Sports
Connacht’s longest serving ‘auld fella’ Muldoon is relishing crack at Grenoble
THESE days, it’s not unusual for John Muldoon to self-deprecatingly refer to himself as an ‘auld fella’.
In fairness, he’s been around the block a few times. So many times, in fact, that he’s the only man still playing for Connacht who featured the other occasion the province was pitted against Grenoble in Europe. Connacht won that winter’s day years ago, a momentous triumph on French soil.
The budding back-row was still wet around the ears but was a vital component in the victory. So good was the relatively unknown Portumna young lad’s performance, he “confirmed his emergence as a player of genuine potential”, according to the Tribune Sport report of the 26-21 match.
Over a decade later, Muldoon remains a key influence. Not only is he captain and spiritual leader, he’s enjoying some of the best rugby of his career.
Like a fine wine – Muldoon is getting better with age. That’s evidenced by his vision, deft hands and nimble feet in the lead-up to Caolin Blade’s try in Belfast last week; a beauty, it was undoubtedly Connacht’s try of the season.
The manner in which he tackled, demon like, with a frightening ferocity to hold-out Ulster on the line in the dying minutes, when the game was lost and Connacht were reduced to 13 men, bordered on reckless endangerment.
He’s still got the enthusiasm and desire of a young lad. “Believe me it’s easy come-in in the morning,” he says.
“When you’re winning games it’s easy to come in. There’s a good buzz around the place. There’s a band of supporters that don’t know about Connacht losing. Yes it was a good performance in Ulster and we were disappointed in the result but a lot of supporters of Connacht are shocked and disappointed we lost. That shows you how far we’ve come.”
Connacht trailed 3-18 after just 24 minutes of play in the Alps in January 2005 but staged an incredible comeback. That’s the Connacht stubbornness and resilience. It still permeates the squad today, probably even more so.
Others who played for Connacht alongside Muldoon against Grenoble in that famous Challenge Cup quarter-final win, will feature prominently off-field this Saturday (8.05pm Irish time) at Stade des Alps.
Conor McPhillips, who started at full-back, is now Connacht video analyst. Meanwhile, Bernard Jackman, the hooker that day, is Grenoble head coach and Andrew Farley, who started in the second-row, is a trusty lieutenant.
That Connacht-French connection should make the post-match drinks interesting. But Muldoon is fully focused on the game. He notes that Connacht has twice before qualified for semi-finals, so a win at the weekend would not break new ground. It would be different, though, because securing a home semi-final would “probably be our most realistic chance of ever getting to the final. It’s exciting times.”
For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.
Galway 3-18
Cork 1-10
NEW setting; new opposition; new challenge. It made no difference to the Galway minor hurlers as they chalked up a remarkable sixth consecutive double digits championship victory at Semple Stadium on Saturday.
The final scoreline in Thurles may have been a little harsh on Cork, but there was no doubting Galway’s overall superiority in setting up only a second-ever All-Ireland showdown against Clare at the same venue on Sunday week.
Having claimed an historic Leinster title the previous weekend, Galway took a while to get going against the Rebels and also endured their first period in a match in which they were heavily outscored, but still the boys in maroon roll on.
Beating a decent Cork outfit by 14 points sums up how formidable Galway are. No team has managed to lay a glove on them so far, and though Clare might ask them questions other challengers haven’t, they are going to have to find significant improvement on their semi-final win over 14-man Kilkenny to pull off a final upset.
Galway just aren’t winning their matches; they are overpowering the teams which have stood in their way. Their level of consistency is admirable for young players starting off on the inter-county journey, while the team’s temperament appears to be bombproof, no matter what is thrown at them.
Having romped through Leinster, Galway should have been a bit rattled by being only level (0-4 each) after 20 minutes and being a little fortunate not to have been behind; or when Cork stormed out of the blocks at the start of the second half by hitting 1-4 to just a solitary point in reply, but there was never any trace of panic in their ranks.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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GALWAY United need to guard against any kind of complacency when they make the short hop down the M18 this Friday to take on Treaty United at the Markets Field (7.45pm).
The game is a meeting of the two form teams in the division, and as in previous meetings between the sides, will have an additional edge given the number of former United players in the home side’s ranks, and the pair of Limerick lads playing for United.
There might have been just the eight meetings between the sides since Treaty became the latest iteration to represent Limerick in the League of Ireland in 2021, and while United have yet to lose to the men in the candy-cane strips, there has never been more than a goal in four of their eight wins.
The most recent of those was back in February, when Rob Slevin scored the only goal of the game in Eamonn Deacy Park after a tough battle against a side who made a slow start to the season, before finally finding their groove in the past month.
Having taken just three points from their first six games before finally getting a win against Longford Town, they reverted to type with just one point from their next three games, but are now on a run of four wins on the spin, scoring 12 goals and conceding just one.
Their most recent win was a 3-0 victory away to Longford Town last Saturday, and they could have won by double that against the only side to have beaten United this season. That in itself is a warning.
For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Soccer Wrap with Mike Rafferty
While the Salthill Devon men’s team might have lost their grip on the Connacht Junior Cup that they held for two seasons, the club’s women’s side have picked up the mantle and on Sunday last in Headford were crowned provincial champions with a 4-3 win over Manulla.
Following midweek wins for Maree/Oranmore and Knocknacarra, the stage is now almost set for the semi-finals of the Michael Byrne Cup with Salthill Devon meeting St Bernard’s on Sunday in an outstanding quarter-final, with the winners advancing to a semi-final against Maree/Oranmore, while Colga will face Knocknacarra in the other last four contest.
Just one league issue remains to be decided, with the Championship runners-up position up for grabs, as Dynamo Blues have to win their two remaining games in order to overtake Colemanstown United who have finished their programme.
WOMEN’S CONNACHT CUP FINAL
Salthill Devon 4
Manulla 3
Ellerose O’Flaherty scored twice as Salthill Devon were crowned provincial champions with a win over a Mayo side who were losing in the final for the second year in succession.
Backboned by a number of players who previously had League of Ireland experience with Galway WFC, Devon suffered an early set back when Jess Nolan put Manulla ahead, before O’Flaherty levelled matters with a cracking finish on 20 minutes, which was quickly followed by a long-range free-kick from Aoife Walsh.
For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
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