TUAM/OUGHTERARD GIRLS RUGBY

Founded in 2015 by Owen Lydon & Norman Tierney.

TUAM/OUGHTERAD: THE STORY SO FAR

In 2015, a girls rugby blitz was taking place at Garraun Park. Owen Lydon, better known to us all at Tuam RFC as 'Dygo' brought an under 13s team from Tuam, while his former teammate and good friend, Norman Tierney, brought a girls team from Oughterad to the same blitz.

Neither team had enough numbers to field a team so both managers got chatting and decided to join the two teams together and enter a team. The team was called Tuam/Oughterard girls rugby. No one knew it then, but it would be the start of an incredible journey. 

Logistically one would think this partnership would be impossible to work. But it did. And how!

On that day of the blitz, they had only 13 players between them. Yet the team began to steadily grow in numbers and after starting out with just an under 13 team, the club now boasts 4 teams. An under 14, 16, 18 and in the 22/23 season, for the first time ever, they entered a senior ladies team into the Connacht Ladies league. 

Their under 16s, 18s and the senior team, all won their respective leagues. A remarkable achievement and great credit must go to both Dygo and Norman.

The two men were teammates for Tuam in the 1990s and early 2000s and won Ard na Cregg and league two trophies together.  Dygo captain Tuam in the 98/99 season and again in 2003/04 while Norman captained Tuam in 2004/05.

Winning the senior league in their first year was a magnificent feat as 4 tries by Norman's daughter, Karly, helped them defeat Westport 34-14 in the league final in the Sportsgrounds in Galway. That was their ticket into this year's All Ireland Junior Cup competition and once again they have grasped their new opportunity with both hands.

A trip down south where they faced Skibereen in the quarter-final was met with a resounding 47-5 victory. That result meant history was made as it was the first time ever a Connacht club had advanced to the semi-final stage of the competition. They will face more Munster opposition, with UL Bohemians standing in their way of making the final which takes place early in the new year.

Dygo, who himself has daughters playing the sport with Nia, Ceoladh and Áebha all coached by their dad and all winning silverware. Nia and Aebha were part of the Tuam/Oughterard team which won the Invitational trophy last month.

HONOURS:

LADIES TEAM; Connacht League 22/23. Invitational shield 22/23. Invitational Cup 23/24.

UNDER 18s; League Champions 22/23.

UNDER 16s; League Champions 22/23.