Arklow ready for big test
THIS Sunday, February 10, at 3pm, Arklow Rugby Club reaffirms its love affair with the Provincial Towns Cup in The Oval.
The County Wicklow side are set to take on a relative unknown quantity in the Tullamore J1 team.
The Offaly side will no doubt be a well drilled team with many of the side featuring prominently on the club’s Senior panel.
Combine this with the passion and pride that comes from a traditional Town’s Cup match and you will get a mouth watering encounter that sure to set the pulses racing.
Arklow Rugby Club have performed well in the league and cup this season and have proven themselves to be a very useful outfit.
Under the guidance of coach Joe Bulmers, a two times Towns Cup winner with Enniscorthy, they find themselves very much in contention for a play-off place in the league despite erratic form in the early part of the season.
Experience in the Town’s Cup certainly won’t be an issue with both Bulmers and previous winners with Arklow, Richard ‘Nitzy’ Murphy, Shane Nalty, plus Towns Cup winning captain for Arklow Anthony O’Donnell taking to the pitch on Sunday.
Arklow Rugby Club have a proud tradition in this famous competition.
The club have reached the final in 1968 and 1974 losing out narrowly to Navan and Skerries respectively.
Then in 1985, led by captain Mick ‘Dicer’ Hickey, the club managed to get the monkey off its back, repeating the achievement under O’Donnell 2004.
The club now wants to use the match on Sunday afternoon to celebrate their success, and raise a glass to winners that are now sadly no longer with us, in the famous competition and are inviting former members involved in these successes to attend a drinks reception at 1pm ahead of the big kick off at 3pm.
Anyone looking to attend should text 087 8519849 for more details.