Knock On

Connacht 12
Munster 6

By Rob Murphy

Wow, it still hasn’t sunk in, maybe it won’t for days and weeks to come but just for the record, lets repeat it for posterity. On a cold and strangely dry Sunday night at the end of 2008, Connacht downed Heineken Cup Champions Munster with the kind of bone crunching, back breaking effort on which the very foundation of rugby in this province has been built.

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Very few of the 5,000 crowd at the Sportsground on the night would have been in Thomond Park in 1986 when Connacht upset the apple cart or at the Sportsground in 1979 the last time they did the needful on home soil. The wait has been painful at times, nine agonising defeats and one draw in the Magners League with golden opportunities to win seven of those encounters.

Afterwards Connacht’s heroic captain John Muldoon – returning from an eight week lay-off from injury – stood even taller than usual in the dressing room. He talks from the heart and provides fans with genuine insight into the Connacht dressing room. He was proud, relieved and determined in the aftermath.

“We talked about it at the start, as Eric and Brads said, why can’t it be our day. We are sick of this bridesmaid tag and I think we stood up and were counted today. Coming off a shocking display against Ulster two weeks ago, we owed something to ourselves and to the crowd and hopefully we’ve shook off that defeat now.”

Ian Keatley’s four penalties proved the difference. The 21 year old out half has proven to be a gem of purchase for the Connacht management this season. He is composed under pressure and provides the Connacht pack with just rewards for their efforts which in the past have gone unchecked on the scoreboard.

This was different to the Leinster victory in so many ways, less barnstorming and instead more technical, tactical and tenacious, There were no tries to recreate for years to come and to be honest going forward Connacht have had better days this year but will they ever put together a more focused, composed and error free effort in defence?

Connacht’s complete dominance at scrum time was a joy to behold and was backed up by a near perfect lineout. As a result they led at half time having overturned Paul Warwick’s early penalty to lead 6-3. Keatley’s first kick was a beauty from long range his second was more straight forward just before the break after Niall Ronan had been sin binned.

The Connacht front five were exceptional. Brett Wilkinson has to be among to best up and coming props in Europe at this stage. He took Tony Buckley to task and came out well on top. Robbie Morris had an outstanding display at tight head in a riveting battle with Frederico Pucciariello.

Then there was young Sean Cronin, a shinning light this season and hopefully Connacht’s next Ireland representative. At this rate he should surely get a look in for the Six Nations panel. His move west last summer is looking very shrewd as is the decision of Keatley to join up with Connacht and take some guidance Eric Elwood and co.

Munster were level and still looking dangerous when the game swung very much towards Connacht midway through the second half. Dougie Howlett took out Duffy in the air. A careless and dangerous tackle worthy of the yellow card it received.

Connacht scored twice in that period, the second penalty was the clincher and was the games most memorable moment. Frank Murphy blocked Peter Stringer’s pass from the base of a scrum deep in Connacht territory with his foot. John Muldoon hacked ahead deep into Munster’s half and a stampeding chase from Connacht was led by Ray Ofisa, whose tackle and quick thinking won the penalty.

Que an incredible Sportsground roar not heard since Mike McCarthy’s try against Leinster last October. The last few minutes were frantic with Dougie Howlett’s break almost yielding a try for Keith Earls only for Murphy and Duffy to get back and save the day.

Connacht got to the finish line, Munster had played one too many get out a jail free cards in this bi-annual tussle and the Gods of rugby decided it was time to give the good folk of Connacht a bit of a break. Boy did they earn every last drop of that luck.

Not for the first time this season, Connacht can bask in the glory of a tremendous result this week but there have been some low points in between making this entire campaign a little surreal at times. That reality hasn’t been lost on the squad as Muldoon highlight afterwards.

“We have to make this a stepping stone there is no point sitting back going up to Leinster and letting them throw a load of points on us. We need to build on this and find the consistency away from home to match our home form.”

From Liam Bibo’s heroic tackling to Troy Nathan’s kicking from the energy and explosiveness of Keith Matthews to the bone crunching hits of Niva Ta’auso. Everything clicked defencively in the backline marshalled by Gavin Duffy.

Murphy and Man of the Match Keatley got the better of their much vaunted opponents overall although why on earth Paul Warwick was called ashore is beyond explanation.

In the pack Connacht were the dominant force and Muldoon himself laid down a clear marker in his battle with Alan Quinlan. Is there a blindside in the country in better form than the Portumna man this season and while we’re at it, has Colm Rigney had a better eighty minutes in a Connacht jersey in his long career?

The schedule is unrelenting for the next four weeks with two league and two European games to come before the Six Nations break. So much work to do but with another monkey off their back, The Connacht squad have earned themselves a little bit of room to breath and develop.

Connacht: G Duffy; T Nathan, N Ta’auso, K Matthews, L Bibo; I Keatley, F Murphy; B Wilkinson, S Cronin, R Morris; M McCarthy, A Farley; J Muldoon, R Ofisa, C Rigney.

Replacements: A Flavin for Cronin, 60 mins; A Browne for Ofisa, 73 mins; R Loughney for Wilkinson, 77 mins;

Munster: K Earls; D Howlett, B Murphy, L Mafi, I Dowling; P Warwick, P Stringer; F Pucciariello, F Sheahan, T Buckley; M O’Driscoll, D Ryan; A Quinlan, N Ronan, D Wallace.

Replacements: M Essex for Sheahan, 33mins; T Ryan for Buckley, 51 mins; D Hurley for Murphy, 59 mins; N Williams forQuinlan, 59 mins; J Manning for Warwick, 68 mins; J Coughlan for Ronan, 72mins; M Prendergast for Stringer, 77 mins.

Referee: A Rolland (IRFU).