LIMERICK’S recent hosting of the 20225 Atlantic Touch Rugby Cup has been hailed a huge success.
It was staged across the August Bank Holiday Weekend and involved 45 youth teams from 12 countries.
Around 3,000 visitors came to University of Limerick (UL) to watch the action.
England won a number of categories but hosts Ireland took the gold in the Mixed 18s competition, silver in the Mixed 20s, and bronze in the Boys 15s sections.
There was plenty of positive feedback from both players and spectators with players in particular complimenting the excellent condition of the six pitches used at the UL campus.
The travelling spectators from abroad thoroughly enjoyed the experience commenting on the warmth of the welcome and the ease with which they were able to get around the venue.
There were also many local people using the area for jogging or pucking about who stumbled on the tournament by accident and were captivated by the action and stayed to watch it unfold
Hosting the Atlantic Cup in Limerick was the brainchild of Ireland Touch Association (ITA) chairperson and tournament director Michelle Mulcahy, a native of Askeaton.
She had particular praise for tournament partners Fáilte Ireland and Limerick City and County Council, saying: “We couldn’t have wished for the Atlantic Cup to go better, from standard of touch across all categories, good weather and a great atmosphere, the cherry on top was the achievement of our Irish teams. The future of touch is bright,” she said, adding her hopes for a potential Olympic entry in 2032.
Anyone who wishes to learn more about touch rugby can make contact through Munster Touch Rugby on Facebook or Instagram.
