Ballymena stand off half Derek McAleese also got his only cap in Paris in 1992.
If you were partying with those boys you definitely know how to party anyway kev 
Watching the vidiprinter on Grandstand on BBC 1 to get the football full times and then it’d cut off to BBC NI just after 5pm where Jim Neilly or someone would have reports from the rugby football games involving all these Ulster chaps and you’d see Vinny Arkins knocking in a goal or two for Portadown also.
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Philip Rainey was another who stole a cap in those years. Also Richard Costello.
No fear that Ray Ryan or Ger Earls would get one.
Peter had to wait after cross-border incidents with visiting orangemen
There was a time …
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At least Derek got the cap. Poor old Emmet O’Rafferty was selected to win his first cap in Paris in 1978, cried off injured the morning of the game and never got capped subsequently.
You forgot the gauloises
Ciaran Clarke another full back thrown to the lions on debut in Paris
Kevin nowlan full back again made debut v all blacks I’m nearly certain
They definitely didn’t get to 10 caps between them after
Players being listed according to the initials of their christian and middle names. Proper rugby boots running up over the players’ ankles. Brown balls. Cockerels thrown onto the pitch during a game. Bye weekends. Deferred showings of the other Five Nations game of the day later on on Sports Stadium as the games kicked-off at the same time. Mick Doyle’s wonderfully bilious Sindo column the next day. Rugby Special. Rugby After Dark.
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Thought Clarke made his debut against Wales in 1993. He played in that and against England and won both anyway but I don’t remember him featuring again.
Maurice Field was another new cap thrown in out of left field against England in 1994 but he fought the English fire successfully (he was a fireman).
And of course David Tweed against France in 1995.
John McWeeney got fucked in against the All Blacks as well iirc. Denis Hickie may have been the other winger that day. A Mary’s 1-2. Poor ol John lived out the rest o his days in the AIL and a few runs with Leinster
Philip Rainey got just the one cap against New Zealand in 1989. Nick Popplewell won his first cap in that game as well.
Richard Costello got his one and only cap against Scotland in 1993. I’d say that was about the most bizarre Ireland team ever selected. Convicted white collar criminal, Colin Wilkinson of Malone and Ulster got his lone cap at full back in that game as well. Niall Malone got his first cap at out half, think he might have got another cap after that and Paddy Lawlor from Bective got what was possibly his second and last cap.
Ciaran Clarke got his first cap against France at Lansdowne Road in 1993. The Claw got his first cap in that game as well, a week on from Young Munster beating St Mary’s at the same venue to win the AIL.
Five St Mary’s players started against New Zealand in that 1997 test, four of them earning their first cap - Kevin Nowlan at full back, John McWeeney on the wing, Conor McGuinness at scrum half and Big Mal in the second row.
Garryowen stole a very small number of caps for a hell of a lot of players in that 10 years. Pat Whelan & Yorkie.
Nicky Barry, Steve mcivor, Richard Costello, killian Keane, Paul hogan, Jeremy Staunton, Ben Cronin, willie sexton might not have 20 caps between the 8 of them.
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Willie Sexton got 1 v Oz in 1984 . We game them the hardest game in their grand slam tour that year .
A few blasts from the past there…
The Saturday afternoon drinking session to and from Thomond was a great starter for the night. Failed to pass riddlers a couple of times on the walk back in.
Tom Tierney and Dominic Crotty as well.
Tierney played in a world cup at least. I reckon there should be some more than we have mentioned but can’t recall another name.
The Wallace and Wood partly redeemed the bias.
There was an army man Neville Furlong who got capped on the wing in New Zealand in 1992. He might have been with UCG at time but he was Garryowen gene pool and played for them subsequently.
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