Alan McMahon (Waterford Vikings Coach and player) has been selected as part of the 24-man squad that will travel to the Rugby League World Cup in Australia at the end of October.
The Ireland squad is largely made up of Irish professional players playing in the UK and Alan is one of 2 Domestic Irish players still playing the amateur game in Ireland so it is a great achievement to be selected!
Alan discovered rugby league in 2016 when he started playing for the Galway Tribesmen. In 2016 the Tribesmen won the All Ireland Final and Alan was instrumental in them winning the league and the All Ireland final against the Ballynahinch Rabbitohs.
While playing for the Tribesmen Alan was selected to play on the Ireland Students Team that participated in the four nations competition in June 2016 in Scotland.
He was also selected for the Ireland Senior Squad to play in the World Cup qualifiers where he played in both games contributing to both victories.
In 2017, Alan restarted the Waterford Vikings Team in Waterford using Waterford City RFC and Dungarvan RFC to train and play their home games.
This is the only Rugby League team in the south east of Ireland. He formed the team in March drawing players from Waterford city, Dungarvan, Nenagh and Cashel.
Alan took on the role as player/coach and the team finished 3rd in the league in its first season.
In addition to playing for the Vikings in 2017, Alan was also selected to play on the Ireland squad in the Student World Cup and Captained the Republic of Ireland Eagles in the origins series against the Northern Ireland Elks which they won.
In the World Cup, Ireland will face Italy, Papua New Guinea and Wales in their qualifiers with the first match scheduled on October 29th.
Alan has been playing rugby since he was eight starting his career in rugby union with Dungarvan Rugby Club.
He still plays rugby union in the winter and is currently playing for Cashel RFC in the Ulster Bank All Ireland League.
Prior to making the Ireland Rugby League Squad Alan has played for several representative rugby union teams as well, playing with the Munster U18 Schools Team, Connacht U20 and was a member of the Ireland U18 Team that took part in the FIRA/AER European Championships in April 2014
The Squad travels to Australia on October 13th.
We wish Alan and the Ireland Team every success in the World Cup competition.
Alan will join Gavin Whelan on this evening's On the Ball on WLR which will broadcast from 6:10pm.
