Murray Kinsella reports from Stade Ernest Wallon WATCHING THE ENDGAME in Toulouse yesterday, it appeared that Connacht weren’t quite certain of exactly what they wanted to do. There were visits into the home side’s defensive territory in the closing 15 minutes, but it seemed as though Connacht were tangled up in indecision. Go all out…
Month: October 2022
Marauding McEniff helps Mary’s overcome resolute Newbridge
Newbridge College 7 St Mary’s College 24 AN ENERGY-SAPPING first-half defensive effort from Newbridge ultimately proved their undoing as a powerful St Mary’s pack, led by captain Niall McEniff forced their way into the Leinster Senior Cup second round. It took over 27 minutes for the breakthrough thanks to a resolute performance from the Kildare…
‘We arrived at the stadium 10 or 15 minutes late. We were late for most things in the first half’
Source: PA Wire/PA Images JOE SCHMIDT STRUGGLED to explain Ireland’s sloppy performance as their Six Nations challenge crumbled on the opening day. Two late Greig Laidlaw penalties snatched a 27-22 win for Scotland and ensured that Ireland had to be content to leave Murrayfield with a losing bonus point. Ireland conceded three tries in a…
New-born twins keeping Sean Cronin busy during frustrating injury layoff
LEINSTER HOOKER SEAN Cronin says he is ahead of schedule in his recovery from a hamstring tear and is hopeful of returning to action sooner than the initial 10-week prognosis. The 30-year-old’s rehabilitation programme is progressing encouragingly and Cronin expects to be back running next week with Leinster’s Champions Cup quarter-final on the first weekend in…
Ireland’s U20s will need to keep a close eye on the 17-year-old son of a France legend tonight
WHEN IRELAND PLAY France at any grade the pre-match focus generally revolves around the battle up front, but when the U20s line out in Donnybrook tonight [8pm, RTÉ2] there will be plenty of attention on the visiting fly-half. At just 17 years of age it’s quite an achievement to even be involved at this level,…
‘It will potentially be the trickiest test for myself and Garry’
HAVING NAVIGATED THE choppy seas against France at the weekend, Ireland are now looking towards their next Six Nations test against Wales in two weeks’ time. A win under the Cardiff lights would leave Ireland firmly in contention ahead of the final weekend and an Aviva Stadium date with England which has long been earmarked…
Wales happy that the side that lost to Scotland can beat Ireland
WALES HAVE NAMED an unchanged side to take on Ireland in the RBS Six Nations at the Principality Stadium on Friday night [kick off 8.05pm RTÉ Two]. That means that Justin Tipuric will win his 50th cap, lining up alongside Sam Warburton and Ross Moriarty in the back row. Alun Wyn Jones will captain the…
Analysis: The error that Joe Schmidt singled Paddy Jackson out for
WHILE JOE SCHMIDT tends not to criticise individual players in press conferences after games, Paddy Jackson didn’t come out of the post-Wales review very well. The Ulsterman only spent around 13 minutes on the pitch, replacing Johnny Sexton during the starting out-half’s HIA and then permanently in the 79th minute. Schmidt mentioned Jackson’s error twice….
‘Thanks for watching’ – RTÉ signs off with nostalgic montage as it loses Six Nations rights
THE 2017 SIX Nations drew to a close yesterday — signalling the end of RTÉ’s coverage for the next four years at least. Ireland’s national broadcaster has a long-standing association with the tournament, but TV3 has won the rights to show it between 2018 and 2021. To mark the occasion, RTÉ went to the archives vault to…
Ultan Dillane unlikely to be fit in time for Ireland’s summer tour
CONNACHT COACH PAT Lam believes Ireland international Ultan Dillane will miss the summer tour to the USA and Japan after shoulder surgery forced him to cut his season short. The 23-year-old ten-time capped lock has suffered a stop-start season with province and country, and has only featured on 12 occasions for Connacht. Dillane was set to…