Highfield R.F.C.

Highfield

Full name	Highfield Rugby Football Club
Union	IRFU
Nickname(s)	"The Field"
Founded	1930
Region	Munster
Ground(s)	Woodleigh Park, Cork (Capacity: ~4000)
Chairman	Cormac Mahony
President	Eugene Carley
Coach(es)	Tim Ryan , Head Coach John O'Sullivan, Backs Coach
Captain(s)	John O'Callaghan
League(s)	Ulster Bank All-Ireland League, 2A
2015–16	1st[1]
Team kit
Official website
highfieldrfc.ie

Highfield Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in Cork, Ireland, playing in Division 2A of the All-Ireland League. The club was founded in 1930 and was elevated to senior status in the province of Munster in 1953. Before moving to its present grounds, at Woodleigh Park, it was based in fields off Magazine Road, between Highfield Avenue and Highfield West. Hence the name...Although the current ground is also located near a park called Highfield Lawn. They are currently playing in Division 2A of the All-Ireland League after two successive promotions. Highfield's Youth Section has an enviable record of success over the last 34 or so years.

Irish Rugby union International, Donncha O'Callaghan, is a product of the famed Highfield Youth system. Terry (T.A.P.) Moore and Paul (Paco) Collins are Irish Rugby Union Internationals who played for Ireland and Highfield at the same time. Highfield is also well known for its amazing youth section producing teams from U6's to Seniors.

The club has a prominent women's team who participate in Division 1 of the All Ireland League (AIL), featuring two Irish International players, Laura Guest and Heather O'Brien^[2] who were part of the 2013 Six Nations Grand Slam winning team. The Women's team are the current holders of both the Munster Cup^[3] and National Women's Cup.^[4] The Munster Cup competition was retired in 2013 meaning that the club retain the cup.

In January 2011, Highfield RFC unveiled its new flood-lit,^[5] All-Weather facility; comprising 3 'state-of-the-art' astro-turf pitches. These pitches are available to all Highfield teams for training and will ensure un-interrupted training programmes during the winter months.

The pitches are also used for 5 a-side soccer, tag rugby and other sports and activities.

Honours

Senior Team

• Munster Senior League - 1990
• Munster Senior Cup (2) - 1966 and 1968

Junior Team

• All-Ireland Under-18 champions - 2009^[6]
• Munster Junior League Champions - 2002
• Munster Junior Cup (4) - 1937, 1942, 1945 and 1972

Women's Team

• Munster Cup (2) - 2005, 2013^[7]
• National Women's Cup - 2013^[8]

Highfield Landing Site

In 2013, it was announced that Highfield RFC would be used as a site for the Cork University Hospital Helipad.^[9] The Executive Management Board of CUH has identified the need for a helipad as a priority for the Hospital.

The facility in Highfield Rugby Club is being consolidated. This will accommodate both the Irish Coastguard Sikorsky S61 and S92 helicopters, and the Irish Air Corps AgustaWestland 139 (AW139) and Eurocopter 135 (EC135) helicopters.

The Highfield RFC helicopter landing site (HLS), will have a 24-hour operational capability both to receive critically ill/injured patients to CUH, and if necessary, transfer patients for specialist care in other centres (including urgent specialist neonatal/paediatric care and complex spinal injuries), said the HSE.

References