56EE2013-04-03e0 by Evening Echo

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EE - V1

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Evening Echo

SPORT

Too close for comfort in tie with Perpignan

Wednesday,

EE - V1

April 3, 2013

RUGBY

SUNDAY Heineken Cup, Harlequins v Munster Sky Sports 2, 1.30pm Munster IF PAUL 19 heartbeatO’CONNELL is the Perpignan of the Munster 10 side, his equivalent in the Harlequins side has to be NINE points may England international have separated the sides in the end and captain Chris but the game was Robshaw. too close for 2006 QUARTER-FINAL

By SEÁN McCARTHY

comfort. Rusty Munster never really got Harlequins just going didn’t have the same bite about Road, but it mattered at Lansdowne little as the against Gloucester them up front Reds came out on top. last weekend after Robshaw More importantly was given the for the fans, it week off by Quins’ guaranteed a mouth-watering coach Conor O’Shea. O’Shea wants semi-final clash with their great rivals the back-rower to come into next Leinster. Sunday’s showdown at the Stoop as Ronan O’Gara kicked fresh as possible 14 points, and his move gives including the conversion a hint of where of Man of he thinks some of the Match, Paul the battle is going O’Connell’s try to set to be won and lost. up an all-Irish semi-final. Munster had to come Robshaw’s battle from behind O’Mahony promises against Peter after trailing 10-7 at half-time in a to be an in- Harlequins’ Chris triguing one. nervy first-half display Robshaw (left) takes from the Reds. Allianz Park, London. on Saracens’ Owen Mathieu Bourret’s Both will remember Farrell during their try, conversion and their bruising recent English Premiership encounter in this penalty gave the French side their year’s Six Nations match at clash at the Aviva points. Stadium, with Picture: PA the Englishman winning Crucially, the wing missed two the man-of-thematch award important kicks in for his part in the second half as the joust. Perpignan indiscipline cost them two yellow cards. It was a close thing though, as O’Mahony was Munster came closest one of the players who came out deadlock in a cagey to breaking the of the game with opening quarter his reputation intact. when O’Connell spilled the ball as he crossed the line The young Corkman following Donncha would like to put the record O’Callaghan’s break. straight after that game as he could But after Perpignan as easily have been prop Nicolas Mas named man-of-the-match was sent to the sin bin for illegally for his effort. slowing a Munster attack, O’Connell grabbed the opening In his individual score. head-to-head battle with Robshaw O’Connell set up a scoring position that day, he outshone the for Munster yards Englishman in from the try line the tackles made and was on hand and was to crash metres of metres-gained within two minutes after Perpignan over on 21 had repelled against the English player, a series of drives. so the duel between these outcome of the O’Gara, a doubt up and until a late two will be key on Sunday. fitness test with a hamstring problem, converted for a 7-0 The fact that Robshaw lead. was given a day off also provides However, Perpignan, who made their how busy Harlequinsan insight into only Heineken Cup final appearance schedule is. There was only at the same venue in 2003, showed a around for Quins five-day turnthey were not about to roll over by between their losses to Saracens racing into a 10-7 RaboDirect PRO12 lead. and Gloucester. The Catalans capitalised Fatigue could three-games-before-he-hits-f be a huge factor on P W D L F in Glasgow Sunday’s game, Munster’s errors orm stage. 19 14 0 5 480 A T BP Pts and after France particularly if Mun- Ulster ster keep the pace centre David Marty 19 14 1 4 475 275 59 11 67 O’Connell has seized on lose and the intensity Leinster stated that it takes 19 14 0 5 485 312 49 8 66 high. ball in midfield, Mathieu Ospreys him three games 19 13 1 5 407 329 53 8 64 Bourret had Scarlets to a clear path to the The duel between 19 13 0 6 366 267 40 4 58 and he is now there. get up to speed corner. O’Mahony and Munster 19 10 1 8 375 353 35 6 58 Robshaw will be The young wing Benetton Treviso Robson has a converted from the 18 8 1 9 317 312 37 5 47 just one of the shedload of experiin- Cardiff Blues triguing battles touchline on 31 minutes 19 7 0 12 301 372 36 5 39 ence, having played Connacht up front. and added a 18 7 0 11 282 413 24 6 34 penalty to leave Just as close and Edinburgh times for Harlequins, more than 100 Perpignan ahead 19 6 0 13 334 321 26 4 32 high octane will Newport Dragons so it won’t be at be the square-up the break. 19 5 0 14 299 418 31 8 32 as if O’Connell Zebre between is going in against 19 0 0 19 231 503 25 3 23 er and James Coughlan. Nick EastBut O’Gara got Munster 477 23 9 9 novice. a back in front with two penalties Like Coughlan, his carries and Of equal importance in five minutes much of Easter’s Rob Penney will in the battle hard toil and straight after the be for supremacy looking for him hard yards goes break to put his to do the same side un- weekend noticed. into a 13-10 lead. this Dave Kilcoyne will be the clash of as Munster try and James Johnson. to punch Perpignan pressed Coughlan certainly some holes in The 21 stone, as Nicolas the Harlequins’ does a lot of no-nonsense, tightboth and his sure Durand went close, de- head, who hands at the back fence. but let Munster has played at internationof the scrum could off the hook with That defence their lack of become vital to has shown some al level seven times for Samoa, Munster if they discipline. will be as tough a are under pressure weaknesses in their last two customer as Munster Aviva loosehead in the set-piece. Julien Laharrague Premiership games missed two Kilcoyne will against Saracens have come speculative drop Both number eights and Gloucester across at any goal attempts and and Munster stage. Standing are well capable of taking the Bourret sliced two will have spent plenty at 6ft penalties from ball in hand off of time analysing 2ins, Johnson will certainly the back of a scrum much closer range. be the one of the bigger and running into those games. and heavier props Munster’s Peter O’Mahony space. O’Gara, in contrast, Easter, after being Kilcoyne will have versus Quins’ Chris Robshaw kept his cool to overlooked by played against. slot over two more Coughlan has will be one of For his part, done that so many England, can still be a wild penalties and Kilcoyne has the more intriguing battles card se- prospered times this season ease Munster through lection for the of the for Munster but, Lions if he can this season and coming contest. to a thrilling as follow spent stated, it has gone semi-final date against his time Picture: SPORTSFILE with the largely unnoticed, up last weekend’s display with Leinster. particularly by an- well as gettinginternational team as him stand the national manage- other big game on Sunday. out this season. some game time MUNSTER: Shaun ment. Another of the in más O’Leary, Trevor Payne, John Kelly, ToWhile some of intriguing battles the Six Nations has brought the game Halstead, There wouldn’t Ronan O’Gara, the 24 revert year-old Limerickman Peter Stringer, Ian Dowling, have been a single up front involves George Robson back to Munster’s plan may an, Jerry Flannery, Marcus Horon leaps and quibble if he had and bounds this traditional values, they will O’Callaghan, Paul John Hayes, Donncha earned an interna- Paul O’Connell. year. also be incorporate O’Connell, Denis tional cap this David Wallace, O’Connell is the Leamy, He has been in the philosophy year, such has Anthony Foley heartbeat superb that Rob Penney (c). been Munster his consistent form. Replacements: has team and Robson of the Munster since returning form for brought to Munster. ing (80), Jeremy Christian Cullen for Dowlwill be national from interIn the opening That is where duty and proved half of last week- charged with trying to put a Mick O’Driscoll Manning for O’Gara (80), Kilcoyne for Leamy (37). stop to scoring end’s game, the that by into that heartbeat. a first-half try his own as he targets will come number eight last weekend certainly made his any space That will be easier against Glasgow up front and where presence felt with Warriors. said than done Johnson could with O’Connell It is Kilcoyne’s be left chasing shadows. now at his required ability to make yards in possession All-in-all, an intriguing that have made battle up front.

Hard-hitting battles on the frontline

Rugby: Munster must beat Harlequins up front to survive: P50

Senior Football: City side dominate men from East in White’s Cross: P52 The Cork City team celebrate their victory over Shelbourne in the U19 Enda McGill Cup final at Turner's Cross last night. Picture: David Keane

Peter McNamara: Why Cork should beat Clare in their relegation playoff: P53

Another double for City’s U19s U19 ENDA MCGUILL CUP

By PAT McAUILIFFE

Kidney could return with Pres or UCC

EITHER UCC or PBC could become the new home for Declan Kidney after the IRFU decided to part company with the Corkman yesterday. The former Munster man’s contract was due to expire in the summer and the Irish Rugby Football Union announced yesterday they would not be renewing his deal and that he would be leaving the post with immediate effect. Kidney’s future had been the subject of speculation after a poor RBS 6 Nations campaign produced shock defeats by Scotland and Italy, resulting in a fifth-placed finish and Ireland’s lowest ever world ranking of ninth. The loss in Italy on the final weekend of the campaign led many

KIDNEY: UCC or PBC bound? to call for Kidney’s resignation, so yesterday’s announcement came as no surprise. UCC are looking for a director of sport and Kidney fits that bill perfectly, while his old school PBC are also expected to talk to Kidney about a return.

Meanwhile, Les Kiss has been confirmed as the interim head coach for Ireland’s summer tour of north America, with Gert Smal and Anthony Foley assistants. Ireland will be hope they can show a marked improvement against the United States in Houston on June 8 and then Canada in Toronto a week later following their dismal showing in the Six Nations. Meanwhile, Cork Con are expected to announce former Midleton manager Tom Mulcahy and former Munster player Mick O’Driscoll as their new management team for next year, with Brian Walsh moving to a director of rugby role within the club. Brian Hickey looks set to become involved with Cashel. ● See page 49 for more.

INSPIRED by two-goal heroAlan Browne and captain fantastic John Kavanagh, both former Ringmahon stars, Cork City retained the U19 Enda McGuill Cup at Turner’s Cross last night. Goals from Browne and Greg Henry helped City defeat close rivals Shelbourne 3-1 in an exciting final played before more than 600 fans. The victory not alone completed a great double for the season, but a fantastic double/double as City retained the two trophies won in 2012. City, under their outstanding management team of joint bosses Stuart Ashton and Paul Bowdren, led 1-0 at half-time thanks to a diving header from Greg Henry. But two goals from man-of-thematch Alan Browne sent his side on the road to glory and despite a late consolation goal from Shelbourne substitute Conor Donohue, it was to be the young Leesiders’ night. Captain John Kavanagh, who had an outstanding game in midfield, was presented with the trophy by Airtricity League chairman Eammon Naughton at the full time. ● See page 47 for report.

Amazing Results! You too can achieve!

Tracy Delaney

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