Ireland seek improved performance

IRISH coach Declan Kidney will be looking for a much improved display from his charges when they face the Eddie O’Sullivan-coached USA Eagles in the Setanta Challenge Cup in San Francisco on Sunday night (9pm).
Experimental Ireland, featuring six new caps, stuttered to a hard-earned 25-6 victory over Canada in Vancouver last weekend.
Eddie O’Sullivan, of course, coached Ireland to three Triple Crowns in 2004, 2006 and 2007 and current Irish team captain Rory Best is looking forward to catching up with the man who gave him his senior debut against New Zealand back in 2005.
“For the boys in the changing room who have worked with Eddie, the likes of myself, it will be good to see him again,” Rory Best said this week.
“I haven’t seen him since he was in charge of the Ireland team. He gave me my chance so, like I said, it will be good to catch up with him.
“For us it will be another game. We have to up our performance and we will be looking to improve.”
Sunday night’s game will be televised live on Setanta Ireland - coverage begins at 8.30pm.
UL Bohemian and Munster star Barry Murphy scored his first full international try in Saturday’s victory over Canada.
Twenty-six-year-old Murphy, operating on the right wing, latched onto Darren Cave’s well judged chip ahead to score Ireland’s opening try in the 18th minute.
Ireland led 7-3 at half-time, but it was not until the visitors bagged late tries through new cap Ian Whitten and Munster prop Tony Buckley- also his first for his country- that Declan Kidney’s side could be sure of victory. A total of eight Irish players made their senior debuts in the game.
The new caps included Munster duo, Ian Dowling, who played on the left wing, and flanker Niall Ronan, both of whom made telling contributions to the victory.

Ireland: Gavin Duffy; Barry Murphy, Darren Cave, Ian Whitten, Ian Dowling; Ian Keatley, Peter Stringer; Tom Court, Rory Best (Capt), Tony Buckley; Bob Casey, Mick O’Driscoll; John Muldoon, Niall Ronan, Denis Leamy. Replacements: Mike Ross for Court, Ryan Caldwell for Casey (both 54 mins), Eoin Reddan for Stringer, Donnacha Ryan for Muldoon (both 71 mins).

Colm Kinsella