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Tag: leinster

  • Leinster Maintain Perfect Form with Win Against Connacht 

    Leinster Maintain Perfect Form with Win Against Connacht 

    By Jessica Lee

    Leinster have kept their perfect record in the United Rugby Championship (URC), with a stunning bonus-point 33-12 win over a strong Connacht side in Galway on Saturday night.  

    Coming off the back of their win against Munster in a sold-out Croke Park last weekend, the boys in blue made a fast start to the game, with Jamie Osborne scoring a try in the seventh minute and was quickly followed by Ciaran Frawley kicking the conversion. 

    Despite Connacht’s defense holding firm against Leinster’s strong efforts, Liam Turner scored a try just minutes later, and the kick was converted. 

    Ciarán Frawley suffered an ankle injury during the buildup to Turners try and was replaced by Ross Byrne.   

    An injured Frawley will be a concern for Irish Rugby manager Andy Farrell, as Leinster are set to face New Zealand in the Aviva Stadium in three weeks’ time.  

    Leinster Captain James Ryan appeared to have scored a try; however, it was later disallowed due to accidental offside when Ryan received the ball and Connacht were awarded the scrum. 

    Connacht finally got into the game at the 33rd minute, after a scrappy tackle on the try line with Sean O’Brien getting the score.  

    World Cup winner and South African native, RG Snyman, got Leinster’s third try after gathering a loose ball just before half time, with Ross Byrne adding two points to Leinster’s advantage.  

    Just five minutes into the second half, Leinster further proved their dominance over the home side as flanker Max Deegan scored their fourth try for the bonus point. 

    Connacht returned from half time hungry to get scores on the board but struggled to get through the robust Leinster defense. However, a try from Cathal Forde came in the 64th minute and the conversion was scored by Josh Ioane.  

    This small win for Connacht was short lived, as just minutes later Andrew Osborne ripped up the wing to catch Byrne’s kick from the restart and scoring the final try of the game.  

    With 10 minutes left on the clock, Connacht desperately tried to close the gap, but it was too little, too late. The score was 12-33 to Leinster when the final whistle blew.  

    This is Leinster’s second consecutive inter-provincial victory so far in this URC campaign, with RG Snyman receiving player of the match for his performance. 

    Connacht: P O’Conor; S Bolton, D Hawkshaw (C Forde 62), B Aki, S Cordero (H Gavin 59); J Ioane, B Murphy (C Blade 56); D Buckley (P Dooley 52), D Heffernan (D Tierney-Martin 56), F Bealham (J Aungier 52); J Joyce (N Murray 52), D Murray; C Prendergast (c), S O’Brien (S Jansen 56), P Boyle. 

    Leinster: H Keenan; L Turner (H Cooney 74), G Ringrose, J Osborne, A Osborne; C Frawley (R Byrne 17), J Gibson-Park (F Gunne 71); J Boyle (A Porter 44), G McCarthy (S Smith 74), R Slimani (T Clarkson 44); RG Snyman (B Deeny 70), J Ryan (c); M Deegan, W Connors (S Penny 59), J Culhane. 

    Referee: Eoghan Cross (IRFU) 

  • Irish sides get into gear for European Competition

    Irish sides get into gear for European Competition

     

    HeinekenCupFinal06MunsterVBiarritz200506SmallByMike

    With less than two weeks until the inaugural European Rugby Champions Cup, Ireland’s top two sides locked horns at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday evening; with Munster romping home to an emphatic win.

    The Red Army can be very optimistic of their chances in Europe this season following their dominating 34-23 victory in what was a first win over their bitter rivals at the Aviva.

    Munster are set to take on French powerhouses ASM Clermont, and English sides Saracens and Sale Sharks with rookie head coach Anthony “Axel” Foley remained cautiously optimistic, “To win the competition, you have to accumulate enough points to get out of your group. We know you don’t start talking about winning this competition until you’re in a final. It’s about getting there.”

    Leinster on the other hand have to be concerned after a lifeless performance, as Matt O’Connor’s outfit rarely matched the aggression and appetite for the game shown by Foley’s charges. Further concern for the Blue Army is a growing injury list, as Fergus McFadden joined long-term absentees Sean O’Brien and Cian Healy on the treatment table.

    Just like their rivals Leinster have also been drawn into a difficult pool with French side Castres and English sides Wasps and Harlequins. With a reduction of teams from 24 to 20 easy groups within the new competition should be a thing of the past.

    Something that should suit both these sides who have found easy groups hard to come by the last few years, unlike Ulster whose run of easy groups has emphatically ended as they have drawn champions Toulon, Scarlets and Leicester Tigers.

    Unfortunately with the restructured tournament Connacht won’t compete in the top tier this season, instead they will take part in the Challenge Cup this year. As the fourth tier Irish side they are unlikely to get a chance to achieve fairytale wins in the new structure such as those over Harlequins, Biarritz and perhaps the biggest shock in Heineken Cup history victory over Toulouse

    Photo: Whoelse http://bit.ly/1vdgpmc 

  • How Dublin won the treble

    How Dublin won the treble

    Dublin claimed the treble in 2013, the National league, Another Leinster crown and the coveted Sam Ma Guire.

    How and why did the Dubs have such a fine season, after Mayo exposed them in last summer’s All-Ireland semi-final?

    Jim Gavin took over from Pat Gilroy and introduced lots of youth into the metropolitan’s side.  Jack McCaffery, Paul Manion and Ciaran Kilkenny to name but a few.

    Dublin topped the league table and set up a league final meeting with Tyrone.  In a magnificent game of football Dublin won by the minimum, 0-16 to 0-15.

    Five weeks later Gavin’s boys overcame Westmeath quite easily on a score line of 1-22 to 0-09.

    Kildare and Kieran Mc Geeney were next to challenge; a goal from Tomas O Connor inside the first minute gave the Lillywhites a great platform but Dublin hit back with four goals of their own to hammer Kildare by 16 points, 4-16 to 1-09.

    Bernard Brogan is a hero for the Dubs. credit liberty.ie
    Bernard Brogan is a hero for the Dubs. credit liberty.ie

    For the third year in a row Meath were in the Leinster final, having only been outdone by a Bernard Brogan goal in 2012 the Royals were full of confidence.  And after an excellent first half Meath looked to be on their way as they lead by four at the break.

    Second half goals from Paul Manion and Bernard brogan, however, ended Meath hopes as Dublin won their 52nd title.

    In the All-Ireland quarter final Dublin had 85% of the possession, six clear cut goal chances and hit the post on a couple of occasions and still only managed to beat Cork by five points, 1-16 to 0-09.  It was in this game that the Dubs showed their real strength as a force in Gaelic games.

    In the semi-final Colm Cooper showed why he is the greatest player of all time with a virtuoso display.  However the great man’s efforts couldn’t stop the champions elect as they ran out winners by seven points, 3-18 to 3-11.

    Dublin before the All-Ireland final. credit the liberty.ie
    Dublin before the All-Ireland final. credit john mulhollandbookmaker

    In the final, the biggest in history if you believe the hype, Mayo were hoping to bridge a 62 year wait for Sam.  In the first 25 minutes Mayo were sharper, hungrier, fitter and more coherent but their failure to convert their chances in scores coupled with Bernard Brogan’s first goal eight minutes before the break shattered James Horans’ side.

    Another Brogan goal in the second half cancelled out Andy Moran’s earlier strike and the Dub’s were celebrating their second title in three seasons and 24th in total.