Quinlan: ‘Stick with us’

VETERAN flanker Alan Quinlan has urged Munster supporters ‘not to throw in the towel’ on the team in the wake of their poor run of form in recent weeks.
Quinlan issued his rallying call to the Red Army’s legion of supporters as Munster prepare for their crucial Magners League tie with Ulster at Thomond Park this Saturday (5pm).


Munster have lost three of their last four games in the Magners League and Heineken Cup and Alan Quinlan admits the poor run has dented the players’ confidence levels. However, 35-year-old Quinlan has urged Munster supporters to remain steadfast in their support of the team during this tricky spell. The players remain confident that they can help turnaround the team’s fortunes.
“When you are going bad, there is pressure from the press, the supporters as well as the internal pressure to perform because no one enjoys losing, even though we had a good result in the second half against Treviso,” Alan Quinlan said.
“We are around long enough to know that we are not playing well. That is not enjoyable. We are working hard to try and get back. I would ask people to stick with us and not to throw in the towel, feeling the team is finished, that we are underperforming and that there is no passion and no heart.
“You can’t go from the success we have had to suddenly, as a group, not trying or showing heart or passion.
“People are trying hard, but things have been going wrong for us and we have hit a bit of a wall. Hopefully, the supporters and genuine fans can stay behind us.
“We can be judged now by everyone and that is the nature of it, because we are a top team in Europe.
“Hopefully, we can be judged this year at the business end of the season. If we deserve criticism and flak then, so be it, but we are confident we can get back playing well. We are confident we will be in contention come the end of the season.
“Confidence has been dented by recent weeks. There is no point in saying otherwise. We are playing below standard and we know that, but we feel there is a lot more in us. We are still a very good team. We are probably under-performing as a unit. It is something we have to address and it is a challenge for us.
“Hopefully, we will come out stronger the other side of it. If we can get a good result on Saturday, then maybe the best thing is that the focus will be off us for a few weeks.
“We are in a bit of a pressure situation and that we can have a look at things.
“Coaches can go away and spend a few weeks looking at the way we are playing and try and improve things. The boys can play Test match rugby with Ireland and get that intensity up again. That will benefit the team.”
Munster will again be without Marcus Horan, Jerry Flannery, Tony Buckley, Dave Ryan and the suspended John Hayes for the tie with table-toppers Ulster at Thomond Park on Halloween.
In the only change in the Munster squad from last weekend’s clash away to Edinburgh Barry Murphy replaces Doug Howlett, who is carrying a knock.
Meanwhile 13 Munster players have been included in a 39-man Irish panel for the upcoming Guinness Series of internationals in November against Australia, Fiji and South Africa. Leinster’s Limerick-born scrum-half Eoin Reddan and Connacht’s Limerick-born hooker Sean Cronin are also included in the squad which will gather in Limerick on Monday next for a training camp.
An A squad for a game against Tonga and a 30-man squad for the Australia Test match on November 15 will be announced at the end of the Limerick camp.
Ireland Squad (39): Tommy Bowe, Neil Best, Tony Buckley, Darren Cave, Tom Court, Sean Cronin, Leo Cullen, Gordon D’Arcy, Gavin Duffy, Keith Earls, Stephen Ferris, Luke Fitzgerald, Jerry Flannery, John Fogarty, John Hayes, Cian Healy, Jamie Heaslip, Chris Henry, Marcus Horan, Shane Horgan, Robert Kearney, Denis Leamy, Fergus McFadden, Donncha O’Callaghan, Paul O’Connell, Brian O’Driscoll, Ronan O’Gara, Tomas O’Leary, Sean O’Brien, Eoin Reddan, Mike Ross, Donnacha Ryan, Jonathan Sexton, Peter Stringer, Devin Toner, Andrew Trimble, David Wallace, Paddy Wallace and Brett Wilkinson.
Munster squad v Ulster: Felix Jones, Keith Earls, Barry Murphy, Denis Hurley, Ian Dowling, Jean de Villiers, Lifeimi Mafi, Paul Warwick, Ronan O’Gara, Peter Stringer, Tomas O’Leary, Nick Williams, David Wallace, Niall Ronan, Denis Leamy, Alan Quinlan, Mick O’Driscoll, Donnacha Ryan, Donncha O’Callaghan, Paul O’Connell, Damian Varley, Denis Fogarty, AN Other, Stephen Archer, Julien Brugnaut, Darragh Hurley.

COLM KINSELLA