Page 21 - The Gonzaga Record 1990
P. 21
a valid ·out' it was necessary to raise the left ind ex-linger for a left-handed
batsman! But th e standard of cricket was high. and was to produce such
notable players as Da vid Ensor and Eddie Lewis . Here I should like to
pay a tribute to th e memory of Mr. Brendan Fox (Phoeni x CC) who gave
so generously of hi s time and energy in coaching our youn gsters .
The game made a vigorou s resurgence in recent years under the guidance
of Mr Jim Walsh. but alas! with hi s departure it has fad ed again - another
clear indication th at ga mes (a nd other things) ebb and llow with th e
presence or absence of so meone at the top to in spire and organi se.
Rugby is more professional now. Playe rs arc fitt er. coachin g more
expert and intense and our XV s have won a place among " th ose to be
feared .. in the cup competitions. But I remember the times when we were
content enough to occupy a more humble position. playing onl y the weaker
teams. knmving that a confrontation with any of th e big guns wou ld end
onl y in humiliation. But I like to think that the game was always enjoyable.
and am happy in th e rellcction that such an unprofessional attitude ("It's
onl y a game! .. ) produced a couple of outstanding internationals (Anthony
Ensor and Barry Brcsnihan) and a plethora of high-ranking club-players.
In stead of consigning it to a footnote. this might be a good place to
record the composition of th e very first rugby XV to represent Gonzaga
against another sc hool. The game was against the Belvedere Under-
Elevens: the date was March 10. 1951: th e referee was Fr. John Murphy:
it was played on the front field and it end ed in a home win by 15 points
(tive tries!) to nil. Jcrry Liston (Fu ll back): David Strahan. Garret Shanlcy.
John M ulhern. David Carton (backs): Leonard Little. John Dclancy
(halves): David Gallagher. Iorard Dclaney. Owen Brady. Ronnic
O'Loghlan. Geoffrey McEnroe, Paul Dempsey, Brcndan Walsh, Michacl
Fitzgibbon (forwards).
Modesty olnwsl forbids me to recall Gonzaga · s remarkable successes
in tennis. You'll find some account of this in T!Je Gon-;,ogo Record of
1985. When I look at th e modern scene with all its coaching. sponsorship
and hard courts I think of all I suffered in the early days. Then everything
had to be played on grass. and the weather didn't often permit: and there
was no such thing as a ti e-break. Deeply etched on my memory arc long
vigils at various venues, among them one occasion when. in the old
Fitzwilliam L TC, we were playing Newbridge in the final of the Senior
Cup. After about five hours of tennis, at a time when a batsman would
be appealin g again st the li ght , a marathon match of massive rallies was
still in progress. Declan Meagher was locked in a war of attrition against
a boy named H. Is mail to decide the whole issue. The ball sailed to new
heights as the pair lobbed away to each other. but in th e end. amid the
encircling gloom, Declan triumphed and we might well ha ve carried the
cup home by torchli ght. Another memory is a game played at Sutton L TC.
Wintry showers and consequent long delays had reduced me to a state
of acute hypothermi a: but then an elderl y brother (Leader of the opposition)
invited me to share hi s fla sk of hot coffee. This, I found , had been liberall y
19
batsman! But th e standard of cricket was high. and was to produce such
notable players as Da vid Ensor and Eddie Lewis . Here I should like to
pay a tribute to th e memory of Mr. Brendan Fox (Phoeni x CC) who gave
so generously of hi s time and energy in coaching our youn gsters .
The game made a vigorou s resurgence in recent years under the guidance
of Mr Jim Walsh. but alas! with hi s departure it has fad ed again - another
clear indication th at ga mes (a nd other things) ebb and llow with th e
presence or absence of so meone at the top to in spire and organi se.
Rugby is more professional now. Playe rs arc fitt er. coachin g more
expert and intense and our XV s have won a place among " th ose to be
feared .. in the cup competitions. But I remember the times when we were
content enough to occupy a more humble position. playing onl y the weaker
teams. knmving that a confrontation with any of th e big guns wou ld end
onl y in humiliation. But I like to think that the game was always enjoyable.
and am happy in th e rellcction that such an unprofessional attitude ("It's
onl y a game! .. ) produced a couple of outstanding internationals (Anthony
Ensor and Barry Brcsnihan) and a plethora of high-ranking club-players.
In stead of consigning it to a footnote. this might be a good place to
record the composition of th e very first rugby XV to represent Gonzaga
against another sc hool. The game was against the Belvedere Under-
Elevens: the date was March 10. 1951: th e referee was Fr. John Murphy:
it was played on the front field and it end ed in a home win by 15 points
(tive tries!) to nil. Jcrry Liston (Fu ll back): David Strahan. Garret Shanlcy.
John M ulhern. David Carton (backs): Leonard Little. John Dclancy
(halves): David Gallagher. Iorard Dclaney. Owen Brady. Ronnic
O'Loghlan. Geoffrey McEnroe, Paul Dempsey, Brcndan Walsh, Michacl
Fitzgibbon (forwards).
Modesty olnwsl forbids me to recall Gonzaga · s remarkable successes
in tennis. You'll find some account of this in T!Je Gon-;,ogo Record of
1985. When I look at th e modern scene with all its coaching. sponsorship
and hard courts I think of all I suffered in the early days. Then everything
had to be played on grass. and the weather didn't often permit: and there
was no such thing as a ti e-break. Deeply etched on my memory arc long
vigils at various venues, among them one occasion when. in the old
Fitzwilliam L TC, we were playing Newbridge in the final of the Senior
Cup. After about five hours of tennis, at a time when a batsman would
be appealin g again st the li ght , a marathon match of massive rallies was
still in progress. Declan Meagher was locked in a war of attrition against
a boy named H. Is mail to decide the whole issue. The ball sailed to new
heights as the pair lobbed away to each other. but in th e end. amid the
encircling gloom, Declan triumphed and we might well ha ve carried the
cup home by torchli ght. Another memory is a game played at Sutton L TC.
Wintry showers and consequent long delays had reduced me to a state
of acute hypothermi a: but then an elderl y brother (Leader of the opposition)
invited me to share hi s fla sk of hot coffee. This, I found , had been liberall y
19
