Longford RFC Club News 24/08/2020   24/08/2020

By Tommy Butler Longford RFC PRO lrfconnects@gmail.com 

Rugby is back

It is undoubtedly a very strange time for everyone.  However, it was great on Saturday night to feel somewhat normal watching Leinster and Munster tear in each other in an empty Landsdowne Road after a five month break.  Connacht and Ulster also served up a great game on Sunday too.  Things are going to be different for an extended period of time but sport like no other is the balm the Irish psyche badly needs, and it is finally starting to pick some momentum for all the major field sports. 

Things have also been stepping up a gear in Longford RFC in moving towards a return to competitive rugby.  A serious amount of work has gone into a Covid-19 plan for the club with Gerry Larkin heading it up along with Director of Rugby Niall Moran.  The main thing is players and parents making sure that no players with any symptoms attend the club and seek appropriate medical advise where appropriate.  At the moment teams can train in pods of 15 outdoors in designated zones.  The good news is that from Senior to Youth level there has been great enthusiasm in getting back to training.  The Senior Men and Women are currently putting in the hard yards with games set to resume in September initially behind closed doors.  We cannot wait to get back playing and we will open up the return to rugby with a derby against our close neighbours Mullingar on Sunday September 6th at 3 PM followed by a trip to Tullamore on September 20th.  Leinster League 1B has been divided into Northern and Southern section initially to minimise travel.  So, the opening half of the league will see us playing Mullingar, Boyne and Clondalkin home and away followed by hopefully playing the Southern section of Wicklow, Cill Dara and Tullow in the second half of the season.  A full provisional fixture list is below.

Longford Senior Men’s Provisional Fixture List 2020-2021 Fixture List

Sunday September 6th Midland League Mullingar (H) J1 3

Sunday September 20th Midland League Tullamore (A) J1 3

Sunday October 4th Leinster League Clondalkin (A) J1 3

Sunday October 11th Leinster League Mullingar (H) J1 3 J2 1.30 

Sunday October 18th Leinster League Boyne (A) J1 3 J2 1.30 

Sunday November 1st Leinster League Mullingar (A) J1 2.30 J2 1

Sunday November 8th Leinster League Clondalkin (H) J1 2.30

Sunday November 22nd Leinster League Boyne (H) J1 2.30 J2 1

Sunday December 6th Leinster League Cill Dara (A) J1 2 J2 12.30

Sunday December 13th Leinster League Tullow (H) J1 2 J2 12.30

Sunday January 17th Leinster League Wicklow (A) J1 2.30 J2 1

Sunday January 24th Leinster League Carlow (H) J1 2.30 J2 1

Sunday January 31st Leinster League Tullow (A) J1 2.30 J2 1

Sunday February 21st Leinster League Cill Dara (H) J1 3 J2 1.30

Sunday February 28th Leinster League Carlow (A) J1 3 J2 1.30

Sunday March 7th Leinster League Wicklow (H) J1 3 J2 1.30

Sunday March 20th Provincial Towns Cup 1st Round v TBC J1 3

Sunday March 27th Provincial Towns Cup 1st Round v TBC J1 3

Senior Training

Longford Senior Men train every Tuesday and Friday night at 7.45 with matches generally on a Sunday.  It is great to see so many of last years U18s in at training over the last few weeks along with so many of our regular players.  If you would like to play rugby, want to restart your rugby career or are new to the area you are very welcome.  Please give Director of Rugby Niall Moran 0879185073 or Head Coach Glenn Baskett 0876036175 a ring if you are interested.  Please note a Covid-19 questionnaire needs to be filled in before starting training.

Our Senior Women are also back training and are welcoming new and returning players.  If you would like to give rugby a go (you do not need to have played before or be very fit) you will be very welcome.  Training is on Tuesday and Friday nights at 7.30 PM. Please give Women’s Head Coach Nuala McGoey a ring on 0862482005.  Again Covid-19 questionnaires needs to be filled in before training.

Minis/Youths Training

Our Mini-Youths Section has started a graduated return to training.  You find training times for age groups that are back training below with more to be announced over the coming weeks.  Again Covid-19 questionnaires needs to be filled in before training.  We welcome new players at all levels.

Boys

U13 Thursday 7.00-8.30pm (born 2008)
U14 Thursday 6.30-8.30pm (born 2007)
U15 Mon 7.00-8.30pm and Thursday 7.00-8.30pm (born 2006)
U16 Tuesday 7.30-9.00pm (born 2005)
U17 Wednesday 7.30-9.00pm (born 2004)
U18 Wednesday 7.30-9.00pm

Girls
U12&U14 Thursday 7.30-8.30pm
U16&U18 Wednesday 7.30-9.00pm

Stay tuned for minis update in due course.
Contact 0862526741 for more information.
Longford Rugby Club is a 'Minimum20' club. Youth teams up to U15 promote minimum 20 minutes game time for all players on match day squads. Longford Minis rugby promotes equal game time at all times during games or blitz events.

New 4G Pitch

We hope to be in a position to make a major announcement regarding a commencement date for our new state of the art ‘4G’ Artificial Floodlight pitch next week.  Stay tuned to the Leader, our website and social media for updates.  If you would like to make a contribution or help in the fundraising towards this brilliant project, please phone Derick Turner on 0862559624.

The pitch when finished, will be one of the only fully flood light 4G artificial pitches suitable for contact sports outside Dublin and will be available for use by the whole community. It will allow year round sport to be played in the heart of Longford Town in anything but the most extreme weather and will mark a huge investment in County Longford and surrounding counties.

Volunteers/Players for the coming season

Longford Rugby Club is a progressive club that fields Men’s/Women’s teams at Senior Level and has more than 400 Mini/Youth Players training every week both male and female from U6 right through to U18. We are looking for more players, coaches and volunteers at all levels of the club. If you would like to join Longford Rugby Club at this exciting time, please contact any club coach or volunteer.

Provisional Pro-14 and European Champions Cup Fixtures

August 29th: Ulster v Leinster, Cardiff Blues v Ospreys, Dragons v Scarlets, Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh, Benetton v Zebre, Cheetahs v Southern Kings, Munster v Connacht.

September 5th (Pro-14 Semi-Finals): Winner Conference A v Runner-up Conference B, Winner Conference B v Runner-up Conference A.

September 12th: Pro 14 Final.

September 19th: European Cup Quarter Finals; Leinster v Saracens (3 PM), Clermont Auvergne v Racing 92 (6.30 PM)

September 20th: European Cup Quarter Finals; Toulouse v Ulster (1.30 PM), Exeter v Northampton (5.30 PM)

PRO14 Final.

September 26th/27th: European Semi-finals.

October 17th: European Champions Cup Final

The Sin Bin

The Sin Bin Bar & Restaurant at Longford RFC is one of the best club house facilities in the country. It offers a welcoming atmosphere, great food and drink and is the perfect place for members and friends to hold functions/events with lots of free parking and is just outside Longford Town. As of July 2020, it is now under the management of Andrew Reynolds who is a very experienced operator in the food/beverage area.

There has been very positive feedback on the great food being served all in a Covid 19 compliant setting with lots of social distancing between tables.

For reservations and enquiries about functions/events, please ring Andrew on 087 1631075.
Food is served at lunchtime from 12-4 Wednesday to Sunday and dinner Friday to Sunday from 5 PM. Please like and follow the Sin Bins Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/thesinbinlongford/ for updates and specials.


















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