U18.5 Blitz in Castlebar helps dust off the cobwebs

Connacht Rugby ran an U18.5 pre-season blitz last Saturday in Castlebar RFC with the event proving a great success.

With games being played on a 10-a-side basis, it was a great opportunity for players to dust off the cobwebs ahead of the new season which gets underway on September 24.

The blitz, which was non-competitive, saw a total of eight clubs take part and each team played three matches on the day. Teams from Tuam, Loughrea, Ballina and Corrib battled it out on pitch one, while teams from Ballinrobe, Oughterard, Corinthians and Castlebar squared off on pitch two.

With each game lasting 20 minutes and with little downtime between matches the action was non-stop for the players, many of whom were playing their first games of the season.

Speaking after the event, Richard Doyle, event organiser and Connacht Rugby Club & Competition Support Executive, thanked everyone who made the day a success.

“It was great to see these players buying into the fun element of this event and playing each game in the spirit we love to see rugby played,” he said.

“I would like to thank Castlebar RFC for hosting the blitz, the club are a great supporter of the various initiatives Connacht Rugby are rolling out to help attract and retain young players.

“I would also like to thank our referees Paul McAleer, Cathal Donovan and Shane Touhy who all did a fantastic job on the day. Having qualified referees overseeing these events really improves the enjoyment for players and coaches.”