I am thrilled and honoured to have the opportunity to be the D.U.F.C. Club Captain for the upcoming 2022/23 season. There are big shoes to fill from the previous Captains who have represented the Club so well.
Last season brought a lot of success to the 1st XV, claiming the Dudley Cup in the Belfield Bowl with a 31-0 win and defending it with a 48-8 win over UCC. The highlight of the season undoubtedly came on the 1st of April, with the 68th annual colours match in College Park. A tight match led us to retaining the coveted Colours trophy for the third consecutive time. None of these accomplishments can be discussed without mentioning Micheál O’Kennedy, last season’s club captain. Mick had a tough task of reconnecting the players, coaches and supporters as we came out of the COVID guidelines. As we saw in the post-match drinks in Kennedy’s, Mick achieved this and created a fantastic atmosphere in the club for the year. Thank you to Micheál for being such a brilliant captain on and off the pitch last season, and to Brian and Maeve for their tireless work. Although last season ended with disappointment, it was a fantastic season which we hope to build on this coming year.
It is no surprise that the 1st XV’s success last season was built on the back of success throughout the Club. Jody Booth led the J1s to an early trophy, winning the 99th Metropolitan Cup – for the first time since 1967. It was great to see these players get the credit they deserved for all of their year’s hard work in pushing the 1st XV forward and challenging for positions. Our J1s this year are already looking to pick up where they left off, with huge numbers attending preseason.
Louis McDonough captained the U20s to D.U.F.C.’s third All Ireland in a row, against UCD. The U20’s encapsulated the Trinity spirit, showing the cameraderie and toughness that makes up a Trinity XV at any level. UCD’s match day squad included five U20’s 6 Nations Grand Slam winners. This didn’t stop D.U.F.C. from fronting up and showing incredible skill across the park, with many of the players destined to be regulars in the white jersey this year no doubt.
A massive congratulations to the Women’s team as well as they achieved well deserved promotion to Division 1 of the Leinster Leagues. Best of luck to Tricia Doyle and her team in the upcoming season.
A massive thank you has to go to Johnny Sexton, our Club President for 2021/22. Johnny set the bar very high for this year’s President, John Coulter, who I am sure will fill the boots well. Best of luck to John who I look forward to working with closely over the season.
This will be our sixth year competing in the AIL 1A and we hope to add to the 168 year history of D.U.F.C. This will require us to push each other in everything we do, both on and off the field. We discussed how we can do this on our preseason trip to Limoges, and we decided that the best way was to hold each other accountable. Do your job to make the next man’s easier. We are all dedicated to reaching the top 4 and will leave everything on the pitch for each other week in, week out.
After helping to bring D.U.F.C. all the way from the bottom of the fifth division, up to competing for the 1A playoffs, Hugh McGuire will be massively missed in Trinity. I can honestly say that he has been a massive influence, on and off the pitch, for me and I am sure anyone else who has worn the Trinity jersey in the past 22 years. Trinity rugby takes boys into its system and creates respectable, hard-working men. Hugh McGuire was at the heart of this change for the past two decades. Hugh, there’ll be plenty of Pratzkys waiting for you in the Bear Pit in October.
Thank you to everyone for your continued support towards D.U.F.C. This year we hope to make College Park into a formidable place to come and the supporters are a massive part of that. I am so excited to get stuck back into AIL rugby down in Dooradoyle on the 1st of October.
Yours in rugby,
Louis O’Reilly
D.U.F.C Club Captain 2022/23