Promising second-row Murray only attended his first training session at age 16

BY JOHN FALLON

Connacht’s promising second row Niall Murray could well be used by those battling to keep the Six Nations on free-to-air television as the 20-years-old only took to rugby when he started throwing a ball around with his brothers during half-time in a match.

Murray, from Brideswell in south Roscommon, was 16 when he attended his first training session, but with a frame heading 6’7” and over 16 stone, he revelled from the outset and just four years later helped Ireland win the U-20 Six Nations grand slam.

It was some rise for a versatile young fella whose talent pointed him in the direction of Roscommon Gaelic footballers, Athlone Town FC and even the possibility of a professional career in Aussie Rules after he was approached by Tadhg Kennelly and impressed in trials.

But he fell in love with rugby after his mum took him into Buccaneers RFC one Saturday morning and he never looked back after that first day in Dubarry Park.

“I was just watching the Six Nations as a young fella, myself and my two brothers went out at half-time and we started throwing around the rugby ball and then one day when I was about 16 my mother brought me in to Buccaneers one Saturday and I gave it a go. To be honest, I haven’t looked back since.”

By then he was on the radar of the Roscommon Gaelic footballers. He went to St Aloysius College in Athlone where GAA dominated and there was no rugby. He enjoyed success with the progressive St Brigid’s GAA club in Kiltoom where Roscommon senior Senan Kilbride was among his managers and success there led to the county minors, following in the footsteps of current Connacht out-half Jack Carty.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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