go at the champion,
keeping so close that he couldn't get a decent swing at him, and then they two of them
sprinted out of the Green and didn't stop jogging 'til they reached Glasnevin where
they sat on a wall laughing. They returned the long way round to avoid the police."
7
In his recent work THE TROUBLES Ulick O'Colllior gives a possible reason
for the Black and Tans' interest in Courtney. In 191 7 he had been a steward at the
massive funeral procession in Dublin of Tll0nlas Ashe after his death in prison on
hunger strike.
"Along the North Quays Dick McKee was in charge of the procession. A
despatch rider from Dublin Castle on a motorbike rode past full tilt, skimming the
edge of the march. McKee jumped out and managed to dislodge him from his cycle.
The bike skidded on the footpatl1. It finished up at the feet of one of the Volunteer
stewards, Tony Courtney, a medical student. 'Dump that bike in the river' McKee
ordered Courtney. The student was reluctant to dispose of anything as valuable as a
motor cycle then was, and remembers being tom between the instinct to preserve it
and the sheer authority that McKee exuded. However, he heaved the bike into the
Liffey and the despatch rider returned to Dublin Castle on foot. Three years later,
Courtney would be capped at Rugby for Ireland against England at Twickenham.
When the Irish team were received by King George V before the match, Courtney
found himself in a dilenlma because of his republican views. But as the king
approached Courtney stooped to tie his bootlace, thus avoiding having to press royal
flesh and at the same time maintaining a semblance of courtesy."
Courtney won seven caps, against Scotland, Wales and France in 1920 and
1921, and against England in 1921. They all carne as he was playing for College.
There were many problems, not all of which were on the playing field, in
those years during which violence constantly escalated and by early 1921 fixtures in
all braches of sport had to be abandoned. It was not doubt such a political atmosphere
which prompted the following letter to the SPORTS MAIL in April 1921:
"Sir,
"I am instructed by the Committee of University College Rugby Club to write
to you in reference to a belief which seems to be prevalent in Dublin Rugby
circles in regard to our club. It is frequently hinted at, and very often stated in
tIle Press, that we experience a great amount of opposition from the other
College Clubs and from certain College sources. It would not be fair to these
clubs, etc., to let this assumption pass unchallenged. We wish, therefore, to
state enlphatically that we have experienced from them nothing but the most
cordial support and friendly relations.
"Sincerely yours,
"R.E. Davitt'
"Hon. Sec. U.C.R.F.C."
While it is quite possible that, given the times, there were some who would not have
looked too kil1dly on Rugby or Soccer players, the prominence of Davitt himself arid
of others, notably A.W. Spain, in College sporting affairs and the AUC would suggest
that such feelings, if they existed at all, were not widespread amol1gst the members of
the College clubs. Indeed, the contemporary NATIONAL STUDENT was to
complain that a man should be able, withollt hindrance, to play rugby on a Saturday
and wield a caman on the Sunday. Perhaps the best answer was the winning of the
Dudley Cup when Queen's, who fielded a backline which included George
Stephenson, were beaten by a try to nil.
The next meeting with Trinity was a landmark - the Leinster Senior Cup Final
on April 2, 1921, when Trinity, who included the South Africans Marais, Van Druten
and Malan, won by 5pts. to nil. College, captained by D.B. Sullivan, were missing j
their out-halfG.P.S. Hogan and P. McCarthy. The IRISH TIMES was moved to write
editorially on the match and is quoted, by kind permission, in the Golden Jubilee
programme, from which the following extract is taken. More than seventy years later
its message may still be relevallt.
"The green oasis of good fellowship persists in the barren wastes of high
affairs. A large section of the world of sport refuses to be dominated by the bitter
turmoil of international and party politics. Unionists, Constitutional Nationalists and
Sinn Feiners still meet as friends and fellow sportsnlen on the racecourse and football
groul1d. The final match of the Leinster Senior Cup at Lansdowne Road was a
landmark in the history of rugby football in Ireland. For the first time Trinity College
and University College Dublin met in the struggle for the coveted laurel. Trinity are
familiar with victory, but this was only the second season of University College's
appearance in rugby football. It was beaten but gave a good account of itself. The
score of one goal to nil represents a difference not greater than the thrilling length by
which Cambridge beat Oxford in the finest boat race of recent years.
"The nature of the game was such as befitted an anciellt University which has
made a high tradition in the field of sport and a young University which is il1tent on
making it. Everyone of the thirty players played for, and enhanced, the honour of his
side, and the whole match was an example of the best type of University Football.
9
Many will read of Saturday's encounter with mingled pleasure and regret. It is
pleasant that these two sets of young Irishmen should have proved so worthy of
thenlselves and one another. It is sad that their generous conlpetition in the Colleges',
and therefore their country's, service should be confined to the arena of sport.
"Even in the most sympathetic comment of this kind there is a danger that
some susceptibilities will be hurt. We shall not attempt, therefore, to suggest how
Irish history ought to have been made. We shall not try to answer the fascinating
question: How would Ireland stand today if during the last fifty years her best young
men of all creeds and parties had been educated in one great and really national
University?
"Nobody will deny, however, that the tragedy of Ireland's division is most
painful a11d injurious in the case of her young men. Roughly, today, tIle three Irish
Universities stand for three different and largely conflicting schools of political and
economic thought. 111 all of them are hundreds of fine young men, vigorous, with
brave ideas, anxious to make their country prosperous and 11appy. Alas! The ideas
clash, the strength of youth is dissipated and, by some dreadful blunder of the political
chemists, all the elements of unity are transmitted into the baleful material of civil
war.
"The most appalling waste in Ireland today is the waste of youth, and the most
nlagnificent blessing of settlement, when settlement conles, will be the new
brotherhood of youth. Those of us who live to see the young output of our
Universities engaged for their country's sake in SUCll chivalrous rivalry as Lansdowne
Road saw last Saturday will be able to utter their "nunc dimittis" from thankful
hearts."
In 1922-23, with Paddy Collins as secretary, the club was reported as having J its best season since its foundation in spite of losing the Dudley to Queen's. It was
described as tIle lightest team in town with the pack ably led by Alec Spain. It now
gave the NATIONAL STUDENT something to write about and student hyperbole
really came into its own. Trinity still dominated tIle Leinster and, indeed, the Irish
Rugby scene.
"Ash Wednesday, 1923, is, in our eyes as famous a day as the Good Friday on
which Brian Boru beat tIle Danes. To have beaten Trinity for the first time was an
achievement; as well as that the team we beat that day was an uflbeaten side which
had vanquished all the other crack 'Varsity sides to wit: Oxford, Cambridge,
Edinburgh and Queen's. No doubt we surprised Trinity, but we surprised ourselves
also by the way we stuck to our guns in the last quarter of an hour, against a
desperately heavy side going 'all out' to cross our line.
"It was the stubbornness of our defence that made us deserving winners for it
cannot be denied that Trinity had all the bad luck tl1at was going, and by the way they
took their 'bad luck' in the sporting spirit which is so characteristic of Trinity Rugger
men."
Sarsfield Hogan puts the match, won 9-8, into perspective. None of the
College players had yet achieved even interprovincial honours, whilst Trinity
included Van Druten, soon to be capped by South Africa, and Irish internationals in
Cussel1, Sugden, Crichton, Owens, Gillespie, Thompson and Clinch. "We were
hardly the better team and we probably won because we played in a crusading spirit
which Trinity saw no profound reason to emulate." Connoisseurs of Hospitals' Cup
matches down the years will be quite familiar with the David and Goliath syndrome.
In 1924, the ultimate success was achieved when College won the Leinster
Senior Cup for the first time. Years later, in the Golden Jubilee Programme Sarsfield
Hogan summed up the Cup season: "The issue was largely decided in the second
rOlll1d when we beat Trinity by a goal and two tries to two tries. This was a game of
high quality, all five tries being scored from con1bined back play. Memory lingers on
the College winning try - Frank Russell, the left wing, an Intervarsity boxing
champion, handing off Bingham on his way to the line."
The IRISH TIMES reported the final very fully:
University College's Firsts win match in a snowstorm
University College 12,
Monkstown 3.
"Rarely, if ever, can the final of the Leinster Senior Cup, or any football
match, have been played under worse conditions than those which prevailed on
Saturday, when University College and Monkstown met to decide which of their
names should be inscribed on the trophy for the season just ending. Everybody had
been hoping - and the players especially - that rain would fall prior to the match, so
that the ground which had become dangerously hard, would be in suitable order, but
nobody bargained for the deluge that actually did happen, and which was at its worst
during the course of the game.
11
"Although the form of a 'National' in the Cup ties and during the season
pointed to them as the more than likely winners, there were evidently a great number
who saw possibilities about the Monkstown team, and with the prospects of, at least,
watching a keen and open game a fine crowd turned up. The elements, however,
intervel1ed, and with a regular blizzard sweeping the ground from the beginning to the
end of the game it was absolutely ruined from the spectacular point of view, and in
the second half things became almost farcical.
"Instead of being a test of football ability it devolved into a question of which
side would overcome the very adverse conditions the better, and on the day's play
there was no doubt whatsoever who that was, and the score of four tries to a penalty
goal let Monkstown down very lightly. On the form displayed during the game,
moreover, it is very doubtful whether the losers, under any conditions, would have
succeeded in reversing tIle result ...
"To attempt to criticise the players, having regard to the conditions they had to
contend with, would serve no useful purpose, but tIle most prominent of the College
team were O'Sullivan (whose fielding and anticipation were remarkably good in the
circunlstances), Russell, E. Davy and MacGowan (backs), and Cullen, Courtney,
Liddy and Spain (forwards) ....
"It was a very popular victory for the University College students, whose third
appearance it was in the final in the last four years, and apart from their football
ability, for their keeness and consistency alone, they now become very worthy
winners of the Cup and for the first time in their career.
"'National' had to face the wind alld sleet in the first half, but setting a very
hot pace from the start they never allowed Monkstown any chance of settling down ..
. . a pass from Clarke to Barnett went very much astray, and with both Ganly and
O'Brien failing to gather the ball, E. Davy picked up and ran up to Davies before
sending Silke away. The wing man, with his start, just got to the line before Davies
tackled him, but he managed to push the ball over and E. Davy made a great attempt
to convert from near the touchline.
"Monkstown improved in the subsequent play and by forward work and touch
finding gained a footing in the College 25 .... 'National' were several times
penalised and Hogan, once being caught offside almost ill front of his own posts,
Pickeman levelled up the scores by placing a goal. The students soon regained their
lead however, as following a good cut-through by E. Davy, Silke cross kicked into the
centre, alld with the forwards bringing the ball along, V. Davy picked up and raced
over for a good try which E. Davy failed to convert ....
"The conditiollS had been getting gradually worse as the game progressed and
when the second half commenced the ground was like a skating rink, and heavy rain
and sleet was accompanied by a biting wind, whicll Monkstown had to face ... For
practically the whole of the period 'National' were the attacking side and Monkstown
very rarely got over the half-way line.
"For some time the College failed to increase their score, but at length a loose
rush saw man after man on the MOnkstOW1l side missing the ball, and in the end
Russell was able to have a good look at the ball before he decided to touch it down ..
. . Davies, in attempting to clear, sent the ball into touch near his own line, and Silke
throwing in the ball quickly to Spain, the latter, unmarked, fell over the line at the
comer. This ended the scoring and both players and spectators were glad when tIle
final whistle sounded."
The Victorious College team was: J.M.O'Sullivan, J.Silke, S.Hogan, V.Davy,
F.Russell, E.Davy, P.McGowan, M.Brosllan, A.Courtney, J.Cullen, E.O'Hanrahan,
J.Liddy, M.Piggott, A.W.Spain (capt.), N.Winters.
A certain nostalgia creeps in on reading that accoullt of the match. In those
days a forward rush was a foot rush with the ball kept on the ground. I cannot
remember when I last heard the call of "Feet, Ireland, Feet!"
A fortnight later we were defeated by Queell's, captained by George
Stephenson, by 29-11 in the final of the Batenlan Cup.
In 1926, Trinity, captained by Terence Millin, had their revenge in the final by
11pts to 3. Trinity played eight backs and only Eugene Davy and P.MacGowan
remained of the College back-line which had played the finals of 1923, 1924 and
1925. But, within a few years of going senior, College had already been in five finals.
Trinity won a high scoring game 17-13 in 1927 noticeable for a memorably
try. Once again, Sarsfield Hogan tells the story in the Jubilee programnle: "Seall
Lavan played as a sort of secret weapon on the right wing for College and scored one
of the most remarkable tries seen at Lansdowne Road. In a Trinity attack near the
College line, Lavan intercepted a pass, raced away, and no one could overtake the
Olympic runner.
13
"He was a complete novice and having crossed the Trinity line near the flag he
remembered that he ought to score between the posts, so he came out again into the
field of play in order to achieve this object. This enabled Millin to get back and
tackle, but with a desperate struggle and lunge Lavan dived towards the line on his
back and in that position with arms outstretched above his head he managed to place
the ball over the line midway between the posts."
Those who remembered Millen's great gifts as a raconteur would clearly like
to have heard his description of the affair!
In December 1928, College won the Dudley, beating D.C.C. "The Dublin
College have a young, light side, but their backs are very fast and clever, and they
may surprise some of our Dublin sides before the season is much older." They were
beaten 13-6 in the semi-final of the Cup in 1929 by Monkstown who went on to lose
heavily to Lansdowne in the final.
Speaking of the twenties, Judge Conroy had this to say: "The Club soon made
its mark in senior ranks. In 1920 Andy Courtney became the first College nlan to play
for Ireland. In this decade the College played in five Senior Cup Finals, winning the
Cup in 1924. It won the Metropolitan Cup twice and was in the final on several other
occaSIons.
"Courtney, D.B.Sullivan, A.W.Spain and E.O'D. Davy played for Ireland.
Other outstanding players of this time were G.P.S.Hogan, F.Russell, M.Brosnan,
Nicky Winters, P.MacGowan, T.MacMahon and T.J.Morris. These were the years of
consolidation, when a tradition of playing fast, open football was built up - a tradition
which all succeeding teams have tried to follow."
Wider fields
Apart from its activities on the field UCDRFC now became involved in
seeking changes in the administration of the game, particularly those which reflected
the new social and political scene. TIle IRFU was a slow moving body and its senior
administrators had served Irish rugby well, but some of them had been in office for a
very long time. As an exan1ple Edmund van Esbeck in his centenary history mentions
an international selector who had first served in 1895, had been a member of the
selection committee twenty five times, and was still there in 1930!
Two questions in particular reflected the changing situation. The first in point
of time was the question of Sunday Rugby, the need for which was pressed by
Munster and Connaught particularly, but without any response from the Union. The
College club lent its weight to the argunlents for change and within a fairly Sllort time
a compromise was reached which, while stating that matches should usually be played
on weekdays, left it open to the Branches to permit Sunday games if both clubs
involved were agreeable.
The second was potelltially more difficult- the question of flying the Tricolour
at international matches in Lansdowne Road. In 1925 the Union had designed a flag
with the arms of the Four Provinces for use on such occasions, but this was now felt
by many to be insufficient. Van Esbeck again singles out the College club as
advocating change. This was finally agreed when the Minister for External Affairs,
Desmond FitzGerald, intervened and on February 5, 1932 the Union agreed that the
.1 national flag should be flown at international matches in the Free State.
Van Esbeck writes: "Change was needed within the Union and the clamOtlr for
it came from outside, notably from Leillster, where once agail1 the UCD club were the
architects of the dramatic changes which took place within the Leinster executive in
the mid-thirties, and subsequently the wind of change blew, with bel1eficial results,
through the IRFU executive committee and selection committees. The new school of
thought, which had been frowned on by the executive as too radical, 110netheless
represented the views of the majority of the players and clubs within the game."
He goes on to mention that by 1934-35 Leinster's representatives on the
selection committee were Paul Murray, just retired from playing with 19 caps (whose
son John was to captain UCD in the sixties and also to play for Ireland) and
G.P.S.Hogan.
"Sarsfield Hogan had been a leading figure in setting the UCD club on the
road to success when the College entered senior ranks, nine years after its foundation.
A tllfee-quarter of high class he was on the first UCD team to win the Leinster Senior
Cup in 1924 and was subsequently a menlber of the great Lansdowne side of the
twenties ... the ultimate honour, an international cap, only just evaded him, for he
played in two final trials and was several times on the panel of reserves for Ireland.
"His terms of office as an administrator was both long and distinguished. His
election to the selection committee in 1934 was the preface to a career that culminated
in his Presidency of the Union in 1948. Two years earlier he had been appointed one
of Ireland's representatives on the International Board and he remained a member of
15
that body until he retired in 1971. Hogan's period of service on the Board was
featured by some revolutionary and very beneficial changes in the laws of the game,
on which he was considered one of the world's leading authorities.
"There were many other able men who carne into tIle administrative sphere at
branch and union level during that period of transition in the mid-thirties. One of
these was Judge C.F.Davitt, and he too succeeded to the Ullion Presidel1cy in 1936
37."
The nineteen thirties
In 1930-31, with T.P.Hogan as captain, a Colours match against Queen's was
instituted. L.B.MacMahon won his first cap against England and in a dream debut
scored the winning try against England at Twickenham. In the Senior Cup the Firsts
lost to Bective 0-3 after a replay, but the Minor League was won. In the next year the
Senior Final was lost 3-111 to Bective but the Seconds won tIle Metropolitan and the
JUl1ior League.
The team for the Cup final was: M.Saurin; T.O'N.Kiely; L.B.MacMall0n;
J.J.Bailey; T.D.Phelan; P.J.Roche (capt.); A.P.Barry; M.Gleeson; B.Glynn;
J.G.Maher; G.Hayes; B.Cullen; P.M.Purcell; B.McAuley; J.Griffin.
The SPORTS MAIL remarked that the College had been severely hit during
the season by injuries to McMahon, J.J. Bailey and P.J. Roche who were out of action
for a considerable time, and that the team had to play four hard matches in ten days
before getting there.
In December 1932, the SPORTS MAIL agaill praised UCD, sayil1g that it had
one of the strongest back divisions in Leinster and speculating on their chances in the
Leinster Cup. It pointed to the Club's record since going senior in 1919-20; in the
following seven years it contested five finals.
The season saw T.O'N.Kiely, J.J.Bailey and B.McAuley getting Final Trials
and Larry MacMahon retaining his place on the Irish side. In the Cup Trinity was
beaten 4-3 in the semi-final but Lansdowne won the last stage by 6-4. However, the
Metropolitan was won again. MacMahon was captain for 1933-34 and the
NATIONAL STUDENT was moved to comment on his versatility:
"Mr. Larry MacMahon is to be congratulated on the faith the selectors have in
him as they apparently believe him to be up to International standard in almost every
position; first as centre, then as right wb:lg, now as left wing."
Clontarf were beaten after a replay in the Cup but once again Bective spoiled
things by winning the semi-final. By 1934-45 "Larry Mac" had left but was replaced
by Aiden Bailey who won his first cap. Once again the semi-final was lost, this time
to Trinity. Larry MacMahon was not lost entirely to tIle club and more than one club
president during the sixties was fortified by his wise advice helped by his production
of a bag of sweets! He was also the author of the very helpful phrase which appeared
on the menu for club dinners - "My dear, I was the first to come away."
The season 1935-36 was an important one for all the clubs as Belfield came
into use. In the first rugby match there Monkstown were beaten 35-6. The SPORTS
MAIL congratulated the club on its new pitches and particularly on its Press Box. In
December, the sanle paper had an interesting comment on the club's early history.
"UCD Rugby Club first went senior in 1912 when the College club, owing to the
mistaken enthusiasm of a couple of members, was admitted to the senior ranks. This
proved too much for the young club as much difficulty was found in fulfilling fixtures
and it was decided to follow on as a junior club." It has to be said that the records of
the Branch do not bear out this illtriguing possibility.
Season 1935-36 also marked the Club's Silver Jubilee with Prof. J.N.Meenan
as President and J.J.Bailey as Captain. Aiden Bailey, his brother Jack and Gerry
Hayes played for Leinster against Munster and Bailey was chosen for Ireland. In
1936-37, Bailey, T.C.Boland, F.C.Dwyer and E.Toner played on the Combined
Universities side and both Bailey and Boland played for Leinster.
The next landmark was Tim Boland's year of 1937-38 when his drive and
enthusiasm was amply rewarded. As a captain he was larger than life galvanising the
Firsts, Seconds and Thirds. The Third 'A's fore-shadowing the Third 'C's of a
generation later, which became almost a separate entity. On a Saturday in March the
Seconds and Thirds had cup matches so that the Firsts had to dig deep for a sub. The
result was to make headlines:
AMAZING SCORE Meenan's Try Despite Shoulder Injury
"The distinction of scoring the most amazing try of the season goes to Paddy
Meenan, a third fifteen player assisting University College against Malone at Belfield
yesterday, where the Northern side won by a goal, a dropped goal, and a penalty goal
(12pts.) to two tries (6pts.)
"Early in the game Meenan, who was playing on the right wing, got a
knock which dislocated his collar-bone and put out his shoulder.
17
"With his left arm practically useless, he was about to go to the side-line when
suddenly a passing movement by the University backs was started and Bradley swung
the bailout to Meenan. Best, the Malone full-back, under the impression that the
whistle had gone, nlade no attempt to stop the winger as he galloped over for a try at
the comer, but it was really a whistle on the adjoining pitch which had sounded.
Meenan, having performed his good deed for the day, left the field and took no further
part in the game . . ."
As one felt that a nlonlent of such glory was unlikely to be repeated it seemed
a suitable time to retire and to leave the hurly-burly to others. It also induced a
certain scepticisnl of the priorities of the Press.
A month later the Senior Cup was a more serious matter. The first match with
Lansdowne was drawn 9-9 but the replay was won. Wanderers and Blackrock were
seen off and Clontarf beaten 6-4 in the final - two tries scored in the second half by
Bradley and Prendeville, the two wings, to a penalty goal.
The winning team, which played eight backs, was P.Crean, T.Bradley,
A.Bailey, T.Chamberlain, T.Prendeville, D.O'Brien, W.Dallas, J.Thompson, J.Ryan,
R.Magner, T.Boland, T.Headon, F.C.Dwyer, P.O'Meara and P.Morrissey.
This time no mistake was made in the Bateman and Young Munsters were
beaten 16-6 in the final although both Aiden Bailey and Tom Chamberlain were
nlissing. In both matclles the hooking of Ray Magner, himself a small man, was the
key to success. A press comment was that the team was not as good as some of those
in the past but that the Cups were won by giving the backs as much of tIle ball as
possible.
The Cup campaign ellded early in 1938-39 but Jim Ryan and Tommy Headon
were on the Irish side that lost the Triple Crown match to Wales in Belfast. They also
represented Leinster with T.Chamberlain, D.Ryan and Paddy Morrissey; Tom
Prendeville and Joml Thompson played for Munster.
War again
As the next season began, Europe was again at war. This time Rugby
continued officially but there were many problems, sonle of which lasted after the war
itself had ended. Some Rugby players left to join the British forces; others joined the
Defence Forces here but the Union and Branches carried on as best they could. One
unfortunate result of the times was that some outstanding players missed the ultimate
accolade of representillg Ireland in a full international, while others had their
international career cut short.
In the 1939-40 season, Kevin O'Flanagan alld John Thompson were on
opposite sides in tIle Leillster-Munster match, and O'Flanagan was chosen again, with
D. Ryan, against Ulster. In the Senior Cup, the Firsts, well below strength due to
injuries, lost heavily to Blackrock; the seconds were beaten in the final of the
Metropolitan by a last minute try, having previously won the League.
By September 1940, Prendeville and Thompson had left and Headon was in
the Army. Kevin O'Flanagan, Des Ryan and Tommy Headon figured on the Leillster
team but, once again, the Firsts were beaten in the first round of the Cup. The Thirds
won the Minor League to give some consolation.
O'Flanagan showed his versatility by being chosen for the League of Ireland
in spite of having played only two or three soccer matches all season. In the event he
scored the only goal for the League team. At this time he was, of course, also
prominent in the Athletic Club.
Away from the rugby field, the club won the Lorcan Sherlock Cup for the first
time since 1936 - the Cup is played for by golfing teams representing the senior
clubs. The College team was a strong one consisting of Brendan Scannell, T.D.
Purcell, J.P. Byrne, T.P. Hogan, T. Morris, E.T. McCarron, R.E. Davitt and the
ubiquitous Kevin O'Flanagan.
By the following season, the Club was fielding a 3rd 'B' XV, both the Junior
and Minor Leagues were won and O'Flanagan, Ryan and Headon were picked for
Leinster against Connacht for whom Eoin O'Malley also played. On the University
front the side lost to Queen's but beat uee by 1Opts to three. O'Flanagan, Ryan and
Headon played in the first of the unofficial internationals against a British Army XV
in Belfast in February, 1942, but in the rest of the series the only UCD man to figure
was T. Halpenny in 1944, while H. Dolan played against France in the unofficial
internationals of 1946. These were the years of Old Belvedere dominance in the
Senior Cup and on several occasions College provided the opposition in the final.
A new start
As things gradually returned to normal a new generation had appeared and
towards the end of 1946, the Club enlbarked on a British tour. John Blayney, J.
19
McAuliffe, J. Molony~ and D. Hingerty played for the Combined Universities against
the Rest of Ireland and Blayney and Hingerty were joined by Tom Cullen in the Final
Irish Trial. Cullen was cllosen to play against France but had to withdraw because of
the sudden death of his father, which left Don Hingerty, who played in all four
internationals that year, as tIle only College representative.
All came right in the final of the Senior Cup on April 24 1948 when, in a
packed Lansdowne Road, College beat Trinity. Paul McWeeney described the match
in the IRISH TIMES:
UeD .... 4, Dublin Univ..... 0
"A dropped goal by J.D. Hackett sufficed to win the Leinster Senior Rugby
Cup for UCD at Lansdowne Road on Saturday - for tllat was the only score in the
match between the two universities which attracted the biggest crowd ever to see two
Dublin clubs in opposition. From the aspect of skilful Rugby the match was a
disappointment; for the teams were too keen and too nluch on edge, with the result
that the tackling and defensive covering mastered back divisions which lacked real
pace, but the closeness of the score made it exciting, and Trinity put in a most
wholehearted finisll, which only just failed to snatch victory from defeat.
The better side won; for UCD had a slight advantage in the loose, in the
strenuous battle between the forwards, and the backs had more penetration, but the
losers had none of the breaks. A short time after the dropped goal Hackett's attempt
to find touch was charged down and CrOlle whipped up the ball to send Orr clear
away. The referee did not blow his whistle until the Trinity centre was well into his
stride, and, as neither he nor the majority of the players heard it, a thrilling race for
the line ensued.
"Orr finished up by beating O'Toole with a lovely swerve to ground near the
posts, only to learn that a scrum llad been ordered at the half-way line. From the Press
seats it looked as if the charged-down kick had struck the defender in the region of the
knees. From tIle scrum which followed, Orr intercepted Cullen's pass to O'Reilly but
just failed to control the ball in his hands and lost another chance of a clear run ...
"When in possession, the UCD backs shaped more dangerously than the
opposing line, but once again Hackett spoilt some pretty runs by kicking ahead, and
Connell also employed the same tactics in preference to passing to B. Mullen. The
wings, consequently got few chances, but, on the whole, defence was well in
command ....
"UCD had their best period from tIle start of the second half until ten minutes
from the end, during which time their forwards - with Molony, McAuliffe, Dargan
and Feddis outstanding - got right on top. Cullen was patchy at scrum-half but
Hackett always needed watching and, with limited opportullities O'Reilly alld
Blayney ran hard on the wings. As in the semi-final O'Toole was a greatly improved
full-back.
"Hackett's dropped goal was a picture kick. He received the ball from a line
out near the 25, and, although travelling fast, placed the ball high between the posts
from thirty yards out." The team was: T. O'Toole, G. O'Reilly, (capt.), J. COllilell, B.
Mullen, J. Blayney, J. Hackett, T. Cullen, J. Malony, M. Dargan, T. Cullen, S.
McAuliffe, C. Coughlan, R. Ball, W. Lenihan and R. Feddis. The two sides have .t""~""-~
often met in the Cup but never since in a final.
In a lengthy article on the Rugby club at the end of the year the NATIONAL
STUDENT pointed out that many students had heard of Tim Boland's year in 1937
38, the last time the Cup had been won; ten leall, if often unlucky, years had followed
until it was won again. The contribution made by some of the team was assessed but:
"Priority must go to Gerry O'Reilly as captain of the team and a player of many years
experience with the College side. The great spirit of the team and tIle feeling of
friendship among the players which prevailed was a tribute to a most popular and
successful captain. He did all in his power to get the very best side together and the
fact that he succeeded so well not alone repaid him for his trouble, but marked him as
a leader of outstanding merit."
The major contribution of another was also highlighted as the club
acknowledged its debt of gratitude to Sarsfield Hogan. "His fore sight and wide
experience were ever available in the hour of need. A solid player in his own day, his
clear minded thinking both enables him to assess the faults and strengths of the foe,
and convey his directions in a most penetrating and forcible manner to an appreciative
audiellce. Fifteen years service, not alone to the College club but also to the Leinster
Branch of the IRFU as a selector and legislator at all levels, brings him this year a
fitting reward - President of the Irish Rugby Football Union." It was also fitting that
his year of office should have been marked by the winning of the Triple Crown.
The strength of College sides around that time is shown in the team selected to
play Manchester University at the end of 1948 which included eight interprovincials.
A month later Torn Cullen made his delayed appearance on the Irish side against
21
France when Ireland were well beaten. In the 1949 Senior Cup, College and Trinity
were drawn together in the first round. College reached the semi-final when they
were beaten by Lansdowne in a replay. In the 1949-50 season a good British tour was
followed by a defeat by Queen's. J. Molony was chosen against Scotland and the
Firsts reached another Cup final, losing to Lansdowne the holders. John Blayney,
deserving of more, was chosen for only one match against Scotland but had the
satisfaction of scoring in it.
In retrospect the most important advance during the fifties was the
inauguration of the annual Colours Match against Dublin University which was first
played in December 1952 and has continued since without interruption. The initiative
came from Sarsfield Hogan and Harry Thrift of Trinity. College went into an early
lead in the series which it has succeeded in maintaining since.
The Senior Cup was not won during the decade but at illtemational level tIle
club became a force to be recognised. Durillg it our representatives on the Irish team
were M. Hillary, W. O'Neill, P. Kavanagh, R. Kavanagh and Robin Godfrey, together
with N.H. Brophy and W.A. Mulcahy who also toured Australia and New Zealand
with the Lions in 1959. At the other end of the scale the entry of a Freshman side into
the Minor League was very significant in its long term implications.
The golden years
The Golden Jubilee of the club fell In 1960-61, and for this special year
Sarsfield Hogan was recalled as President and Henry Wall was re-elected as captain
a rare honour. He was later to play for Ireland as did Jimmy Kelly, Mick Doyle,
Aidan Brady, John Murray and Al Moroney, successive captains from 1962-63 to
1966-67. Jimmy Kelly was the only man to captain Ireland while playing for the
club, although McLoughlin, Mulcahy, Deering, Grace and Slattery were to do so later,
following in the footsteps of Eugelle Davy.
One could also mention the captain of the club ill 1968-69, Peter Sutherland,
whose exploits have been on a different international field. During the decade two of
our members, Larry MacMahon and Eugene Davy served as Presidents of the IRFU,
and Gerry O'Reilly as an international selector and President of the Leinster Branch.
The side of 1960-61 was beaten in the Cup final by Blackrock after a replay;
fortune had not been with us. The Freshmen lost only one match all season -"- to
U.C.D. Thirds in the Minor League. On the international front Brophy, Mulcahy,
Ronnie Kavanagh and Gerry Tormey toured South Africa with Ireland. In the
following year we were beaten by Wanderers in the semi-final but the Seconds won
the Junior League, losing in the final of tIle Metropolitan Cup. In 1962-63, everything
came right when College won the Senior, Metropolitan and Minor Cups, the first time
any club had done so. Four of the College backs in the Senior final were
internationals - Jimmy Kelly, John Murray, Pat Casey and Frank Byrne. The try,
finally touched down by Pat Casey at Twickenham, still lives in the memory of those
who saw it either on the television or at the match itself.
For the Leinster Cup final, Paul McWeeney was again on hand to tell the story
of a match which he found disappointing. College "with a great deal of talent behind
the scrum, and lead of six points in as many minutes. . . . ptlrsued a policy of 'what
we have we hold' throughout the second half, when a more adventurous spirit might
well have yielded them a far bigger total ...
"Murray, the opportunist, gave UCD the ideal start. He kicked off far
downfield and, when Kerins - who subsequently gave a magnificent display at full
back - knocked on near his own line, Murray took Kelly's pass from the scrum and
found the range with a drop kick.
"When, a couple of minutes later Casey went through like a rocket, to be
stopped by Kerins almost on the line, and Coughlan then got a touch-down for a try
from a pushed-over scrum, it seemed that the University would release the floodgates
of skill alld aggression.
"On the contrary, St. Mary's came back into the contest two minutes later
when Cooke landed a magnificent penalty goal from two yards inside half-way. Up
to the interval the play retained some sparkle and the second UCD try was a beauty
even if for a minute or two it appeared that they would be deprived of their just
reward.
"Casey came up on the burst to take a well-timed pass from Tormey and split
the defence before sending Byrne off for the line. As he grounded for the try, the
wing was shouldered towards touch in goal and the referee signalled a twenty-five,
but the touch judge, who had a clearer view of the proceedings, expressed a contrary
opinion whereupon the referee changed his nlind ad awarded the try. This was a fair
and wise decision, but would it not e more logical for the referee, in such cases, to
consult the touch-judge first before making up his mind?
23
"That~ in any event~ was the deciding moment, for, in a scrappy second half,
UCD kept a firm grip on the situation and five minutes from the end added to their
total when Doyle snapped up the ball from a long touch throw-in to sprint over."
This was a hard act to follow but in 1963-64 Mick Doyle, as captain, did it
again heading a team with five internationals - Murray, Casey, Kelly, P.J. Dwyer and
Al Moroney - and three future intematiollals; Doyle 11imself, Barry Bresnihan and
Aidan Brady - the first two also future Lions, The Seconds retained the Metropolitan
Cup.
In 1964-65, Ray McLoughlin captained Ireland, following Jimmy Kelly and
Bill Mulcahy in the previous season. After disappointment at Cardiff when both
teams were looking for tIle Triple Crown, in April South Africa were beaten at
Lansdowne Road. This followed an even more historic match when the Irish
Universities had beaten the touring side by 12-10 at the Mardyke on the previous
Wednesday and thus became the first Irish side to do so. The Irish selectors had
asked that none of the teanl selected for the full illtenlational should play, thus
depriving the Universities of five players including McLoughlin and Mulcahy. Only
Gerry Walsh ofUCC, the captain, played in both matches.
The team was A. Rickie (UCD), M. Lucey (UCC), J.C. Walsh (UCC), M.
Grimshaw (Queen's), W. Glynn (UCD), J.B. Murray (UCD), M. Whiteside
(Queen~s), M. Carey (UCD), M. Argyle (Trinity), a. Moroney (UCD), M. Leahy
(UCC), O.Waldron (VeC), J. Davidson (Queen's), H. Wall (UCD) and E. McGuire
(UCG).
For the College, the momentum could not last and we departed early from the
Cup in the next two seasons but in 1966-67 and 1967-68 we were back in the final
again losing 5-6 to Terenure in the first, when Murray and Bresnihan were on
international duty in Australia, and 6-11 to Old Belvedere the following year. The
O'Connor Cup was won for the first time in 1967 and the Minor League by the
Freshmen in the following year. In 1969 the Seconds won both the Metropolitan Cup
and the Junior League, so often a Sig!l of things to come.
1969-1970 ended with a win over Terenure in the Cup final. Once again one
can quote Paul McWeeney, this time distinctly more enthusiastic on the display by
College.
Super display earns UCD plaudits of the day.
Den 14, Terenure 3.
"Although Saturday's Leinster Senior Cup final at Lansdowne Road fell far
below last year's memorable battles between St. Mary's and Trinity, no better display
has been seen for many years past in the competition than that given by the UCD
forwards.
"Had the half-backs made better use of the opportunities provided in front alld
brought a dangerous three quarters line more frequently into the picture, Terenure
would have taken a fearful hiding, so the losers could consider themselves fortllnate
to concede no more than a goal, two tries and a penalty goal to the try they themselves
scored after the College had gained an impregnable lead ...
" . . . the only spark of interest in tIle closing minutes lay in the possibility of
UCD increasing tlleir lead rather than sacrificing any part of it.
"Nevertheless, this achievement crowned one of the most successful
campaigns ever for the College. It brought their total of wins to 21 with three draws
and only two losses and their pack must rate as among the most efficient they have
ever fielded. The shove in the set serums gave them attacking possession and denied
that asset to their opponents.
"They rucked the Terenure men yards back at times; at the line-out, Sweetman the
tall, pencil thin number 8, was supreme with the expert assistance of his flankers
Slattery and Deering, and he and Slattery especially were devastating in the open.
Whatever they achieved was no better than the solid work of tIle props, T. Feighery
and McCarthy, Troy, the hooker, and C. Feighery and Mays in the second row
Terenure simply had no chance against the sharpness, drive and superior weight of
what must be rated, in retrospect, as the best club pack in the country....
"A dynamic blind-side break by Slattery cleared the way for Grace to open tIle
scoring in the 9th minute, and in the 27th minute Sweetman won a tussle on the line
after a well-placed cross-kick by Smyth, Scally converting. A nlinute from tIle
interval O'Brien dived over as the culmination of a succession of serums on the line..
"
That side - probably the strongest ever fielded by College - was captained by
Derek Scally and trained by Jimmy Kelly. The team on the day was D. Scally, T.M.
Grace, Frank O'Driscoll, Henry Murphy, Joseph Cummiskey, Michael Smyth, Frank
O'Brien, Tom Feighery, Brendan Troy, E. McCarthy, Kevin Mays, Con. Feighery,
Seamus Deering, Nicky Sweetman, and Fergus Slattery. Grace and Slattery were
future Lions. Shay Deering, who tragically died too young, Kevin Mays, Con
25
Feigllery, Tom Feighery, all played for Ireland, together with Frarlk O'Driscoll and
Henry Murphy who toured Argentina with the Irish teanl in 1970. Deering, Slattery
and Grace were to captain Ireland.
Edmund van Esbeck's review of rugby in Leinster during 1969-70 confirmed
that the year belonged to UCD "who proved... that you can play quality football and
still prevail in the abrasive atmosphere of Cup competition." Only two matches were
lost during the season and College "upheld Leinster's prestige throughout the season
in telling fashion."
During this decade so many players were honoured by province or country
that at times the Firsts had to carry quite a few substitutes. Brophy, Tornley, Mulcahy
and Ronnie Kavanagh toured SOllth Africa with Ireland in 1961 and Brophy and
MulcallY again with the Lions in 1962. Others capped in those years were Johnny
Moroney and Johnny Quirke. In all, some fifty caps were to be won by those who
had played for us during the decade and there were many more Interprovincial
honours mainly for Leinster, but with significant cOlltributions to Mllnster and
Connaught.
For much of the material from the seventies onwards, I am greatly indebted to
Finbar Costello, one of tIle great club secretaries of his time, and President in 1980
81. His current work as Chairman of the UCD Sports Trust is bringing a major
impetus to all College sport at a time when significant changes in the Irish scene are
facing University sport with new and very serious difficulties.
In 1970 the McCorry Cup for Under-19s was inaugurated and this rapidly
became the most prestigious trophy played for early ill the season with the final fixed
for the last Sunday before Christmas. Its early years belonged to College with wins in
1971, 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976. The All Blacks were here in 1974 and beat the
Combined Irish Universities by 10-3 at the Mardyke. Ray Finn, James Crowe, Conor
Sparks, D. Molloy, John Cantrell, Kevin Mays and Paddy Gahan were the College
representatives. At Junior level tIle Freshman WOll the Minor League in 1974 and in
1975 followed up the McCorry by also winning the O'Connor and the Fox Cups.
After College had fOUf wins in a row in the Colours match, Trinity stopped tIle .
rot in 1973 but College were back again in 1974 and in 1976 came perhaps the
biggest upset of the series. Trinity, ullder John Robbie, were the holders of the
Leinster and the Dudley Cups and had beaten both Oxford and Cambridge. On the
morning of the match the press made thenl the hottest favourites for years but College
produced a major upset "which was as merited as it was unexpected" by 15-7 and
went on to win the Senior Cup as well. Dave Ramsay, the captain, was injured for
most of the season and the captaincy on the field was taken over by Steve Hall, an
uncompronlising wing forward.
Edmund van Esbeck reported on a controversial match:
Triunlph for Coakley as luck goes DeD's way
DCD 9, Terenure 6
Memories of the Leinster Senior Cup final between Ulliversity College Dublin
and Terenllre College at Lansdowne Road on Saturday will endure for a considerable
time - not unfortunately for the quality of performance, rather for the controversial
content.
Meanwhile, for the secol1d successive year, the Cup has become University
property as UCD emulated the success recorded by Trinity last season when taking
the trophy with three penalty goals kicked by out-half Daragh Coakley to a goal.
"So for Coakley it was another personal triumph and he 11as certainly stamped
his class and authority indelibly across this competition. He scored 19 points in the
second round win over Portlaoise, all six points against Palmerston, tIle 15 his club
recorded against Blackrock in the semi-final alld, on Saturday, the full quote again.
Such feats have but one precedellt in recent times - Tonl Grace's exploits of a similar
nature for St. Mary's in 1975.
"Yet when the shouting and the tumult died away after the Cup was presented
on Saturday one question hung in the air; were Terenure deprived of three points by
an error on the part of the referee Tommy Keanls midway through the first half? At
the time UCD led by 3-0, Coakley having kicked a penalty from 35 yards out on the
left in the sixth minute.
"With the forwards beginning to get on top in general terms, Terenure worked
their way into a good attacking position inside the UCD "25". The referee awarded a
penalty and serum-half Brendan Lynhanl made his mark on the "25" and 12 yards in
from the right touch line. His kick hit the right hand upright, the ball dropped down
and appeared to go over the bar before dropping back into the field of play.
"Both touch judges raised their flags without hesitation bl.lt Mr. Kearns
overruled their decision, to the great surprise of the players from both teams and
doubtless the touch judges.
27
"There was very little between the sides in what was, at best, mediocre fare for
a big crowd. The forward play was not of a high standard and there was little
adventure.....
"Coackley emerged as the man of the match and his coolness and keen
football intellect often relieved pressure. His accuracy with the kicks was the decisive
factor ...
"The closing minutes brought the brightest rugby. A great run by Gerry
Flannery brought deep play into UCD territory and after Flannery was caught about
15 yards from the line, Martin kicked ahead. It seemed to me that it was over the
UCD line, but after a defending player touched down, Mr. Keams awarded a five
yard scrum. Terenure won the ball and Lynham scored a lovely tryon the short side,
taking out the UCD cover. Cronin this time kicked the conversion from a wide angle.
"Those six points came with three minutes to go, and subsequent Terenure
attempts to save the game were stifled in an exciting finish."
The Cup-winning side on the day was Pat Shaffrey, James Meenan, Willie
Muldowney, Ray Finn, David Moore, Daragh Coackley, Sammy Lyons, Tom
Kavanagh, Johnny Cantrell, Charlie Pollard, Brendan Mays, Michael Turner, Steve
Hall, K. McGrath and B. Cole. Johnny Fortul1e belied his name by having to cry off
at the last moment in both the Colours and the Cup final. In 1978, as captain in his
own right, Hall brought the side to the Cup final once again, but this time
unsuccessfully. However, on the following day his side won the Old Belvedere
International Sevens.
Colours matches were never for the faint l1earted but the 1977 match boiled
over to such an extent that the Union banned future matches from Lansdowne Road
and both clubs took severe action by suspending their First XVs. Since then matches
have had their tense moments but common sense, helped by the appointment of senior
Irish referees, have seen nothing more than can be seen in many All Ireland League
matches when vital points are at stake.
In 1978, the Freshmen won the Junior II League by beating Palmerston. Hugo
McNeill was among the scorers.
College men who played for Ireland in this decade included Shay Deering,
later to captain Ireland. His tragic early death not only deprived Ireland of a great
sportsman but marked a deep personal loss to all who were privileged to have known
him. Also there were James Crowe, another followil1g in his father's footsteps,
brothers Con and Tom Feighery, Ray Finn, Mick Sherry, Tom Grace a future Irish
captain and British and Irish Lion, and Fergus Slattery who would win 61 caps and
whose exploits for Ireland, the Barbarians and the Lions are part of Rugby history.
The 1981 Colours match was one of the few which ended in a draw - 12 pts
all. It was described in the IRISH PRESS as a "Varsity classic" with College perhaps
unlucky in that they scored the only try of the match. It was a good decade in the
Dudley Cup with five wins. In 1984, a touring Combined Australian Universities XV
was comprehensively beaten by UCD at Belfield 35-19 and later that year College
became the first Club side from Leinster to tour Australia where tlley were to play
five matches against University sides.
Twice in the Leinster Senior final without success, the McCorry Cup was won
four times in 1982, 1984 and 1985 and again in 1988. At Third's level the Minor Cup
was brought home in 1986 and 1987 and the Minor League in 1988, in which year the
Junior League was also won. Derek McGrath was capped in 1984 while still at
College. The fact that he was the last UCD student to be so honoured until Darragh
O'Mahony in the World Cup of 1995 is a sign of how far the tide has turned against
University Rugby; one can harclly be accused of being partisan in saying that this
represents a major loss to Rugby in Ireland.
Eight players toured France in 1986 with the Irish Universities - J. Mulhall, C.
Dunne, R. Hernon, C. Hosty, B. Byrne, J. Colclough, B. Culliton and D. Webb. The
decade ended with a highly successful Freshman Tour to the United States to meet the
Ivy League Universities.
The season 1985-86 had seen the 75th anniversary of the club under the
presidency of Maurice O'Kelly; Bobby Byrne was captain. The occasion was marked
by a match against a strong Wolfhounds side and the programme is a mine of
information for the historian with articles on the Dudley Cup and on Sarsfield Hogan,
named as "Ireland's greatest legislator" by Edmund van Esbeck.
"... In the mid-thirties, he did much to re-organise the Leinster Branch at a
time when it needed such re-organisation and he was President of the Branch in 1937
38 and even had a brief spell as honorary secretary in 1942-43.
"He was UCD's representative and they could not have been more worthily or
effectively served.
"But if his services were valued at that level, it was on the International scene
that he really made his reputation as being among the greats.
29
"He became an Ireland selector in 1934, served for three seasons and then
during the 1939-45 war, served again on the selection committee for a period.
"One of the proudest and happiest memories must surely be of the 1948-49
season when he was President of the IRFU and Ireland won the Triple Crown and
Championship for the second successive year.
"By now his faculty for clarity of thought, potent expression and unrivalled
knowledge of the laws, were available at International Board level and he became one
of Ireland's two representatives in 1946."
In 1991, the club embarked on a pre-season tour of Canada. The Dudley was
won in the previous season and again in 1992-93. At the end of 1993-94 the club won
promotion to Section Two of the League and Kerry Mark McCarthy, Darragh
O'Mahony, Brian Carey, Andy Donovan, Hubi Kos and Greg McConkey were in the
Irish Universities squad against the USA.
The next year saw an unhappy campaign, however, in the League with several
matches being narrowly lost in the last few minutes. A win in any of them would
have kept UCD there but in the last match of the campaign the team could only draw
with Greystones. Relegation back to Division Three saw an exodus of senior players
and the greatly weakel1ed club had a torrid time in the League in 1995-96. In spite of
this Brian Carey played for Connacht and John Ryan and Peter Coyle were capped on
the Irish Under-21 side.
It is obvious that the major changes wllich took place during 1996 in the
structure of Rugby allover the globe must have a profolInd effect on the University
game in Ireland. It is sad to tllink that a tradition which has been build up since tIle
Trinity club was founded in 1854 and which has so enriched Rugby in Ireland could
disappear. It is 110W for the Universities themselves to el1sure thal1 this does 110t
happen.
