Munster Rugby to share Fethard facilities with Tipperary GAA

Pictured from (L-R) at the announcement Maurice Moloney, Coolmore/Director Fethard Town Park, Ben Swindlehurst, Munster Rugby Club Community Rugby Officer and Anthony Fitzgerald, Tipperary County Council/Director Fethard Town Park

Munster Rugby has announced a new Regional Centre of Excellence for the province in Co. Tipperary.

The recently developed multipurpose shared municipal facility at Fethard Town Park is also to be used by Fethard RFC, Tipperary GAA, and Fethard GAA with Munster Rugby having access to a recently installed full-size 3g floodlit pitch for its underage and development squads.

Munster Rugby will also have access to a modern gym, changing room and meeting room facilities once Phase 2 of the Fethard Town Park development is completed by the end of the year. Fethard RFC has a grass pitch of its own on site within the facility.

Speaking on Friday, Munster Rugby chief operating officer Philip Quinn said: “We’re here today to announce our partnership with Fethard Town Park as a new Regional Centre of Excellence for Munster Rugby. We’ve had plans to have Regional Centres of Excellence right throughout the province and this is the first of its kind in that regard, so we’re delighted to be in a position now to announce that partnership.” 

Plans are also ongoing to develop a Munster Rugby centre of excellence in Cork at the Dolphin RFC end of Musgrave Park on the city’s southside with the help of a Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Grant awarded in 2020, though plans have been disrupted due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Munster head of Rugby Development Colm McMahon, also speaking in Fethard on Friday said: “This new Regional Centre of Excellence will provide state-of-the-art facilities for young players right throughout the province.

“It is our intention to establish Centres of Excellence in different parts of Munster so that our footprint is widespread and that as many young players as possible have access to the best facilities. This will increase participation and further enhance the player pathway in the province.”