Conor keeping Fitzgerald name in lights for Munster Schools’ Senior Cup rugby
It’s a lot of pressure on a 17-year-old, but Conor Fitzgerald comes from a remarkable sporting family that has long put its best foot forward across several codes.
The nerveless kicker has himself lined out for Limerick in an All-Ireland MHC final at Croke Park, not to mention a Harty Cup final. So Thomond Park this afternoon is just another stop in a young career with a packed highlight reel.
This remarkable young sportsman has played a pivotal role in bringing Paul O’Connell’s Alma Mater from the Ennis Road side of Limerick into their second successive senior final.
In the competition’s preliminary round, Fitzgerald kicked 11 points in the hard-earned win over St Munchin’s. He then landed all of his side’s 18 points in the two-point defeat of CBC, slotting the sixth kick from 40 metres with the last act.
He repeated the late show at the expense of PBC in the semi-final at Musgrave Park, rifling over his fourth penalty into a stiff wind. I
t was asking an awful lot of a 17 year-old, but the ball never looked like going anywhere but between the uprights. The final whistle sounded immediately,
Pres, 28 times winners of the coveted trophy were out, Ardscoil were somehow still alive and in with a chance of capturing the trophy for the very first time.
Individual brilliance has always been crucial in team sport and without the contributions of Fitzgerald and his brother Stephen, it is unlikely that Ardscoil would have reached either of the last two finals.
One of the fascinating aspects of the Fitzgeralds’ ascent to sporting recognition is their sporting DNA is steeped in gaelic games. Their grandfather Des played in the losing Clare team in an All-Ireland minor football final, father John, was a member of the last Limerick team to win the All-Ireland Minor Hurling title in 1984 and was a stalwart of the Claughaun club for many years. The three Fitzgerald boys, Evan, Stephen and Conor , inherited their dad’s skill with the caman and developed it further when moving to Ardscoil.
It was there, too, that rugby caught their interest. Stephen has progressed to such an extent that he is now in the middle of a three-year contract with the Munster academy and is a current member of the Ireland U20s team. This year, Conor’s progress has been just as noteworthy.
“Hurling was their main sport going to Ardscoil but Stephen always seemed to be leaning towards the rugby,” says the boys’ father, John.
“All his friends were playing rugby and you had the likes of Harold Brown and Vinny Leonard their two coaches who were unbelievable and brought them on together from eight or nine years until they went into first year.
“The nucleus of Stephen’s team that played in the Junior Cup final a few years back and in last year’s senior final — Harold and Vinny had done a lot of the work with those kids underage.
“They were Shannon clubmen from the outset. Evan and Stephen were on the Limerick minors in 2012 but the following year Stephen gave up the hurling and concentrated on the rugby.
“He spoke to me and I said: you’re going to pick one or the other. The body physically wouldn’t have been able to do both. The decision was his, not mine.”
Stephen inspired Ardscoil to a place in the 2014 Schools Cup final with a series of superb performances, but they found a fine Crescent side a little too strong in the decider.
The family, however, had the considerable consolation of Conor’s Dr Harty Cup medal, even if they subsequently had to accept Limerick’s defeat to Kilkenny in the minor All-Ireland decider in which he came in as a substitute.
“Conor will be under-age for Senior Cup rugby next season”, explained John. “As for his place kicking, you’re only as good as your last kick, although the kicks that have gone over have been absolutely ridiculous.
“For Ardscoil to win the senior cup would be better than winning the Lotto, although I would still prefer to watch a hurling rather than a rugby match.
“When you have a school that plays both, they leave it up to the students. Because Stephen and Conor were good hurlers, I was surprised that they opted for rugby.
“There wasn’t any individual factor for picking one over the other. Both codes have been very good to them and they played them at a very high level”.
Tradition has always played a major role in the SEAT Munster Schools Senior Cup. And that’s why bookmakers have installed Rockwell College as 1-2 favourites to beat Ardscoil Ris (8-5) in today’s (2pm) decider at Thomond Park.
Rockwell have already brought the trophy home to Tipperary on 25 occasions, whereas Ardscoil are seeking their first success. However, this doesn’t mean the Limerick side are no-hopers and many shrewd judges believe the Mossie Lawler-coached team could cause a major upset. Ardscoil have reached the final the hard way. They accounted for St Munchin’s in a tense preliminary round and then relied on penalties from Conor Fitzgerald with the last kick of each game to get home against Cork giants CBC and PBC.
Rockwell’s path has been far more straightforward. They showed their potential when edging out Pres in the preliminary round at the Mardyke before having a little more to spare when beating St Munchins in the quarter-final and Glenstal, conquerors of holders Crescent, in the semi-final.
Rockwell have produced strongly built forwards. Number eight Mike Casey has enjoyed an outstanding campaign and so has second-row and captain Sean O’Connor and a tremendously prop in Jack Tierney.
Their side shows a few changes, Niall Campion coming into the front-row for James Kendrick while the IRFU concussion protocols rule out wing Sean Lanigan-Ryan and flanker Tommy Anglim.
If they can claim the monopoly of possession, Rockwell will look to out-half Bill Johnston to take full advantage. This points to another big day in Rockwell’s storied history although head coach Mark Butler has been preaching caution.
“We have contested six of the last seven finals and won only two”, he underlined. “To beat St Munchins, Christians and Pres on the way to the final proves that Ardscoil well deserve to be there.”
If persistence and determination mingled with a considerable degree of football nous count for anything, then Ardscoil will not be found wanting. They may not boast the same impressive background as Rockwell but half the side were involved in last year’s decider and that experience and the burning desire to go one better is sure to drive them on. They are delaying naming their team as they await fitness reports on prop Tom Walsh and flanker Jerry McCabe.
ROCKWELL – Tom McHale; Diarmuid Gallagher, Lee Molloy, Conor Cashman, Kieran Moynihan; Bill Johnston, Daryl Egan; Jack Tierney, Ben Murray, Niall Campion, Sean O’Connor capt, Jack Binchy, Mikey Wilson, Bryan McLaughlin, Mike Casey. Replacements – Diarmuid Barron, Jack Kendrick, Bill O’Brien, John Power, Josh Pickering, Elliott Stone, Jamie Stone.
ARDSCOIL RIS from: Darren Gavin, Nathan Randles, Jack O’Donnell, Peader Collins, Marcus McManemy, Conor Fitzgerald, Hugh Bourke, Pierce Lyons, Ty Chan (Capt), Tom Walsh, Barra O’Byrne, Ronan Coffey, Oisin Bernard, Ian Brown, Jerry McCabe, Andy Coffey, Liam Brock, Darragh Ryan, L Moylan, C Cannon, S Monaghan, P Ryan.
Referee: George Clancy (IRFU).
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