Powerful Offaly connections with heroic Irish U-20 rugby team

THERE were powerful Offaly connections on the Irish U-20 rugby team that had a fantastic win over Australia in the World Cup in South Africa on Thursday morning.

Ronan Foxe played nearly all of his underage rugby with Tullamore while John Devine is a son of Shannonbridge man and a former Offaly footballer, Mick Devine. Ronan Foxe now plays his club rugby with Old Belvedere and Leinster while John Devine is with Galway Corinthians and Connacht.

Rahugh man Ronan Foxe played at prop throughout the underage ranks with Tullamore up to U-18 before switching to Clontarf. Ronan Foxe's parents are from Rosemount and he went to National School there and secondary school in Kilbeggan. He started with the Moate based Midland Warriors before switching to Tullamore, where he played most of his youths rugby. His sister Hannah is played number 8 for the Tullamore Rugby Club ladies senior side this season.

Ballinasloe man John Devine is following in very proud rugby footsteps. Older brother Matthew was scrum half on the Irish U-20 team that won the Grand Slam last year. Like Matthew, John has progressed through the Connacht academy system and won a Connacht Schools Senior Cup medal with Garbally College as well as playing with Ballinasloe.

His father Mick was a very good rugby player, lining out on the wing for Connacht and Buccaneers in the 1990s, though he was more recognised in Offaly for his football exploits. A member of the Offaly panel that won the All-Ireland U-21 Football Championship in 1988, he was a teak tough, very solid defender and played 24 games at corner and centre half back for Offaly from 1990 to 1994.

He was a key part of the Shannonbridge squad that won a historic Senior Football Championship title in 1996, coming on as a sub in the final win over Tullamore – that was Shannonbridge's only senior championship win and he would have been an automatic on the team only for missing the semi-final after getting injured while playing rugby.

Mick's wife, Catherine is a sister of a former Galway footballer from the 1980s, Ballinasloe man, Barry Brennan.

John Devine is a first cousin of Tullamore dual players, Diarmuid and Cormac Egan – their mother Michelle is a sister of Mick Devine. Cormac was outstanding as Offaly won the All-Ireland U-20 Football Championship in 2021 while he also played well for the county U-20 hurlers this year as they went to the All-Ireland final, losing to Cork. Diarmuid was on the Offaly senior football panel earlier in the year and has the potential to play at that level again.

John Devine, above in action for Ireland against Australia.

Ireland had a great 30-10 win over Australia on Thursday morning with a late Diarmuid Mangan try giving them a bonus point. This puts them on eight points after a draw with England at the weekend and a semi-final place is now in touching distance.

Played on a substandard Paarl pitch in South Africa, Devine played the full game while Foxe came off in the 57th minute.

Ireland play Fiji in their final pool match on Tuesday, July 4 and are now odds on to qualify for a knockout place – Ireland will make the semi-final if they top the pool while they are in pole position to secure one of the best runners up spots, at least.

Ronan Foxe, above right, supporting his sister Hannah with family members at Tullamore Rugby Club