MUNSTER coach Tony McGahan is confident the province’s ‘quality senior players’ will help the side bounce back in style from their embarrassing defeat to Leinster in this Saturday’s ‘backs-to-the-wall’ Heineken Cup showdown with the Northampton Saints at Franklin’s Gardens (6pm).
McGahan revealed that some frank talking had been done in the Munster dressing room following Saturday’s 30-point drubbing at the hands of old rivals Leinster.
The Munster coach expects a positive response from his charges this weekend as the Magners League champions renew rivalries with the side which defeated them in the 2000 Heineken Cup final.
Skipper Paul O’Connell said the poor display against Leinster would act as a major motivating factor in Saturday’s clash with the Saints.
“Everything needs to improve from last weekend.
“I think if it does, we have a good chance at the weekend,” O’Connell said at this week’s launch of the 15th Heineken Cup.
“I think it will be a big motivation for us having had such a disappointing performance last Saturday. We did none of our basics well and that’s the most important thing you do.
“Going away to Northampton and going away to Perpignan are going to be incredibly tough games, so we’re going to be concentrating on getting out of our group first and foremost.”
With captain O’Connell, Jerry Flannery and David Wallace successfully coming through their first appearances of the season on Saturday, it seems certain that coach McGahan will make several changes to his starting line-up for the tie with Northampton.
Back-row forwards Denis Leamy and Alan Quinlan are also available to play having recovered from minor injuries.
Munster prop John Hayes appeared before an IRFU disciplinary panel this Tuesday evening in Belfast following his red-carding in Saturday’s clash with Leinster.
John Hayes, who boasted a previous exemplary record, received a red card for an alleged stamp on Leinster player Cian Healy in the second half of the game.
Colm Kinsella
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
Monday, October 05, 2009
Hayes prepares for disciplinary hearing
PROP John Hayes will appear before an independent disciplinary hearing in Belfast tomorrow following his red-carding in Munster’s embarrassing Magners League defeat to old rivals Leinster at the RDS.
Hayes, who boasts an exemplary disciplinary record, was red-carded by referee Simon McDowell in the 57th minute of Saturday evening’s game on the advice of one of his touch judges for an alleged stamp on Leinster prop Cian Healy as he lay underneath a Munster maul.
Thirty-five-year-old Hayes will be accompanied to the IRFU’s independent disciplinary hearing in Belfast tomorrow by Munster manager Shaun Payne and a legal representative.
Cappamore man John Hayes, Ireland’s most capped international, had never been sent off during a career spanning close on two decades with Bruff, Shannon, Munster and Ireland.
Props Hayes and Healy did speak about the incident following Saturday night’s game.
Munster lock Donncha O’Callaghan said that while he did not see the red-carding incident, he stressed the Limerick man’s reputation as an honest, disciplined player.
“I didn’t see the incident. I knew Cian (Healy) was trying to pull down the maul, but I think we all know Hayes. You could not come across a more honest, disciplined fellow,” O’Callaghan said.
“It was nothing like him. I know the maul was being pulled down and Cian had a chat with him.
“John Hayes is an impeccable character. It was embarrassing for him to go off like that, but you know him lads, it was nothing like him.”
While Hayes’ hearing is of most immediate concern to Munster coach Tony McGahan, the side’s dismal showing against Leinster and this Saturday’s mammoth Heineken Cup opening round tie away to the Northampton Saints will also be occupying his thoughts.
Saturday’s shut-out was the first occasion Munster had failed to register a point in a competitive fixture since the province’s 9-0 loss to Leinster in 1971.
It was also Munster’s heaviest ever defeat in the Magners League, topping the 26-point loss to Ulster from last January.
Bitterly disappointed Munster coach Tony McGahan said the side needed to get back to basics as the focus now switches to Saturday’s Heineken Cup clash with the Northampton Saints at Franklins Gardens (6pm).
“The biggest thing for us is to get back to basics and put a few core principals of our game back together,” Tony McGahan said.
“It has been a disrupted start to the season.
“We have a few players who have not had a lot of game time.
“Getting continuity to the play is certainly a concern. We need to go back to the drawing board and get a response this week.”
Meanwhile, in the AIB All-Ireland League, an 87th minute drop goal from Garryowen out-half Willie Staunton helped the ‘light blues’ secure a dramatic 12-10 victory over city rivals and holders Shannon at Dooradoyle on Friday night.
UL Bohemian made a disappointing start to their Division 1A campaign after suffering a 8-3 home defeat to Blackrock College at Thomond Park.
In-form Young Munster made a winning start in Division 1B when recording a deserved 23-3 victory over Buccaneers at Clifford Park.
In Division 1B both Thomond and Bruff picked up bonus points in registering impressive opening day victories, but there was no joy for Old Crescent on their long trip to Belfast where Harlequins gained the spoils.
Colm Kinsella
Sean’s star is on the rise
ON Saturday night the Australian under-20 soccer team completed their World Cup campaign in Egypt when they lost 3-1 against Brazil - most Limerick people may not realise however that one of their own featured for the Socceroos.
Although he did not travel with the senior squad for the friendly against the Republic of Ireland at Thomond Park in August Sean Rooney, whose father is originally from Limerick, represents one of the rising stars down under.
Sean Rooney’s father John, originally from the Hyde Road, played for Hyde Rangers before emigrating to Sydney in the 1970s.
Unfortunately John Rooney passed away before he could see his son grow into the international star he has become. Sean’s uncle Harry, who still lives in Limerick, says that Sean is very much aware of his roots: “Oh, we are all very proud of Sean. Although he is playing for Australia we feel he is representing Ireland out there in Egypt and if his father John was still alive he would be so proud of his son.
“Every time Sean plays a game our thoughts are with him, we’re all very proud of what he has achieved.”
During the Socceroos under-20 World Cup campaign 19-year-old Sean Rooney was introduced as a substitute against the Czech Republic (lost 1-2), started against Costa Rica (lost 0-3) and was also introduced as a second half substitute against Brazil on Saturday evening.
Sean Rooney, who signed for the Newcastle Jets in the A-League earlier this year from the Blacktown City Demons, has been grabbing all the headlines of late in Australian soccer.
Sean Rooney, who was top scorer in the Australian youths league last year, was the toast of Newcastle last May when his last-gasp goal (94th minute) against Beijing Guoan helped propel the Jets towards the knock-out stages of the Asian Champions League.
Although the Newcastle Jets were then knocked out by Korean club the Pohang Steelers, who featured Brazil’s Denilson, Rooney’s performances thus far in the A-League have earned the young striker international attention - Four Four Two rate Rooney as “a quality prospect” while he also enjoyed a trial at West Ham United earlier this year.
The promising striker is only contracted until the end of the Newcastle Jets’ current ACL campaign, but club coach Gary van Egmond revealed recently that he is more than eager for Rooney to sign a new contract with the club.
Although Limerick FC lost 2-0 to the Wexford Youths on Friday night the Limerick FC under-20s have all but sealed their place in the knock-out phase of the competition following their 2-0 win over Waterford United at the Pike Field on Sunday afternoon - Jason Hughes and David Nguki plundered the goals which earned the Super Blues all three points.
Limerick FC will complete their group phase campaign against Cork City (away) on Sunday, October 18 while the quarter-finals have been provisionally fixed for Sunday, October 25.
Meanwhile Limerick FC host Kildare County this Friday night in Jackman Park - kick-off for that league game is at 7.45pm.
Brian McDonnell
Although he did not travel with the senior squad for the friendly against the Republic of Ireland at Thomond Park in August Sean Rooney, whose father is originally from Limerick, represents one of the rising stars down under.
Sean Rooney’s father John, originally from the Hyde Road, played for Hyde Rangers before emigrating to Sydney in the 1970s.
Unfortunately John Rooney passed away before he could see his son grow into the international star he has become. Sean’s uncle Harry, who still lives in Limerick, says that Sean is very much aware of his roots: “Oh, we are all very proud of Sean. Although he is playing for Australia we feel he is representing Ireland out there in Egypt and if his father John was still alive he would be so proud of his son.
“Every time Sean plays a game our thoughts are with him, we’re all very proud of what he has achieved.”
During the Socceroos under-20 World Cup campaign 19-year-old Sean Rooney was introduced as a substitute against the Czech Republic (lost 1-2), started against Costa Rica (lost 0-3) and was also introduced as a second half substitute against Brazil on Saturday evening.
Sean Rooney, who signed for the Newcastle Jets in the A-League earlier this year from the Blacktown City Demons, has been grabbing all the headlines of late in Australian soccer.
Sean Rooney, who was top scorer in the Australian youths league last year, was the toast of Newcastle last May when his last-gasp goal (94th minute) against Beijing Guoan helped propel the Jets towards the knock-out stages of the Asian Champions League.
Although the Newcastle Jets were then knocked out by Korean club the Pohang Steelers, who featured Brazil’s Denilson, Rooney’s performances thus far in the A-League have earned the young striker international attention - Four Four Two rate Rooney as “a quality prospect” while he also enjoyed a trial at West Ham United earlier this year.
The promising striker is only contracted until the end of the Newcastle Jets’ current ACL campaign, but club coach Gary van Egmond revealed recently that he is more than eager for Rooney to sign a new contract with the club.
Although Limerick FC lost 2-0 to the Wexford Youths on Friday night the Limerick FC under-20s have all but sealed their place in the knock-out phase of the competition following their 2-0 win over Waterford United at the Pike Field on Sunday afternoon - Jason Hughes and David Nguki plundered the goals which earned the Super Blues all three points.
Limerick FC will complete their group phase campaign against Cork City (away) on Sunday, October 18 while the quarter-finals have been provisionally fixed for Sunday, October 25.
Meanwhile Limerick FC host Kildare County this Friday night in Jackman Park - kick-off for that league game is at 7.45pm.
Brian McDonnell
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