Heroes homecoming for rampaging Bulls

ON A HIGH?The new Town Hall Theatre played host to the Westport Bulls on Sunday evening, when they returned victorious to the town with the Connacht Junior Rugby Cup - their first time in 40 years to win the famous silverware.?Pic: Conor McKeown

Heroes’ homecoming for rampaging Bulls


Neill O'Neill

FORTY years of waiting were ended on Sunday, when Westport Rugby Club laid their hands on the Connacht Junior Cup in Galway. A composed and confident performance saw the Bulls run out 14-8 winners against Monivea in the Sportsground, and by the time the jubilant victors arrived back in Westport shortly before 9pm that evening, a large crowd had gathered in front of the new Town Hall Theatre, to give them a deserved heroes welcome.
Flanked by a garda escort and followed by a supporters bus, the players alighted to rapturous applause and embraces, including from many members of the last team to win the illustrious silverware, four decades ago.
This was the first great local success the balcony on the new Town Hall Theatre would host. Everybody was hoping it would not be the last.
Councillor Brendan Mulroy acted as MC for the event, and spoke of the passion the players had shown earlier on the field. This sentiment was reiterated by President of Westport Rugby Club, Declan Dever, who described it as the proudest day of his life and said the players deserved the large turnout for their efforts all year.
“In 1975 I was proud to see this cup come to town, but I never thought it would take 40 years for it to return,” he said.
“In that 40 years a lot of super guys have played for Westport Rugby Club but were never lucky enough to win this cup, so tonight is for all those players, many of whom I see here tonight, and for our great supporters, some of whom are sadly not with us anymore and cannot enjoy this great occasion.”
He thanked coach JP Walsh and all the players for their dedication, and the local businesses in Westport, who support the club unfailingly year after year.

Coach
John Paul Walsh, head coach at Westport Rugby Club, then introduced the entire squad, each name being met with a roar of approval, and acknowledged what he termed the ‘unbelievable support’ at the game.
“I told a reporter afterwards, in relation to the crowd, that it is no coincidence that we come from the best town in Ireland,” he said.
“We have received fantastic support from the soccer and gaelic clubs and other local sporting organisations, we really are a tight knit sporting community in Westport,” he declared, also acknowledging the role of all the coaches and backroom staff at the club, and saving a special word of praise for long serving manager and club stalwart, SeΡn Corcoran.
On-field captain Liam Scahill joked about hoping there was no weight restriction on the balcony, before thanking his team-mates, whom he said had put their bodies on the line, while club captain David Keane, suspended for Sunday’s final, said he was heart-broken to have missed the game but thanked the players for coming through, ‘and by God they came through today’ he exclaimed.
“A lot of fellas in the last 40 years have played their hearts out for this club and won nothing, some have passed on,” he said, pausing to remember his own younger brother Brian, who died tragically in 2011, and Peter Carroll, another great club man who died suddenly last May.
“I am so proud of the lads and the club, I’m probably the proudest captain that never played in a cup final, but I’ll see you all at training on Tuesday,” he joked, as champagne corks popped and the celebrations proper got underway.
Speaking to The Mayo News, Minister for Sport, Michael Ring, who was at the homecoming, said it was a proud day for the club and town.
“Westport Rugby Club have been one of the sporting pillars of this town for many decades, and this success is just reward for the hard and voluntary work that has been put into the club by many people over many years. I am delighted to be here tonight and to see so many people out on the streets of Westport, welcoming home this team, they have done themselves, their families, their club and their town proud, and I congratulate each and every one of them and all involved with Westport Rugby Club.”