Rugby Club Issue 53 | Page 88

midleton FOLLOW US ONLINE TWITTER.COM/RUGBYCLUBMAG Midleton B ased at Towns Park in County Cork, Midleton RFC currently competes in Division 2B of the All Ireland League. They are led by President George Jeffery who is supported by Secretary Christy Lordan and the club has made a considerable amount of progress under their guidance. This is highlighted by the strong form that their first team has shown this season, having put together a record of eight wins, a draw and five defeats from their fourteen matches played to date. This has left them sitting in the top half of the table with forty points on the board. This should provide them with the perfect platform from which to build as they head into the off-season. So long as they can retain their current group of players and perhaps make one or two quality additions they should be in with a good chance of another successful campaign next time around. One of the standout features of the Midleton set up is the superb youth section that they have in place. This part of the club looks to provide youngsters from the local area with an opportunity to play the game in a safe and enjoyable environment whilst helping them to reach their full potential. 88 Issue 53 It is important for any club to be able to produce their own talent if they are to be successful and this is an area that Midleton appears to have covered. It will certainly be exciting to see how their current batch of juniors are able to develop over the coming years. Their fine work in this area was recognised in 2009 when they were awarded Munster Mini-Rugby Club of the Year in 2009. Their youth section has a history of being successful, having claimed victories in the Honours Munster Junior Cup, the Munster Junior Clubs’ Challenge Cup and the Munster Junior League in the past. The club has also put together a history of which they have every right to be proud at senior level, having won the Cork Charity Cup on three occasions in 1999, 2003 and 2006 and also the McCarthy Cup in 1976. The current group of players will be keen to add to these successes in the future. Midleton is not a club living in the past however and their forward thinking nature is evidenced in the ladies team that they have set up. The women’s game has been growing in popularity across the country and Midleton’s side has shown plenty of promise this year. They encourage anyone interested in taking up the game to come along and give it a try and pride themselves on offering a warm welcome. Midleton RFC is a terrific example of a well-run, community establishment that is committed to playing an important role in their local area. Their first team’s fine performances are just one example of the good work that goes on at the club. Hopefully they will be able to continue in the same manner for many years to come and everyone at Rugby Club Magazine wishes them the best of luck. www.midletonrugby.com- Twitter : @MidletonRFC