'It means so much to us' - Mayo rugby club celebrate historic cup win

An historic occasion for Mayo sport: Emotional day for Ballyhaunis as rugby team wins trophy named after club founder Hugh Curley for the first time.

THE whole town had rallied behind their rugby team. And the Ballyhaunis players delivered the goods to snatch the Curley Cup for the first time since its inception. The East Mayo men defeated University of Galway 37-17 to unleash scenes of great emotion on Sunday afternoon.

“It's unreal, unbelievable, we put so much into this year. That Curley Cup means so much to us,” an emotional Gabriel Gallagher told The Mayo News afterwards.

Gallagher, himself currently assistant coach for the team, explained the historic importance: “Hugh Curley himself and Dr Alan Delaney and Dr Declan Shields, founded the club in 1977. When Hugh died in 2010, the idea of having the Curley Cup came up, and we'd host it every year in Ballyhaunis.

“Prior to this we only got to the final in 2020, but we weren't really prepared or never showed up in that final. But this year, from the very first night's training, we really put a huge emphasis on getting to this Curley Cup final and winning it. Thankfully, we did.”

After the match, team captain Fintan Cawley was presented with the cup by Hugh Curley’s wife Rosaleen and Connacht Rugby representative Tom Horkan. The whole community in the East Mayo town showed their support. One of Hugh Curley's sons flew in from London. For a long time, rugby wouldn't have been the strongest sport in Ballyhaunis. But last Sunday, it was the only show in town.

It was a beautiful day, weather-wise, the ground was in brilliant condition. The clubhouse and pitch in good nick. And people who had never been up there before, came to see the Ballyhaunis rugby team write a crucial page in the club's history book.

The hosts got off to a flying start, leading 15-0 at half-time. Ballyhaunis could have scored more points and put the game to bed early. 

In the second half, the Galway team started to come back into it. There was a touchy patch when the visitors got an intercept-try and brought it back to a two-score game. The final scoreline looks more comfortable because Ballyhaunis scored a try with only two minutes to go. 

Gallagher praised player-coach Rouwan Gouws for his considerable contribution: “I spoke in the team huddle a bit afterwards. Yes, it took 30 lads and everyone had played their part. But, without a shadow of a doubt in my mind, the only reason we were in that final and the only reason we are where we are is because of Rowan. When he took us over last year in September he was handed a very depleted team, but he stuck with us. We lost seven league games in a row last year. Seven out of seven. Minus 250 points in the league table. 15 months later, we're joint top and have a cup in our hands.”

Second-row Patrick Egan was named player-of-the-match. He had only come back last week from a long injury break and Gallagher and Gouws weren't sure if Egan could play. But he repaid their confidence back in spades. Ballyhaunis will take a boost into their league campaign, where they've already won three out of four. The future looks bright for rugby in Ballyhaunis.

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