This match is a fundraiser in aid of Surgeon Noonan, a charity set up in 1977 in memory of the Tipperary born general surgeon who volunteered extensively and donated generously to underfunded hospitals in sub Saharan Africa. His philanthropic efforts are carried on today by 4th year medical students who raise up to €200,000 a year of which 100% goes to the hospitals sometimes making up over 50% of their annual budgets.

Players are selected from UCC medical and dental students as well as Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors (junior doctors) in CUH in a similar fashion to teams in the Dublin hospitals cup. The team is coached by consultants from CUH.

Medicine and rugby have a strong tradition in UCC with the club being set up by medical students and to whom it and indeed UCC sport owe their Skull and Crossbones crest.

UCC Medical students played regularly against teams in the Dublin hospitals cup (the oldest annual rugby competition in the world) the last match between the sides was probably held over 80 years ago (open to correction on that one).

Some notable alumni would’ve lined out for the team such as Dr Aidan McCarthy a Corkonian, UCC medical graduate, rugby player, WW2 veteran and Atomic Bomb survivor.

Today many students carry on this association such as Paddy Gaffney, Daniel Collins, Gearóid Morgan-O’ Brien, James McCarthy and Joe McNamara to name a few.