Cistercian Roscrea enjoying life at the summit of Leinster
Philosophy is a subject that always exercised the minds of monks. The school motto at Cistercian College, Roscrea pays homage to their founding fathers and this Sunday, their minds could be in heaven once more while their bodies dwell upon the RDS pitch.
A year on from their breakthrough victory in the Leinster Senior Cup, CC Roscrea are back to defend their title. In a repeat of last year’s final, they will again meet Belvedere. If their success in 2015 seemed too good to be true, they no longer need to pinch themselves.
“I think the boys, if anything, are a little more relaxed for this year’s final,” says Brendan McKeogh, CCR’s Director of Sport. “Even in terms of the hype and the build-up around the game, we’re more prepared in dealing with that. I think experience is vital in these situations and having so many back from last year has helped us deal with the occasion.”
Roscrea are likely to have eight of last year’s team in the starting 15 this weekend including half-back pairing, Keith Kavanagh and Alan Tynan. Out-half Tynan, who played in attack for the Tipperary minor hurlers and the Premier County’s minor footballers during their run to the All-Ireland Finals in 2015, captained the school hurling team this year and is one of a number of dual-stars.
Ben Hyland plays midfield for the Tipperary minor footballers while back row Jack Canning is a nephew of Galway hurling star, Joe.
“Realistically, if you win a competition and you have nine or 10 of your panel back I think you should be expecting to be competing at least,” says McKeogh. “We know we’re going to be up against it, especially the way Belvedere are playing this year, but I think this is where we expected to be given the talent that’s within the school.”
Success was a long time coming to Roscrea. They had lost in four finals, dating back as far as 1910, before they finally got their hands on the Senior Cup last year.
“Winning it for the first time was very, very special,” says CCR principal Brendan Feehan. “It instilled an air of confidence around the place. Like everyone within the college or who has any association with the college, it did give a massive sense of pride.”
While the players focus for Sunday, Feehan is always thinking of the bigger picture.
“It’s about trying to keep a balance between encouraging them and promoting the game but also ensuring from an ethos point of view their feet are still on the ground and we don’t lose sight of everything,” he says. “When a student comes back from a successful game, we recognise them but then they would go back into evening study as per normal.”
Education is their primary concern but the success of the rugby team has had a knock-on effect.
“A lot of people would have been aware Cistercian College was there but any time in the last 12 months I would have mentioned Cistercian College to people, they would have been aware of the success in the Leinster Senior Cup. We have seen that in admissions as well, we have seen an increase in the level of interest. There’s been a very tangible benefit,” says Feehan.
Success, as ever, breeds success. “Our second team are in the equivalent of their cup semi-final so there’s a fair bit of depth,” says McKeogh. “Our juniors won the league this year and we were beaten in the league final last season so it has been coming over the last few years.”
Outsiders, geographically and historically, in a competition dominated by Dublin powerhouses, Roscrea are underdogs again this weekend. “It’s probably everyone’s opinion in Leinster that Belvedere have been the team of the tournament,” says McKeogh although Roscrea made a big impression during their semi-final victory against Clongowes. “I think the intensity of the game against Clongowes was probably a level up to that point that we hadn’t experienced. I think we took a lot out of the Clongowes game in terms of how we need to approach the first half of games.”.
After last year’s defeat, Belvedere are playing for pride as much as the big prize. But by the nature of their environment, Roscrea are bound by an indelible bond.
“They (players) probably spend 15 hours a day together. They can train after school, they can do their gym sessions together at night, they sit in the classroom together and they eat their meals together. It has to have a positive effect,” says McKeogh.
“The boys are with each other all the time and there’s good competition for places and I think if players are fighting to hold onto their place, they maybe concentrate on their own performance in a game and let the result look after itself. And that’s maybe what keeps them focused.”
Win or lose on Sunday, the teaching must go on.
“After the game we’ll be down to the core business of the school which is teaching and learning,” says Feehan.
“Rugby is only one part of the holistic school environment. It’s about developing skills for the workplace and society in general. Rugby gives them a very strong sense of discipline and a very strong sense of team work.”
And only those who have them can know the true value of a Senior Cup medal.
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