Rugby Club now just one step away from AIL promotion
Johnny Hannigan poignantly remembered
Cashel win play off battle and remember a great clubman. There was a sense of poignancy around Spafield on Saturday afternoon, before Cashel rugby took on Barnhall in their Energia All Ireland league play off semi-final, in front of a huge crowd in Cashel.
The club welcomed the team that cruelly denied them a shot at promotion last year back again to their home pitch, but this time there was a man missing that has been part of the fabric of the club for decades, and who would have revelled in the occasion that unfolded. But he was remembered at the clubs lunch beforehand with a special presentation.
Johnny Hannigan and his wife Dorothy gave decades of unflinching support and service to Cashel Rugby club. At every home game they sat behind the table selling the club lotto tickets that ensured the club would have the funds to travel the highways and byeways of the country in pursuit of trophies and success, and when they ran their pub on Ladyswell Street they were often the go to spot to recount the stories of victories and defeats, over well-earned drinks.
Sadly, Johnny passed away earlier this year, and wasn’t there on Saturday to see the titanic play off battle that unfolded, but he was there in spirit and will always be a part of the famous club.
And the club held up their side of the bargain made to Johnny when they made amends for the cruel extra time play off defeat last year. This time they made no mistakes and ran up a very healthy 19 point lead before they allowed Barnhall get onto the board, in a game that Cashel dominated from the start.
They scored two tries through Alan Flannery and Joe Callery, but they man of the match on the day once again was Ben Twomey, whose laser guided boot added two conversions and four penalties to lead the club to a twenty six points to fourteen victory.
They move on now to play Dublin University in the final, where they will be hoping to advance to Division 1B, the division from which their great local rivals Nenagh Ormond or also into a play-off to try and reach the very top tier of club rugby in Ireland, Division 1A
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