Council Chair hosts a reception for four successful Enniskillen RFC Teams
16th September 2024
Recently the Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Councillor John McClaughry, hosted a reception for four successful teams from Enniskillen Rugby Football Club.
The following is the speech made by the Chair at the reception:
Good evening ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls
As Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, I am delighted to welcome you all here to Fermanagh Lakeland Forum this evening for this reception in honour of four successful Enniskillen Rugby Football Club Teams – the Senior Men’s 1st XV; Senior Ladies 1st XV; Ladies Youth Under 18 XV and Mini Boys Under 12s Team.
Each team was successful in their respective competition as well as competing in Leagues and playing for Ulster at a Senior level.
The Senior Men’s Bank of Ireland Towns Cup campaign began on 18 November 2023 with a convincing 29-8 win over Portadown. You progressed through the competition with wins over Limavady and Ballymoney to earn your place in the final, which saw you take on Ballymena 2XV at the Kingspan Stadium.
Despite a very close first half, you came out strong in the second half scoring 14 points in 4 minutes and going on to win the title with a score of 38-22.
In the Ladies Junior Cup, the Senior Ladies 1st XV had a convincing win of 49-0 in the first match to earn a place in the final against Malone Women. Another convincing win with a score of 27-8 saw you lift the Junior Cup for 2023-2024.
The Under 18 Ladies XV lifted the Ulster Cup title at the Kingspan Stadium, the first time the Ulster Girls Youth Rugby competition has been held at the home of Ulster Rugby. You dominated the game from the start and, despite going in evens at 5-5 at half time and a close start to the second half, your determination and skill shone and you emerged the eventual winners with a score of 24-19 over CLMO.
I understand the same Team played for Enniskillen Royal Grammar School and earlier this year and won the Ulster Schools Cup for the second year in a row making this 11 times out of 15 and the Irish Schools Plate.
In May 2024, the Mini Boys Under 12s Team travelled to Minehead in Somerset for the Tigers Challenge. This competition sees over 380 clubs play across one week. The team was superb from the start and went through the competition unbeaten to deservedly win the title.
All four team are worthy winners of their titles and it is testament to the hard work and commitment you show in training and to attend all the matches throughout the year. This is admirable as you do so alongside your work, college, school and personal lives.
It is also testament to the Management and Coaching Teams whose knowledge, experience, skills and encouragement is a key element of the success.
Enniskillen Rugby Football Club has an excellent reputation and it is encouraging to see such great talent at all levels and ages in the Club to continue to develop the players of the future.
As well as playing a sport you enjoy, being part of a team helps you to develop skills which can benefit you in work or in school including listening, teamwork, communication and resilience.
Fermanagh and Omagh District Council is committed to ensuring that our people are healthy and well and showing our support to sporting clubs such as Enniskillen Rugby Football Club helps us to achieve this.
I would like to commend the Enniskillen Rugby Football Club Committee for all your work and commitment. Without a dedicated team to oversee operations and plan and organise matches, events and funding, the success of the Club would not be possible.
I also commend the Managers and Coaching Team and thank you for sharing your knowledge and skills with the players to give them the opportunity to play, compete and enjoy success.
Finally, to the Players, I congratulate each of you on your achievements in these competitions and throughout the year. Ireland Rugby Player, Brian O’Driscoll, once said “I have always played into the belief that you are only every borrowing the jersey; you never own the jersey because someone has gone before you and there is going to be someone after you so it’s a case of giving the jersey maximum respect.”
Each of you have demonstrated this and shown that you are committed to playing for the Team and the Club. You have done yourselves, your family and friends, your Club, your County and your District proud.
On behalf of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, and on my own behalf, I wish Enniskillen Rugby Football Club every success for the future. I am confident that with such excellent talent coming through the Mini and Youth Teams, the Club will go from strength to strength and enjoy success for many years to come. I am also confident that the Club will continue to develop players who will go on to play for Ulster and Ireland.