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Russell’s Rant Martin Russell Page 22
Rugby UCD narrowly defeated by UL Page 23
DOWN THE LINE
Great Expectations Rory O’Carroll took time out of his hectic training schedule with two Gaelic football teams and two hurling teams to speak to Eoghan Glynn about his call up to the Dublin Senior football squad and his All-Ireland club championship win with Kilmacud Crokes on St.Patricks Day.
March was a busy month for Rory O'Carroll. While most of us kept up our nation's reputation as heavy drinkers on St. Patrick's Day, this first year Arts student was one of three current UCD students busy winning the AllIreland Club Championship with Kilmacud Crokes in Croke Park. Following some confusion over whether he would then play inter-county hurling or football for Dublin, the nineteen year old joined up with the Dublin senior football panel last Wednesday ahead of their crucial clash with Kerry. O’Carroll is a dualstar prodigy. Coming from a rare breed of sportsmen who shine in both hurling and football, O'Carroll is always likely to be busy. “At the moment, I'm playing hurling and football for Kilmacud Crokes, hurling for UCD and football for Dublin,” he states, “so it’s pretty hard to fit in all the teams.” As a part of the hurling freshers’ team that lost to Carlow IT (the eventual champions) in the first round this year, O'Carroll had been surprised with what he saw; “there was a much higher standard in college hurling than I would've expected. For example, that CIT team had two starters in the Cork senior hurling panel.” However, it would be through football and Kilmacud Crokes that Rory, along with fellow UCD
students Cian O'Sullivan and his elder brother Ross O'Carroll (also a dual player), would find success this year. After winning the Dublin and Leinster Championships, followed by the win over Corofin, they found themselves with the daunting task of playing four-time AllIreland champions Crossmaglen Rangers of Armagh. The full back wasn't afraid to admit, “Their record definitely had an impact on the team.” “They had the experience, whereas it was the first time any of us had actually made an All-Ireland final. Having said that, we didn't fear them. We weren't over-confident going into the final or anything, but we knew we had the ability to beat them. If we played like we knew how we could, we'd be in with a right chance. Luckily enough, they seemed to have an off-day too and we went on to win.” O’Carroll played full back along side his brother and was solid in defence, keeping the Corsmaglen forwards to just seven points while Crokes lead by Donal Vaughan got a goal and nine points. Fourteen years after their previous All-Ireland victory, of which the Arts student claims to remember little of, the people of Kilmacud witnessed the return of the Andy Merrigan Cup to their club. “The reception was unbelievable,
everywhere was jam-packed, everyone was really excited, and it was just unbelievable.” As one of the younger members of the squad, O'Carroll also appreciated how much it meant to some of the senior members; “It was massive for the club as there was a whole generation of players who hadn't won an All-Ireland, the likes of Ray Cosgrove, Darren Magee, the sort of players who've been playing for fourteen years.” Following this victory, word had spread that both Rory and Ross had ruled out any chance of playing for the Dublin senior football team by committing themselves to the Dublin senior hurling panel. However, when nine
Kilmacud players had joined up with the football panel for training last week, Rory was among them. O'Carroll believes this was a simple misunderstanding, “Ross decided to go over to the hurling panel, but I'd actually not made any contact with (Dublin senior hurling manager) Anthony Daly. I'm not quite sure what happened, but whatever way it came out, he seemed to think that the two of us had committed ourselves to the hurling panel.” Still a teenager, the All-Ireland club championship medal winner would have been forgiven for finding his first training session alongside footballers he would've grown up supporting (Darren
Magee, Paul Griffin, Cian O'Sullivan, Kevin Nolan, Mark Vaughan, Mark Davoren, Pat Burke and Liam óg ó hEineachain) a little daunting. He dismisses any feelings of inferiority by saying it was “a good experience. It was a bit odd training along with those players, a bit surreal alright. But there were nine Crokes lads there which made it a lot easier to settle in. Being part of the panel at this age means that I'm getting the sort of experience that can only be good for the future.” So what now for the All-Ireland champion? He will probably be part of the Dublin under-21 football panel that will be taking on Laois in the Leinster Final in Portlaoise in a few weeks.
UCD Sentinels hat trick of victories UCD’s American Football Club is the latest club to hit Belfield. They beat Dublin Dragons on their debut 13-0 and then Midland Soldiers by a whopping 50-0 The UCD Sentinels travelled to Edenderry in Co Offaly on Sunday22nd March to take on the Midland Soldiers. The Sentinels a first year team went into this game on the back of their first hard fought victory against the Dublin Dragons the Previous week. The impressive side got their third victory last Sunday against the Dublin Dragons from Lucan. The Soldiers are second year team in the DV8s Development
League of the IAFL. This game wasn’t expected to be a pushover but with Quarter back taken to hospital in the second quarter after an awkward fall from a legal D Sherlock tackle, the Soldiers struggled to deal with the Sentinels defense and conceded heavy scores. They never really got back into the game and the Sentinels still on a high from the first 21 mins of the game finished off the last 2.58 with some excellent running by Eric
Sherlock and Aman Sikand saw the Sentinels power their way down the field ending the Half with an 8yd touch down run by Sherlock. The final score was 50-0. This score did not reflect the entire game hard fought game. UCD have made a fantastic start to the season and Coach John Collins is delighted with his teams fantastic unbeaten start. They play Trinity in Santry on Friday the tenth of April.
UCD Scorers: 1st Half TD Karl Boos 5yd run, XP Failed 6-0 TD Gary O’Riordan 15yd INT Ret, XP Pete Wright Pass to Paddy Duffy 13-0 TD Eric Sherlock 8yd run, XP Pete Wright run 20-0 2nd Half TD Pete Wright 29yd Pass to Jason Vance Kirker, XP Paddy Buttner
Run 27-0 TD Paddy Buttner 8yd Run, XP Paddy Buttner Run 34-0 TD Alan Browne Fumble Recovery in the End zone, XP Pete Wright Run 41-0 Safety Vitale Levdonski Sack in the End zone 43-0 TD Karl Cremin 17yd Pass to Kian Lahiji, XP Karl Boos run 50-0