Munster mourn star Moroney

THE death has occurred of John Moroney, the former Munster and Ireland international rugby player.

He was 64 and had been ill for some time. He passed away early yesterday in the Waterford Regional Hospital.

Moroney was a native of Clogheen, Tipperary, and was educated at Rockwell College where he began his illustrious rugby career. He was a key figure in the team that captured the Munster Schools Senior Cup in 1964.

He joined Garryowen and on moving to Strawberry Hill, London, to study PE, he also linked up with London Irish.

While out-half was his best position, he performed with distinction on the wing, the position in which he earned his six Irish caps. He made his debut against Wales in 1968. In the first match of the 1969 campaign, against France at Lansdowne Road, Moroney converted his own try and also kicked three penalty goals. He was a member of the Irish team in all their championship games that season.

Moroney played many times for Munster both at out-half and wing and wore the number 11 jersey in the 11-8 defeat of Australia at Musgrave Park in 1967. It was the provinces’s first victory over a major touring team and he had the distinction of scoring the game’s decisive try.

On the club front, he was a member of the Garryowen teams that won the Munster Senior Cup in 1969, 1971 and ‘74. His illustrious career came to a sad end in February, 1975, when he suffered a serious leg injury in Garryowen’s defeat by Cork Constitution in a Munster Senior League final at Thomond Park.

The club subsequently went on to avenge that result a few months later by beating Con in the Munster Cup final, a game that launched the career of his replacement, Tony Ward.

He is survived by wife Valerie (nee Ellis), son Julian and daughter Annabelle.

Removal from Waterford Regional Hospital is at 6.30pm tomorrow evening to Killea Church, Dunmore East.

Mass on Monday is at noon followed by interment at the Church of Ireland burial ground, Dunmore East.