Ballina Rugby Club appoint new director of rugby and head coach

BALLINA Rugby Football Club have announced the appointment of JP Walsh as director of rugby and first team coach, writes Michael Gallagher.

JP is a young, exciting and dynamic coach and comes to the club after a very successful stint with Connacht Rugby where he has worked with coaches and players at all levels of the game.

The Westport native is a former player at Heffernan Park, and also enjoyed a hugely successful playing and coaching career with his native club before taking up a provincial role.

Ballina’s Club chairman Alan Rowe is delighted to have secured one the most exciting coaches in the game.

He said: “JP is well known here in Heffernan Park. He played with us in the past and of course he arrived many times in the colours of Westport.

“In recent years he has made a massive impact with various aspects of the organisation at provincial level, particularly with the underage Connacht teams who have achieved great things.

“We have big plans for the future and see JP as the ideal man to follow in the footsteps of our departing head coach David Newman and director of rugby Daragh Quinn.

“The future is very bright here in Heffernan Park and JP Walsh will be a very welcome addition to the rugby family.”