Dolphin mourn Noel Elliot, former club captain and Munster player
The late Noel Elliot was a regular at Musgrave Park. Picture: Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile
DOLPHIN RFC is today mourning the passing of former club captain and president Noel Elliott, who also represented Munster.
An outstanding back-row forward, Elliott first came to prominence, when helping PBC defeat the old Crescent College in the final of the Munster Schools Senior Cup in 1965.
From there he hooked up with Dolphin and twice became club captain, first in the 1972-73 season and then again in the 1975-76 campaign.
After hanging up his boots Elliott was honoured with the club presidency for the 1992-93 season at a time, when the All-Ireland League was just starting.
It was the Musgrave Park club’s first title in 17 years and prevented their great rivals from Temple Hill from completing 10-a-row.
The final had been delayed from earlier in the season and was played a week after the clubs clashed in the final of the Munster Senior Cup, which Con won. Dolphin had also captured the Charity Cup the same season.
Elliott again skippered Dolphin to the Charity Cup during his second term as captain in ’75-76 and the Cork club also reached the Munster Senior Cup decider the same year, but injury ruled him out of the game against UCC, who emerged triumphant.
His standing in the game was reflected in selection in a Munster back-row of Limerick greats, Shay Deering from Garryowen and Brendan Foley from Shannon, for the game against the touring Australians in January 1976.
It was a talented Munster side, featuring Moss Keane, Elliott’s Dolphin colleague Phil O’Callaghan at tight-head prop and debutant Tony Ward at out-half.
And they forced John Hipwell’s Wallabies all the way before losing narrowly 15-13 in a thrilling game at Musgrave Park. Elliott was also an Irish trialist.
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