ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE FOCUS ON DIVISION TWO:Head coach Kevin Lewis believes Bective have a great chance of promotion, writes Gavin Cummiskey
EVERYONE HAS heard of Bective Rangers FC. Maybe it is because of their geographical position or maybe it is because they have always been a little different.
They never saw the need to adopt the ‘R’ part of RFC as they have been around longer than the Irish Rugby Football Union.
They have been namechecked by James Joyce on several occasions. At the turn of the century the Bective “rugger” men were a force to be reckoned with throughout the city – even up in Monto.
There are Clongowes Wood College links almost dating back to its formation in 1881. But really, it is the welcome arm they have placed around Cork and Limerick men arriving in Dublin that has kept them afloat.
A €350,000 redevelopment of the club’s second ground, Glenamuck, on the way up to Enniskerry near the Golden Ball pub, has just been completed. However, it’s their main clubhouse, nestled in the epicentre of the Leinster rugby experience, where the ghosts of great days still reside.
“We are a club that most people like, probably because we have never been a threat to other clubs,” said head coach Kevin Lewis. “We are a great social club, in the middle of Donnybrook, just around the corner from Kielys. That has worked for us. The biggest challenge is getting support down on Saturday but it remains a vibrant club,” he adds.
Entrenched in the same division of the club game since the All-Ireland League began, never relegated, never promoted. Just good old Bective. Surviving on tradition, apparently.
“I guess a club like Bective will always end up recruiting because we don’t have the strongest section of under-21s because we don’t really have a feeder school,” Lewis explains. “It tends to be focused on Munster or other guys coming up to Dublin.”
Mike Essex has arrived from Shannon. A hooker by trade, Bective will utilise him in their backrow. An outhalf named Gearóid O’Grady, with a respectable GAA background, was recruited from Tullamore. Brad Allan is the latest Kiwi to land over to make up a decent half-back pairing. Henry Bryce, a centre, comes in from Clontarf.
“We used to always have good contacts in Limerick and Cork,” Lewis continues. “Then we lost them. They have been recovered in the last few years.”
This season provides a real opportunity to make a move. Second in Division Two midway through last season, they eventually finished fifth after stumbling on the home straight.
Improve that by one spot in 2011 and they will be playing in the 10-team Division 1B next season. “Our only intention is to get promotion this year what with four automatic places. Eighteen years in this division now. We are only thinking one way now. That’s what we are about,” says Lewis.
Some problems remain. The last of their 58 internationals? You have to go back to Kurt McQuilkin in the 1990s. Two members of the Leinster Sub Academy, Cathal Marsh and Alex Kelly, having guided St Michael’s to the 2009 Schools Cup final, joined Bective only to transfer out in search of exposure to the highest level of under-21 rugby with UCD and Trinity.
Representative lock Robin O’Sullivan joined Old Belvedere, just down the road, in an attempt to improve his prospects. The departures are not begrudged within the club. That is just the way. “Robin felt he needed to play Division 1A so he went to Belvo. Our overseas player last season Dave Campbell, a scrumhalf, has gone to Mary’s. But they were the only two. We really have been fortunate,” says Lewis.
There are stalwarts to gel the team like the veteran lock Paul Hatton, Emmett Hogan in the frontrow and flanker Mark Hennelly.
Philip “Goose” Doyle, coach of the Irish women, is part of the coaching staff, along with Fergal Champion – a skilful outhalf who has only just retired.
The first challenge of the new term is a journey to Lakelands on Saturday to face old foes Terenure.
Then the cross-pitch derby against Old Wesley follows before the surprising presence of Ballymena (they were not supposed to be relegated) and then a trip down to Thomond.
“It is as difficult a start as we could have got. It should separate the men from the boys,” says Lewis.
Bective are certainly not the boys.
BECTIVE RANGERS FC
Home ground: Donnybrook and Glenamuck.
Colours: Rose, green and white.
Nickname: Rangers.
Honours– Leinster Senior Cup Winners (12): 1889, 1892, 1910, 1914, 1923, 1925, 1932, 1934, 1935, 1955, 1956, 1962 .
Metropolitan Cup Winners (9): 1926, 1930, 1931, 1939, 1944, 1958, 1961, 1980, 1994.
Final league position in Division Two since debut season: 5th, 10th, 6th, 11th, 5th, 7th, 5th, 13th, 10th.
DIVISION TWO FORMAT
FOUR CLUBS will be promoted from the 16-team league at the end of the season. Terenure, DLSP, Bective and Wesley are obvious candidates having come closest to promotion last season but Ballymena will be the strong favourites to make an immediate return to 1B, although they must endure four Ulster derbies.
A strong showing is expected from UCD in their centenary year, while Trinity should also be genuine contenders. The bottom club will face fifth place in Division Three in a relegation play-off.
