It is a great honour and privilege for me to be elected as President of Highfield R.F.C. for the coming season.
First and foremost, I would like to acknowledge the outstanding commitment by all of our members over the years both on and off the field. I pay special tribute to our founding members who brought rugby to the west side of the city all those years ago. Undoubtedly, they would be proud of Highfield's achievements to date and of the fine facilities of which it boasts today.
As always, our ultimate goal for the coming year is to win all competitions. At senior level, our season will hugely benefit from the experience and indigenous knowledge of our 'home-grown' coaches, Frank Cooper and Fergus Burke. In addition, our club captain Robert Bogue will be an invaluable asset to achieving our goals. As head coach of the J1's, Emmet O' Callaghan will be crucial to their success. With regard to the J2's, I hope to see the Dennehy Cup returning to Woodleigh Park. And I’m sure the ladies will lead the charge in bringing home the silverware. With pre-season already underway, the wheels are in motion and a prosperous season awaits.
At grassroots level, Highfield's renowned underage section continues to impress. Year on year our underage teams deliver and I am certain that this year will be no different. Our underage provides the very building blocks for our senior teams and I would like to see the steady progression from underage to senior continue. From Under 8's to Under 21's, I wish all teams and their respective coaches the very best for the approaching season.
As always, a special thanks to all our sponsors for their support. Their generosity is central to the running of Highfield in many ways. In turn, I would urge our members to support the sponsors. In addition, I would also like to see increased support for our bar and facilities at Highfield, especially in these challenging times.
A great year lies in store for Highfield R.F.C., one which will build on the work of last season and set foundations for the future. I wish all teams every success for the coming season and I'd like to extend a warm welcome to all visitors at Woodleigh Park this year and look forward to meeting you in the coming months.
Yours in Rugby,
Liam O' Donovan.
