NEWCASTLE WEST’S Caolan Dooley turned in a man-of-the-match display as Terenure College toppled holders Clontarf in a thrilling All-Ireland League Final at the Aviva Stadium.
The 23-year-old centre kicked 30 points in the 50-24 win, a first ever title for Terenure, who also had former Shannon back row forward Luke Clohessy in their line-up. Clohessy was the South Dublin side’s star performer in this year’s league campaign.
Dooley’s match-winning performance was hailed in a tweet from Munster and Ireland Rugby legend Ronan O’Gara. He tweeted from La Rochelle: “What a player Caolan Dooley is. Rarely has a kicker in Lansdowne Road made it look that easy . . . beautiful technique.”
Afterwards, Dooley told the Irish Independent: “I am from Limerick, grew up with Ronan O’Gara as my idol.”
“Even to hear him say how he was so nervous before some kicks. Sometimes you’re forced to do it and it’s about sticking with the same process. If you line the ball up the same way, take the same number of steps in the same direction as you always do, the kick will look after itself.”
Terenure captain Harrison Brewer described Dooley as “an unbelievable kid, on and off the field.
“If you saw the nights he spends over in Lakelands, he deserves it more than anyone. He has really, really grown massively in this community. We’re going to party hard for a week now in Lakelands, I’m buzzing for it.”
On the schools’ front, Dooley won an historic Munster Senior Cup with Glenstal Abbey of Murroe in 2018 on a team captained by current Munster player and Scotland international Ben Healy.
