Athlone awaits U20s Six Nations on Friday

IRELAND kick off their ELECTRIC IRELAND U-20 SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP home fixtures when they square up to Wales in Dubarry Park, Athlone, on Friday night, kick off 7.05 pm. This is the seventh season that these prestigious matches have been played in Athlone and ELECTRIC IRELAND (previously ESB) has sponsored the hosting of these games during that period.

At a well-attended launch in The Bounty, Athlone, of this continued sponsorship, ELECTRIC IRELAND Commercial Manager Ken McKervey stated that “ELECTRIC IRELAND was delighted to continue the tradition of supporting the home showcase of the best of the emerging young talent in Irish rugby. We have enjoyed a long and successful partnership with the home series and are delighted to be continuing our involvement in 2012. In the past we have been treated to some outstanding encounters in Athlone and we are looking forward to three very competitive home games this year against Wales, Italy and Scotland.” He wished Ireland every success this season.

Welcoming the continued support ELECTRIC IRELAND sponsorship of the hosting brings, Buccaneers Rugby Football Club President Ted Carty also acknowledged the support of the Irish Rugby Football Union in bringing prestigious International fixtures to the heartland of the country. There was great excitement in the club with both the forthcoming matches and also the number of young Buccaneers players such as Daniel Qualter, Shane Layden and Conor Finn in contention for berths in the Ireland squad.

Athlone Lord Mayor Alan Shaw also spoke and thanked ELECTRIC IRELAND for their generous sponsorship that made the staging of these games possible in Athlone. He also acknowledged the support of the IRFU in promoting the excellent facilities here at Dubarry Park. These matches are a considerable boost to the economy of Athlone particularly with regard to hotels, restaurants and pubs at what is generally a quiet team of the year. He too wished the Ireland players and mentors every success in the U-20 Championship.

Coach Mike Ruddock and new Manager Brian Roantree attended along with a number of the Ireland squad including Connacht’s Danny Qualter from Athlone, Leinster’s Conor Gilsenan from Mullingar, Paddy Jackson from Ulster and Munster’s JJ Hanrahan. Mike Ruddock was again delighted to be back in Athlone and he commended the host Buccaneers club on both their topclass facilities and warm welcome. He thanked ELECTRIC IRELAND for their continued support of the home games. Welshman Ruddock believes Ireland have a well-balanced squad this season with an experienced spine through the panel and he is confident that they will do well. Having coached Wales to a Senior Grand Slam, Ruddock felt he “knew a thing or two about Wales” and he “was eagerly looking forward to the opening game against them on February 3rd”.

Ireland play three home matches in Dubarry Park this season, beginning with the test against Wales on this Friday, February 3rd. Italy are the next visitors to Athlone on February 24th with Scotland arriving in the midlands for a March 9th joust. All matches are being covered live on RTE2 TV and kick off time is 7.05 p.m. nightly.

Tickets are now on sale at Dubarry Park 086-1732711 for all three games and they can also be purchased at The Bounty 090-6477566 and Musicworld 090-6474372. Stand tickets, which are selling strongly, are priced at €20; Ground/Terrace €15 and Student/OAP €10. Discount vouchers will be distributed to Secondary and National schools in the region as usual.

Pre-match tables can also be booked at just €320 per table of eight. That’s just €40 per person for which you get 3-course meal + wine and reserved seat in the Stand. Larger or smaller groups also catered for. Contact Geraldine at 086-1732711 or by email to rugby@dubarrypark.com to book or for further details.

The Ireland players met students from St. Hilda’s School after a squad session in Dubarry Park on the day, obliging them with photos and other memorabilia making it a wonderful occasion for these special fans.

Three Buccaneers players, Daniel Qualter, Shane Layden and Conor Finn, are included in the Ireland U-20 squad at time of writing. 24 players are named in the panel which will be whittled down to 23 on match night. Two other Connacht players, Aaron Conneely and Kieran Marmion, are also included as is Conor Gilsenan from Mullingar.

This is wonderful news for the host Buccaneers club. Qualter was a regular in the Ireland team last season and the towering Athlonian (son of Galway hurler Seamus and his wife Sandra) will be a key figure in the second row against Wales on Friday night. A versatile sportsman, he has won a Connacht Senior Schools rugby medal with Summerhill College, Sligo, and also played Minor football with Roscommon. He has been a driving influence in Buccs good first half in this season’s Ulster Bank League.

Powerful wing Layden has been a revelation in his first season with Buccaneers. Hailing from Carrick-on-Shannon, he is an exciting and direct runner who can also comfortably slot in at full-back. He sustained a broken finger when playing for Buccs against Garryowen recently but is hopeful that he will be fully fit for the duel with Wales. He too has represented Roscommon in minor football.

Finn is another exciting winger whose season has been disrupted due to injury. Accordingly, his appearances for Buccaneers have been rare to date but the Aughrim lad has enjoyed a recent run of games. He previously played with Ballinasloe and is the son of Paudge who, I believe, is the man who first popularised singing “The Fields of Athenry” at matches!

Flanker Conneely is well connected in Athlone too as his father Eamonn’s company Oyster Homes sponsored Buccaneers for a number of seasons. Like Qualter, Aaron was a regular in the Ireland pack last season. His Corinthians clubmate Marmion will be vying for the scrumhalf berth. Mullingar flanker Gilsenan currently plays with UCD.