| Against the Head
By Johnny O' Connor
It was great to get back to domestic action last weekend. Our 42-8 victory
over Saracens kept us on course for a place in the Powergen Cup semi-final
where we will meet our great rivals Leicester Tigers at the Millennium Stadium
in March. The game was much closer than the scoreline suggests after we
got off to the best possible start with two early tries including one for
Lawrence Dallaglio.I made an appearance as a replacement for Tom Rees
after 26 minutes but had to leave the field with a slight knock on my shoulder
just before the end. Thankfully the injury is not serious and I expect to
be fit and ready to take on Simon Easterby’s Llanelli Scarlets this weekend
in Stradey Park.
Looking back to our victory over Saracens it was also great to see Eoin
Reddan score a try as well as Paul Sackey getting a brace. I need hardly
stress how important it will be for us to get a victory in Wales this weekend
as few teams come away from Llanelli with a result. We must be more clinical
in finishing off teams than we have been in recent games but after last
Sunday’s victory over Saracens I believe we have what it takes to get that
all-important victory.
It was also another great weekend for the footballers Salthill-Knocknacarra
who progressed to the semi-final of the All-Ireland club championship. Even
though they weren’t at their best they still managed to come away from Ruislip
with a four-point victory over the London champions.
I was disappointed I was unable to meet up with some of the lads on the
team I knew in Galway, including full-back Finian Hanley and forward Seamie
Crowe, on Sunday evening because of my injured shoulder. Seamie also played
for Wolverhampton Wanderers around the same time as Robbie Keane before
deciding to concentrate on Gaelic football.
It’s great to see the team doing so well and who knows Salthill might
go all the way to the final on St. Patrick’s Day. I believe quite a number
of supporters also travelled from Galway for the occasion.
In the Celtic League I was disappointed to see Connacht lose once again.
Their 22-9 defeat to Leinster keeps them firmly rooted to the bottom of
the table.
After Connacht making a good start and taking a deserved 9-3 lead in
the first-half the Leinster backs finally came out on top and ran in two
tries through Girvan Dempsey and Jamie Heaslip. The result at Musgrave Park
was also something of surprise with Munster losing their long 18-game unbeaten
home run to Ulster.
Mark McCall’s team built a platform for their thoroughly deserved 20-17
victory in the opening half with tries from Andrew Trimble and Rory Best.
Ulster have been the outstanding provincial side so far this season with
some fine young players coming through especially Ireland’s new star Trimble.
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