Munster Rugby hero Ian Dowling backing 'Cats' in All-Ireland final

KILKENNY native and former Munster rugby star, Ian Dowling, has spent the majority of his adult life living in Limerick, but has never lost the love for his home county, especially when it comes to hurling.

Dowling won two Heineken Cups with Munster in 2006 and 2008. For the 2006 European final, he had an O’Loughlin Gaels bag from his home club back in Kilkenny thrown over his shoulder as a lucky charm.

“You are nearly born with a hurley in your hand coming from Kilkenny,” Dowling remarked as he recalled his underage years of playing rugby in the winter and hurling in the summer.

Dowling grew up playing for O’Loughlin Gaels in the city sharing the pitch with players like Brian Dowling and Brian Hogan, both decorated hurling heroes .

“Growing up, hurling would have been the premier sport in Kilkenny and there would have been serious rivalry between ourselves and Tullaroan.

“I remember one underage game I kept Tommy Walsh scoreless which I thought was impressive at the time. But he was corner back and I was corner forward, so that will give you some insight into why hurling didn’t work out for me!”

While Dowling was still playing for O’Loughlin Gaels and under the captaincy of Andy Comerford, the club won their first ever County Senior Hurling championship back in 2001.

Dowling remembers the day fondly and kept the same gear bag and final routine going throughout his time at Munster Rugby.
This became the centre of the dressing room slagging as Ian appeared with his O’Loughlin Gaels gear bag at that 2006 European Cup final in Cardiff.

“That game back in 2001, (the Kilkenny county final), was my first ever final and I held onto the gear bag, it was part of my daily routine. I was told to never change my game day routine, just stick to what I knew.

"You don’t just change your routine even if it is a European Cup final in rugby. It was a serious abuse from the Munster lads, but I didn’t care.”

Dowling, who played his club rugby in Limerick with Shannon RFC, winning a prized All-Ireland League Division 1 title with the Parish side in 2005, has supported Kilkenny hurling throughout his rugby career and hopes that the Liam MacCarthy Cup will be returning to the ‘Marble City’ this Sunday evening after the All-Ireland final.

Ian Dowling now lives in Raheen where he runs his own physiotherapy clinic. Dowling added: “My four-year-old Josh is now coming home from childcare saying, ‘go on Limerick’ and I am trying to break that out of him at the moment.

“I’ve made sure my two lads are using Kilkenny hurls, but I’d say I will be shouting for them on my own this weekend!”