Nenagh assured of a big day out at the Aviva

THE start of an All-Ireland League season is big news in Nenagh this week.

The honour of participating in the first club match at the Aviva Stadium (this afternoon’s Division 2B clash v Wanderers) has captured the non rugby playing public’s imagination in this corner of north Tipperary.

Club PRO Raymond O’Meara explained: “It is a very big day for us. It is huge. We have a supporters bus heading up and a good core of fans in Dublin as well. We have between 50 and 60 sitting down for lunch today at the stadium. There is a bit of a joke going around that we should bring a few hurleys and be the first team to play hurling at the Aviva as well.”

He added: “There is a fine rugby community in Nenagh. There are 10 senior hurling teams in the area but there is little or no overlap between us.” And proof of that “fine rugby community” is in plentiful supply. O’Meara revealed: “Donncha Ryan was brought up two fields to the left of our pitch while Trevor and Ray Hogan were raised a field and a half to the right of our home ground.”