THIS has been a great season for Clonakilty Rugby Club so far.

Having come 13th in the Munster Junior League Division 1 last year, Maurice Downey’s team have won three of their first four games, beating Thurles in their most recent encounter last weekend.

Wins over Old Christians (29-21), Kanturk (31-18) and Newcastle West (39-17) have propelled them to third in the table and while their loss to Mallow (26-19) was a blot mark, this has been an encouraging start.

‘Couldn’t ask for better really. We kind of left it behind us in Mallow, we didn’t get off the races fast enough there and we were chasing it the whole time. All in all, it’s been a great start,’ their captain David Jennings told The Southern Star.

‘With last year, we were very close but just that small bit off. We put an awful lot of work in pre-season to try to rectify a lot of the problems we were leaving for ourselves last year. The work the lads put in over the summer was incredible. It was a kick in the backside last year and we said never again. We started to build.’

When discussing aspirations, the players were very clear about their hopes. A top four finish means All-Ireland Cup qualification and Clon are eager to cement that spot.

‘We started the year with a chat about what we wanted to get from the season and 90 per cent of the lads said that top four was a possibility. That’s been our main goal – to be fighting for the top four towards the end of the season. To start as well as we have for the first block of games, for the second block it’s on target for where we want to be. We’re going to hold ourselves accountable to it every week and keep the numbers ticking over.

‘There was a massive retention of players, to be honest. Most of the players we had last season are the same players for this season. The only new thing we have is a new coaching ticket, and they have brought in a new system that we are looking at using. It’s different to what we have done before so everyone is starting on the same level and we’re working as a team together,’ Jennings explained.

That coaching team includes Downey as head coach, Michael Peter O’Regan (forwards coach) and Paul Dillon (backs coach).

The new system includes their emphasis on playing fast rugby. So far, that has materialised. They have scored at least three tries in every

game up to now.

‘We’re trying to play a fast tempo game and that comes from a bit of unstructured rugby, and if we keep on top of a team, it’s hard for them to react quick enough. If we get a bit of loose ball, we just flood channels and that’s how we score breakaway tries,’ Jennings said.

As for the captain, he was part of the Munster junior set-up for the interpro series in recent seasons. Jennings came through the club’s underage structures and having spent a few seasons away with Dolphin RFC in Cork city, he returned to the club and is in his third year back. He is now in his first year as captain.

‘You’ve got the weight of the team and the club resting on your shoulders a bit but I’m happy to take on the role because I have reasonable experience in rugby with 20 plus years of playing it. Taking on the role of captain has really spurred me to keep fit and keep going at it,’ he added.

‘With the Munster junior set-up, it’s always nice to represent your province, no matter what level it is. It’s an honour really, and it’s great satisfaction to represent our club the way I do with the Munster juniors.

The coaching you get there is fantastic as well as at club level, but there are a couple of insights that you might pick up from the slightly higher level of rugby with the Munster juniors.’

The Brewery Town have started well but the key is to continue the good performances.

‘We just have to take it week by week and block by block. We have to keep driving on the numbers, stay in the fight every week, don’t let a team get away from us, and I have no doubt, come the end of the season, our ambition from the start of the season will hopefully be there,’ Jennings concluded.