Wicklow RFC appoint backroom staff
WICKLOW RFC and new Head Coach Barry Lynn have appointed Michael Carroll and David Kirk as assistant coaches for the forthcoming season.
Michael, from Kilmacanogue, started his rugby career in school with Blackrock College. He captained the Senior Cup Team as well as the Leinster Schools team and was also a member of the Irish Schools team that were unbeaten on tour in Australia in his final year.
Both Barry Lynn and Michael were members of the Leinster Academy for three years where in that time they represented Leinster at U-21 level and Ireland in the U-21 World Cup in South Africa.
Michael joined Connacht on a professional contract in June 2003 and was with the province for three seasons playing in both the Celtic League and European Challenge Cup.
He joined Paris based club Racing Metro 92 in 2005 and was top try scorer for the club in his first two seasons. Michael, who plays either in the second row or back row, captained the club in his second season in 2006.
Having spent three seasons with Racing Metro 92, he joined Massy RFC in Paris for the 2008/2009 season before returning home to Ireland last season where he currently plays Number 8 for Blackrock College in AIL Division 1A.
David Kirk joins Wicklow RFC after spending the 2009/2010 season as head coach of Greystones RFC J1 team and also assistant coach with the first XV. During his time with Greystones, he coached at many different underage levels as well as being manager of the first XV in 2002.
David, originally from Edinburgh, began his playing career with Gala RFC and went on to become player coach with Holy Cross RFC from 1990 to 1993.
As an outhalf, David played representative rugby with Edinburgh District Union XV from 1995 to1997.
David, who has also been appointed as assistant coach with St. Andrew's College Senior Cup Team for the coming season, will bring great experience and is an important addition to the management and coaching team of Wicklow RFC.
Wicklow RFC are excited about the potential for the coming season and believe they have the right management and coaching set up in place. Barry Hurley as Captain, Director of Rugby Mick Higgins, Head Coach Barry Lynn along with Michael and David, Ciaran Billington and Mathew Byrne form a new coaching and management team for the senior squad and will be looking forward to meeting the players again for preseason training which begins on Tuesday July 6 at 7.15 p.m. Wicklow will be competing in the South-East League competition which begins at the end of August before playing their first game of the season in Leinster league Division 1B on Saturday September 18. Anyone who is interested in getting involved can contact Ciaran Billington on (086) 6029276 or Barry Lynn on (087) 9141479.
Subject to planning approval, Wicklow RFC hope to commence construction of a gym in the next few weeks. The gym will be a wonderful addition to the club facilities at Ashtown Lane and will be of great benefit to the club members.
