Open Side Flankers No.7s Ashbourne has had a few legends here so here are the 4 nominations Week 10 – Openside Flanker #7’s (1) Mark Rooney The Other Sibling of the famous Ashbourne rugby Rooney family, Mark an outstanding Back row player in our clubs history. Having won a senior cup (SCT) with Clongowes Wood College and one of the star players in that strong Clongowes team, Mark went onto play for Old Belvedere, but fell out of love with the game and took a bit of a break. He then joined his ‘twin’ bro James, and started enjoying rugby again at Ashbourne where he had last played as a mini many years previously. Mark, still playing on the 1st XV and certainly one of the best all rounded players the club has ever had. His skills and reading of the game are of the highest standard and his work rate on game day would be always of the best in the team. Although not overly big in stature Mark’s ferocious tackling would leave a lasting memory of those on the receiving end of them, his ball handling, quick feet and prowess in the lineout are all genuine attributes to his game. He has been noted for his ability to play Open Side / Blind Side / No. 8 & an odd time at Centre when asked.. Mark has been plagued by many a senior club to join them, but he holds Ashbourne close to his heart and would definitely miss the TNC too much to move away! Mark also has been an invited player to the Leinster juniors on many an occasion, where no doubt he would be another rep for our club. A past Club Captain, Winner of 2 league titles, A Famous Towns Cup winner & member of the undefeated league team of 2006 /7 & undefeated team of 2013/14. A seriously talented rugby player - One of the Best we surely will ever see!! Marks Claim to Fame; It would be impossible to pick out an individual moment / performance for Mark as he had far too many to try and select only one to mention – But a mention of his deft touch and follow up pass, in the try of the year (Vs Kilkenny) on the last league game of the 2013/14 campaign where it has been viewed on the web by Tens of Thousands and liked by many more than thousands of people has to be observed. (2) Dermot Grimes Another Fine player from the Grimes’s household. Dermot known as ‘Metal head’ (for more than 1 reason) was the backbone to the Ashbourne team for many years. Playing on the JCT & SCT at Castleknock College Dermot followed the footsteps of his Dad Paul, and brothers Robert & PG, to Ashbourne having played on the Lansdowne U19’s after leaving College. The schools rugby along with the senior U19 training was well noticed when he arrived and Dermot was a very capable and serious player with Ashbourne. Trade mark smash tackles would be synonymous with metal head, the brunt of which was felt by players all over Leinster and even the supporting crowds would roar a gasp at some of the crunching hits he would regularly make! Unfortunately some of these hard hits also took their toll on Dermot and cut his career a little shorter than most would have liked.. A Captain of the Club for 2 consecutive seasons following his brother Robs 2 seasons as captain – meant 4 years solid of the Grimes surnames in our clubs history books! His famous side of 2007 where for the first time in the clubs history (and the Leinster League history) a team went undefeated, winning every league game and taking the title before going onto the Semi-final of the Towns Cup to be narrowly beaten by the eventual winners. Dermot brought passion, heart and the will to win to a higher level within the club and like his fellow Open-side Legend Nominees was a great Player & servant to our Club. Dermots most memorable moment; Like a ‘de ja vu’ moment – when taking the league title & Cup presentation as club captain, Dermot mirrored the year Ivan Craige won the McGowan cup, he took a serious knock to the head but remained on the pitch albeit bandaged up with blood soaking through a turban like pile of plasters on his head – A certain photo of this moment in the club which we all can relate with. A Great & proud day for Dermot and the Grimes Family.. (3) Padraig Costello Who said Finglas was not a place for finding Rugby players!! ‘Cossy’ with his trademark - curly black shoulder length hair, was a class open-side Wing Forward. He started his career with Patrician college - Who?? I hear you say – yes Patrician college Finglas where along with some other maniacs came some fantastic talent to our Club. None other, than our mastermind of recruiters Mr Pat Bobbett, whom had set up a close allegiance with the college and would be a regular up and down the old N2 to collect the Finglas contingent for training and matches. Cossy was quickly noticed and although having a few games with a very strong U19’s he was drafted upwards and onto the 1sts in record speed. A noteworthy fast no.7 and very good contributor around the park he was also had a great reading of the game and worked brilliantly with Craigie, Duff & later Mahon, in a superb back-row & team. Cossy would be well known for scoring regularly (on & off pitch!) and would pop up in many a positions to stop a score to the other side. Cossy was part of the first team to get to the Towns Cup final in 1999 and also a winner of the league in ‘97/98 under Declan Barretts captaincy. Cossy was also another Ashbourne player to get a Leinster Junior cap. Padraig’s most memorable moment; Apart from being on the first Ashbourne team to make the Towns Cup Final – Padraig won both league and area cups with the club. But the standout performances from Cossy came in a little fishing village in Cork, - Kinsale!! Here at the European wide competition for 7-a-side Rugby Cossy excelled (On & Off the pitch), Being part of 2 great teams that reached the final from more than 50 club entries, and scoring more tries both years than any other team involved. (4) Roy Smith (RIP). Roy had all the attributes of a number 7 and even of a rugby player. His natural abilities and skills were honed in Mountjoy School. He played all his senior rugby in Ashbourne, with the exception of a season with Clontarf RFC where he went from the thirds to the first in the space of 2 weeks. He had the speed and ball carrying of a three-quarter, a classic pass, agility, size and strength, a devastating tackle and a “rugby brain” which enabled him to be in the right place and do the “right things”. Fergus Duignan (RIP) said regularly of Roy that “he could make at least inter-provincial”, followed by a pause for emphasis, and then “and I mean at least inter-provincial”. Roy was part of the great O’Connell Cup winning team of 1979 & Like the Rooney’s / Grimes & Mahon families Roy also has a Sibling as a fellow Legend Nominee in his brother Alec.
Posted on: Thu, 20 Nov 2014 21:47:28 +0000
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