Page 194 - Gonzaga at 60
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GONZAGA AT SIXTY: A WORK IN PROGRESS
1989 Cup Finalists
JUNIOR RUGBY
The under 15s have paricipated in the Junior League and cup compeiions with much success
in recent years.
Gonzaga reached the Junior Cup Final for the irst ime in 1989. Michael Kelly’s team were
defeated 8-6 by Terenure College in a replay having drawn (0-0) in the irst encounter. Declan
Fassbender (out half) and Gareth Pelly (wing forward) played for Gonzaga on that occasion and
almost 20 years later are sill making valuable contribuions to rugby in the school as part of the
coaching staf. The ’89 team was coached by Jim Walsh and Bobby Byrne.
Jim, a past pupil of Gonzaga had coached the JCT from 1982 to 1989.
2001: Jimmy Morgan Jim had a great knowledge of the game and was a shrewd coach. He contributed greatly to
(class of 2007), hero of the development of rugby in the school. It was iing that his last game as a coach was Gonzaga’s
the U-13 League win
irst appearance in a Junior Cup Final. Jim let the teaching staf in 1989 to pursue a career in
business and his departure was a considerable loss to rugby in Gonzaga.
The Junior League was introduced in 1994-95 season and has proved to be a very enjoyable
compeiion. Brian McCloskey’s team (coached by David Murray and Bobby Byrne) were the irst
winners beaing Newbridge in the 1995-96 inal.
David Murray and David Keenahan have proved to be a very successful coaching partnership
at Junior level. Under their guidance between 1999 and 2007 the school has reached the Junior
Cup Final on two occasions and were also defeated in a cup semi-inal. The Juniors have also
featured in ive league inals in this period adding two further wins to the 1995 victory.
2003: JCT Final supporters In 1999-2000 season Kevin McLaughlin’s Junior team reached the league inal for the
and team after the game second occasion but were defeated by a very strong Newbridge team.
In 2002 Andrew Brennan’s team reached the Junior Cup semi inal only to be narrowly
beaten by Castleknock College. The following season Simon Murphy’s team took one step further
beaing Castleknock in the Semi-inal to reach the Junior cup inal for the second ime. The 2003
inal v Blackrock College proved to be an excellent contest with Blackrock eventually running out
winners (17-11)
The 2003 -04 JCT captained by Shane Gahan won the league for the second occasion beaing
Wesley College in the inal. The team also went on to win the Junior Plate.
In 2005 the league inal was reached once more and Neil Hanraty’s team put in a gutsy
performance in defeat against a physically imposing CBC Monkstown team.
2004: A winning year Kilian Tuite’s team defeated Newbridge in the 2005-06 league inal and later that season
GONZAGA AT SIXTY: A WORK IN PROGRESS
1989 Cup Finalists
JUNIOR RUGBY
The under 15s have paricipated in the Junior League and cup compeiions with much success
in recent years.
Gonzaga reached the Junior Cup Final for the irst ime in 1989. Michael Kelly’s team were
defeated 8-6 by Terenure College in a replay having drawn (0-0) in the irst encounter. Declan
Fassbender (out half) and Gareth Pelly (wing forward) played for Gonzaga on that occasion and
almost 20 years later are sill making valuable contribuions to rugby in the school as part of the
coaching staf. The ’89 team was coached by Jim Walsh and Bobby Byrne.
Jim, a past pupil of Gonzaga had coached the JCT from 1982 to 1989.
2001: Jimmy Morgan Jim had a great knowledge of the game and was a shrewd coach. He contributed greatly to
(class of 2007), hero of the development of rugby in the school. It was iing that his last game as a coach was Gonzaga’s
the U-13 League win
irst appearance in a Junior Cup Final. Jim let the teaching staf in 1989 to pursue a career in
business and his departure was a considerable loss to rugby in Gonzaga.
The Junior League was introduced in 1994-95 season and has proved to be a very enjoyable
compeiion. Brian McCloskey’s team (coached by David Murray and Bobby Byrne) were the irst
winners beaing Newbridge in the 1995-96 inal.
David Murray and David Keenahan have proved to be a very successful coaching partnership
at Junior level. Under their guidance between 1999 and 2007 the school has reached the Junior
Cup Final on two occasions and were also defeated in a cup semi-inal. The Juniors have also
featured in ive league inals in this period adding two further wins to the 1995 victory.
2003: JCT Final supporters In 1999-2000 season Kevin McLaughlin’s Junior team reached the league inal for the
and team after the game second occasion but were defeated by a very strong Newbridge team.
In 2002 Andrew Brennan’s team reached the Junior Cup semi inal only to be narrowly
beaten by Castleknock College. The following season Simon Murphy’s team took one step further
beaing Castleknock in the Semi-inal to reach the Junior cup inal for the second ime. The 2003
inal v Blackrock College proved to be an excellent contest with Blackrock eventually running out
winners (17-11)
The 2003 -04 JCT captained by Shane Gahan won the league for the second occasion beaing
Wesley College in the inal. The team also went on to win the Junior Plate.
In 2005 the league inal was reached once more and Neil Hanraty’s team put in a gutsy
performance in defeat against a physically imposing CBC Monkstown team.
2004: A winning year Kilian Tuite’s team defeated Newbridge in the 2005-06 league inal and later that season
