ENJOYING THE VIEW Westport players line up to watch the West Offaly Lions scrum-half in action during last weekend’s Ard na Cregg Cup semi-final in Carrowholly. Pic: Conor McKeown
Good things come to those who wait
Gavin DuffyAT last, I can finally report some good news! Having endured some tough times on the road this year with Connacht we finally overcame our travel sickness to record our first victory away from home in this season’s Magners League ten days ago.
Too little too late you may be thinking. And, that’s fair enough, but our 13-11 defeat of the Gwent Dragons in Newport means our goal of achieving Heineken Cup qualification for next season is still a possibility.
When the final whistle blew six and a half minutes into injury-time we raised our arms and punched the air. Ok, we hadn’t achieved anything to shake the rugby world but it just felt good to have won and in terms of our ambition to play in the Heineken Cup next year we had given ourselves a lifeline.
We hadn’t got off to the best of starts in what was our final away fixture of the season as we conceded a penalty and a soft try by Michael Owen to find ourselves 8-0 down after 20 minutes. Undaunted, and enjoying the fact that we were playing in dry conditions for the first time since last October, we began to throw the ball around a bit and put the home side under pressure.
Two penalty kicks by Troy Nathan reduced the deficit to two before Ceri Sweeney replied at the stroke of half-time to leave it 11-6 at the break.
The home side took control for large parts of the second half but we defended superbly at times and just about hung in there on other occasions before finally establishing a field position to launch a serious assault on their line as we approached injury time.
Number eight Colm Rigney carried the ball strongly into the heart of the Dragons defence and from the resulting ruck five metres out, Johnny O’Connor surprised everyone (including himself) when he found a gap around the fringe to scamper over.
Andy Dunne kicked the conversion to give us the lead and with the stadium clock ticking past the 81st minute we felt there couldn’t be too much left to play.
‘Five and a half minutes’ the referee announced as the teams waited for a ball to restart the game. ‘Five and a half minutes? Where the hell did he get that from, I thought to myself!’
The next 330 seconds were a joy to watch though as the forwards picked and drove ruck after ruck rumbling sixty metres upfield, frustrating not only the home team but their supporters in the process.
I found myself acting scrum-half at one of those rucks in the middle of the field and knowing time was up just needed to boot the ball to touch.
‘Right, where is the nearest touchline? Ok. Nothing fancy. Don’t get blocked down. Don’t slice it. Just make sure. Aim over the roof of the stand’.
Boos rang out around the ground as the referee blew his whistle for the final time. The home supporters weren’t too happy seeing their team lose to Connacht at Rodney Parade for the first time since 2001.
IT’S EASIER TO SING WHEN WE’RE WINNING
THE Gwent supporters may not have been singing after the final whistle but in honour of tradition following a victory, the Fields of Athenry (it is a Connacht song after all) was belted out in the away dressing.
The mood in the camp was buoyant and so the singing didn’t stop there. On the journey back to the hotel, Irish qualified New Zealander and Connemara All-Black Troy Nathan was summoned to the top of the bus in order to follow the tradition of singing a song after your first start in a Connacht jersey.
The saying goes that singing is easier when you win but all I can say is that Troy gave us a unique version of Mundy’s ‘Galway Girl’. He may have the boyband hairstyle but the comparisons stop there! Prop Robbie Morris who travelled with the squad but had to pull out of the starting 15 prior to the game and so didn’t tog out was requested to sing after his first weekend as part of the management. He wouldn’t even make it on to Prop Idol but he entertained the crowd nevertheless. Mind you, after a win we are easily impressed!
OUR LAST CHANCE TO SHAKE OFF THE BLUES
SINCE setting out our goals in a team meeting during a training camp in Castlebar last July it has been hugely disappointing and frustrating at times during the season as we have come away from games with not even a losing bonus point to show for our efforts.
As a result of our failings we are now in last chance saloon territory needing to win our two remaining games and then hoping other results elsewhere go our way in order to achieve our main objective. The Cardiff Blues come to the Sportsground this Friday evening before the star-studded Ospreys arrive the following week for the last game of the season.
Three weeks ago I wrote how much we would love to be playing the Ospreys in the Sportsground on May 9 with everything left to play for. However, another big performance on Friday evening, but more importantly a victory, is the sole focus this week. We need to play like our season depends on it. After all, it does!
MONIVEA SET THE BAR FOR all JUNIOR CLUBS
IT would be remiss of me not to mention Monivea’s outstanding achievement in qualifying for the third division of the All-Ireland League after their hugely impressive victory over Waterpark in Waterford last Saturday week.
Having fallen at the qualifiers on numerous occasions over the last decade their achievement is testament to the ambition and commitment of the Galway club. Monivea’s progression this season is a clear indicator that the standard of the Junior league is improving and no doubt this will inspire other Junior clubs within the province who will feel that the league is there for the taking next year.
