As the summer comes to a close and classes ramp up, excitement awaits as teams kick off and get their seasons rolling. While the rest of us have settled into our classes and counted down the days to Pav Fridays, athletes have been preparing for the new season. Trinity boasts it all, from rugby to football, and more, and as the years go on, teams change and grow, ultimately bringing us all together standing by the fields and cheering our school on.
Describing his team as tight-knit, supportive, and dedicated, rugby captain and fifth-year master’s student Hugo Lynch hopes to recreate the camaraderie that has characterised the team in the past. Considering that they’ve got quite a new team this year, rugby is starting fresh with their team connections and dynamics, both on and off the field. “I think that it’s really important for a successful culture, especially with the younger lads coming in, to show them that it’s not just rugby; it’s everything outside of rugby as well.” As captain, Lynch also notes that taking leadership and putting himself on the line every week for his team is the most important thing he can do, “and, you know, just giving lads pointers or tips where I can and trying to lead by example.”
Lynch also hopes to see Trinity get promoted back to the 1A. “That’s a massive goal of ours. That, and to win colours, where we play UCD, in a traditional colours game,” Lynch said. Rounding off with a promising start to the season, where the first XV closed their first game with a draw, and championing their second game with an impressive 46–22 win against Garryowen, Trinity Rubgy boasted that they are a force to be reckoned with.
Looking at the classic athletic rivalry between the Lions and the Swans, beating UCD in Colours goes beyond just the realm of rugby, being a prominent goal for any and every sports club that partakes in this tradition. Last February, both Men’s and Women’s Hockey won their first XI matches — the flagships — only to lose overall by falling short in lower-tier matches. However, looking at last year’s round up, with the 1st team winning the Division 1A Shield and the 2nd team being division 4 champions and getting promoted to division 3, the hockey team is a feat to beat. Although the team saw a shaky start to the season, with the 1s losing their first two matches, the 2s brought home a win of 3–2 against Suttonians, setting them into motion to bring home a 4–1 victory over Naas HC. Following this tempo, the 1s beat Glenanne 2–1, totalling 9 points so far this season.
From a tough opener that tied Ballyoulster, men’s soccer has paved their winning streak by housing every game since. After bouncing back in the second half of their match against Collinstown, winning 3–2, the team set their precedent. Having to balance a large number of games — and multiple per week, at that — the team so far has shown consistency and hopes to maintain this for the rest of their season. Fourth-year goalkeeper Tom McDonagh notes the team’s exceptional performance thus far: “this year our team has shown a great desire to score goals, scoring 8 against Dunboyne [8–2] in our recent match and 6 against Baldoyle [6–2] earlier in the year.”
Looking at last year’s record, where the team made the Collingwood Cup finals for the first time since 2015, the team has shown their perseverance. With UCD taking the Colours win last year, both tournaments stand as something to vouch for, but right now the team is “most focused on competing in both our national college competitions this year, as well as our local senior league,” Mc Donagh said. In the short run, the team are most looking forward to their college match against Sligo on October 21st.
Beyond just pitches and matches, the annual Clash of the Clubs is already underway. Set to happen on November 30th, members of non-combat sports teams take a full 180 and prepare for a night of boxing, music, and fun. Amidst the ski club’s preparation for their trip to La Plagne and the Sailing and Hockey clubs focusing on their seasons, these three units band together in what will be a night to remember. With all the teams well underway, get decked out in blue, because no matter the sport, Trinity, we’re rooting for you!
