My Day as Mascot – Cian Finucane

Cian Finucane was the lucky Junior Club Member picked from the hat to be Mascot for Munster’s 38-0 defeat over Leicester Tigers on Saturday – he tells us about his day here….

"I was so excited when my mum told me on Wednesday and couldn’t believe my luck that I was going to be the Junior Club Mascot!! All my friends came up to me in school and wished me the best of luck and when I went into school on Thursday morning they were all shouting "Munster Munster"! My Charleville rugby trainer told all my team mates at training on Thursday night to watch me on the telly on Saturday.

When we arrived at the stadium, I was given the new Champions Cup Munster Rugby kit to put on and keep forever and then I was brought down to the tunnel area. My Dad took loads of photographs! The dressing rooms were huge and I got my picture taken next to all the jerseys, I was wondering who had their number turned in & it was Keith Earls, for good luck!

I was worried when the Munster players came back from their warm up, they were sweating and panting and the Leicester players looked huge! Before the match kicked off the noise was so loud during the song Stand Up and Fight, I thought my ears would pop! My Uncle Pat had told me to look at the furthest point as I walked out of the tunnel and that the noise would be fine, and he was right, it worked.

Peter O’Mahony held my hand, his hands were huge! He was staring straight ahead and didn’t talk, my Dad said it was because he was focused on the big game. When we walked down the tunnel I really wanted to run onto the pitch, hopefully I will get to do it in the future, as a player…When we were on the pitch, I got my picture taken with Peter. It was so brilliant being on the field!

We then went to our seats and watched the match, the match and the atmosphere was great and better still Munster won! After the game, I was allowed go down to the tunnel and meet the team. All the players were so nice, they asked me my name and shook my hand and told me I was the lucky mascot & could I come back again!! I got my jersey signed and got loads of photographs, Conor Murray was delighted when I said he was my favourite player and not Simon Zebo!

My day as Mascot was way better than going to see Santa, it's a day I will never forget and I would love to do it all again tomorrow! I slept in my signed Munster jersey on Saturday night and won’t let my Mum wash it!!"

For your chance to be a Junior Club match day mascot like Cian keep an eye out for upcoming competitions in our regular Junior Club mails, kindly sponsored by Inver Service Stations.