Roots & All is a project where we pick a few teams that don’t normally make the spotlight week in week out and feature them regularly throughout an entire campaign.
This is the final update from Naas RFC and we here at HoR would like to congratulate them for such a succesful season as well as to thank Michael and the club for keeping us regularly updated since last August!
HAPPY 90th NAAS RFC
Firstly thanks to HarpinOnRugby for the opportunity to let the world or part of it anyway, know how Naas RFC was doing week to week through out the Season. What a season it has been, back last August when I submitted my first ever blog I wondered would there be enough material to be able to produce a piece every 2 weeks, well the boys and girls of Naas RFC didn’t let me down and came up with the goods and here we are 20 blogs later!!
This is our 90th season playing rugby in Naas and when you take in the whole club from Minis and Youths to the Seniors and all the non playing members it has been an extremely productive, enjoyable and exciting season culminating in promotion but I don’t want that to overshadow the achievements in other areas of the club
SO TO THE SEASON WRAP-UP
Naas seniors:
In the Season that Naas celebrated their 90 season the ultimate desired goal was to get promoted from division 2B to division 2A and the boys didn’t let us down. The top two teams got automatic promotion and the third place finished would have a playoff against the third last team in the higher division.
This situation made for an exciting end to the season with Rainey OB finishing on top not loosing any games and only drawing the one match, against Naas, the runners up spot was a battle between the two Kildare teams, and it finished with both teams on the same number of points but Naas were piped to second spot only by points difference, even though Naas had beaten NUIM Barnhall back at the beginning of the league and although they had lost more games than Naas they pick up more try bonus points over the course of the league.
So after the last ball was kicked it was to be a single playoff match away against Greystones RFC. This was going to be one biggest games the club has played.
From the kick off Naas wanted this more that Greystones.
A Perfect Day for Naas! Saturday, 20th April 2013, KO 14.30 hrs
Naas seniors travelled to Dr. Hickey Park on Saturday (20th April) to take on Greystones in their promotion/relegation play-off which would determine whether or not they would be promoted to Division 2A next season for the first time in their clubs history. Conditions on the day were dry with glorious sunshine and a strong gusting sea breeze, which Naas played into in the first half, and there was a large gathering of supporters for both teams. Naas wings Johnny Delaney and Rob Campbell were brilliant and scored two exceptional tries each from a total of six tries, three of which were in the first period. Greystones stayed right in touch in the first period thanks to their exceptionally talented outhalf, Andrew Kealy who scored a try together with three penalties and a conversion which saw Naas lead by the narrowest of margins (17-16) at the interval. However in the second period Naas, with the wind at their backs, charged ahead following a second stunning try from Johnny Delaney and superb penalty and conversion from fullback David Aherne in the third quarter. Two further brilliant tries from the influential Naas backrow Misioka Timoteo and second row David Benn put the game beyond Greystones, despite their late converted try scored by wing Jonathan Butterworth.
So it finish up with a superb Naas performance going over for 6 tries and winning 44-23 and the celebrations that followed went late into the night. Add to the promotion Naas Seniors were runners up in the cup and went through the full season losing only 3 games.
| Pos | Team | Pl | W | D | L | F | A | Diff | TB | LB | Pts |
| 1 | Rainey OB | 15 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 457 | 167 | 290 | 9 | 0 | 67 |
| 2 | NUIM Barnhall | 15 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 532 | 230 | 302 | 9 | 3 | 56 |
| 3 | Naas RFC | 15 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 454 | 220 | 234 | 5 | 1 | 56 |
| 4 | Nenagh Ormond | 15 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 362 | 211 | 151 | 6 | 3 | 53 |
| 5 | Boyne | 15 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 299 | 268 | 31 | 3 | 3 | 46 |
| 6 | Armagh | 15 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 342 | 205 | 137 | 4 | 3 | 45 |
| 7 | Skerries | 15 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 355 | 256 | 99 | 4 | 3 | 43 |
| 8 | Navan RFC | 15 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 310 | 309 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 43 |
| 9 | Sligo | 15 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 240 | 313 | -73 | 3 | 3 | 28 |
| 10 | Suttonians | 15 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 285 | 343 | -58 | 3 | 3 | 26 |
| 11 | Instonians | 15 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 220 | 413 | -193 | 1 | 0 | 25 |
| 12 | Thomond | 15 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 256 | 321 | -65 | 1 | 5 | 24 |
| 13 | Ards | 15 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 216 | 384 | -168 | 2 | 1 | 23 |
| 14 | Sundays Well | 15 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 226 | 353 | -127 | 1 | 6 | 21 |
| 15 | Clonakilty | 15 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 237 | 387 | -150 | 1 | 5 | 18 |
| 16 | Connemara | 15 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 161 | 572 | -411 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
U21’s
Also had a great season, winning their league for the 3rd year in succession and last week adding the cup to their haul – this is the first time a Leinster U21 team has pulled off the double so the future of the first team looks secure for the future.
Naas U21s Achieve Unprecedented League and Cup Double
21st April 2013, De La Salle Palmerstown, Kilternan
Naas Under 21s travelled to Kilternan on Sunday 21 April to take on Seapoint in the final of the Purcell Cup. Having already won the JP Fanagan Pennant league/Conal Owens Cup on 10th March they were hoping for the double which had not previously been achieved in the same season by any club. Naas had done extremely well to advance to the Purcell Cup final having beaten Old Wesley, Dublin University and Coolmine en route but were aiming for highest honours. The wet and soft underfoot conditions ensured that the game would be played at close quarters and the scoring margins were to remain tight throughout. At the interval it was Naas who led from two superb penalties kicks by John Jennings all that separated the sides. An early unconverted try in the second period scored by the Seapoint wing made for the closest of contests but in the final analysis it was the exceptional defensive team performance of Naas that proved too much for Seapoint.
Final Score 9-5 to Naas
J1’s
Had a successful league campaign, got to the ¼ finals of the Provincial towns cup and the semifinals of the Provincial Towns Plate.
J3’s
Have won their way through to the Spears Cup final on the 2nd May
J4’s
Got to the Semi final of the Provincial Towns Cup (Michael Dunne Cup) and this week 29/04/13 they won the Area cup “The Scully Cup” beating Clondalkin RFC 29-13.
U19’s
Got to the North Midlands Final, the Division 1 playoff final, and the ¼ final of the D’Arcy U19’s Cup. The annual Mike Higgins game v Newbridge SCT ended in victory for Newbridge who had an overwhelming selection of Ex Naas players. We had a great turnout of our wild geese from the other rugby schools for the game, with 4 from Blackrock, 1 from Roscrea, Terenure and Kilkenny as well as two from Clongowes. Both squads enjoyed the game and the aftermath even more. A great club event which bonds our young players like no other.
In addition to club commitments the Naas CBS senior cup team made up of Naas un 19, un 17 won the McMullen Schools Cup and the Sec A League Final for the second year in a row also. This was the first year for the team to win both league and cup in the one season.
Team Captain Mark Rush represented Leinster at un 19. Luke McCormack, Stephen Lackey and David McGrath are part of the North midlands development squad. In addition a former squad member and still under age , Adam Byrne now in UCD, was capped for Leinster in the Rabo Direct Pro12 and Leinster A in the B&I Cup.
U17’s
Got through to Leinster Premier league 1/4 finals, lost to Navan in Culleton cup 1/4 finals & Beat Cill Dara on 1st May in the North Midlands Area Final 27-13. 4 players got though to Leinster Youths summer training squad & 2 players through to Leinster U17 training squad.
U15’s
Progressed to the semi finals of both the North Midland Area and Leinster leagues
U14’s
The Club squad reached the north midlands semi final and the quarter final of the league and Won the Leinster Plate final on 1st May against Cill Dara 27-14. The school/youth side also reached the quarter final of the league and did well in the Leinster plate competition.
U13’s
Have made it through to 3 semi finals.
They lost to Portlaoise in the semi of the premier league.
The semi of the North Midlands Area with a fixture V Newbridge is due to happen sometime w/e 9th of May date and time to be confirmed.
They will contest the final of the McGowan Cup which takes place on Monday 6th May in Donnybrook. They got there playing all our fixtures away from home including an impressive victory away to Navan in the quarters.
U12’s
Had a very successful last season in the non competitive mini’s section next season they move to full 15’s competitive rugby and in preparation for that they have had a few 15 aside games over the last couple of weeks. First up was a curtain raiser to the Seniors Playoff match which the u12’s won 5-0 then last weekend they travelled to Mullingar to take part in a 15 aside blitz. They played 4 matches winning 3 and drawing 1 scoring 16 tries and only conceding 2 – looks good for next season. They also came away with the cup for the “best overall team” from a blitz in Clonmel RFC last month. This age group with 80 Boys training and playing matches is the largest group in the club and it ill be interesting to see will that group be the first group to have 3 teams at U13 next season
The Mini’s
Rapped up their season with an awards party on the 21st April after a successful season where all the boys and girls played and trained very well.
Girl’s Rugby
Last season saw the revival of girl’s rugby in Naas and this season saw the first running of the official Leinster Leagues for U15 and U18 girls. The two team’s did very well with the U18’s finishing 3rd in the league and winning the Leinster Plate Competition last weekend in Wicklow this is the first time that a Leinster Girls trophy has been won by Naas.
Off the Pitch
The club awards and end of season evening happens on the 3rd of May.
Naas Strictly Come Dancing is back on the 3rd June after an extremely successful first outing last year. The dancers will be put through their paces over the 6 week period prior to the big night.
The AGM is coming up in Mid May. Date TBC.
The annual Rugby Summer camp will take place in August details to follow.
Thanks again to HoR and thank you for reading and taking an interest.
Until the next time take care and remember :
“After each game you want be able to say that you gave it all you could and that you gave it your best, leave it on the field.”
- unknown
