Rugby
Great servant O’Connor to hang up his rugby boots
Rugby Round Up with Rob Murphy
ONE of Connacht’s most prominent rugby players has announced his retirement this week. Johnny O’Connor was a household name in the west and throughout Ireland over the past 13 years and his presence in the dressing room will be missed.
Along with Gavin Duffy and Eric Elwood, O’Connor kept the flag flying for west of Ireland players as one of their three stars in the early days of professionalism, and his move to London Wasps in 2003 saw him hit the headlines in European and world rugby as the no nonsense energy fuelled openside flanker who wouldn’t give an inch.
The 33-year-old Galway native earned his first contract with Connacht in 2000 back in a time when balancing provincial rugby with your All Ireland League club was the norm. He played some big games for Galwegians having moved from his local club Corinthians (he lived just down the road in Claregalway).
It was while playing a friendly against Wasps that club captain Lawrence Dallaglio took notice of O’Conory and recommended the dynamic flanker to his Director of Rugby Warren Gatland. O’Connor joined Wasps the following year.
O’Connor made 74 appearances during his four seasons with the London club. A multi-medal winner, he was involved in two Heineken Cup victories, two Premiership titles and a Powergen Cup win.
He earned his first international call up in 2004, making his debut for Ireland against South Africa in the Autumn internationals. He made 12 appearances for Ireland and was part of the 2006 squadwhich won the Triple Crown.
Aged 25, O’Connor was named the 2005 Irish Rugby Union Players Associations (IRUPA) Players’ Player of the Year. A week later he was announced as one of eight Ireland players to be included in the Barbarians squad.
O’Connor returned to his native Galway in 2007 and rejoined Connacht where he has remained for the last seven seasons. The second stint has seen him turn in some heroic performances and battle back from some frustrating injuries.
His no-holes-bared style earned him the nickname ‘Johnny O’Congrete’ in Wasps and it summed up his playing style perfectly.
TREVISO NEXT UP
Meanwhile on the field, Connacht are gradualluy bringing the curtain down on another Rabo Direct Pro 12 campaign as they travel to Treviso for an 8pm Saturday evening kick off in the eastern Italian city. The home side sit seven points ahead of westerners in the table as both sides look to secure a highest ever finish of seventh in the coming weeks.
The manner of the 22-0 loss in Munster last week has created a deflated feeling around the team this week after their fine run of three wins on the bounce. A trip to Edinburgh follows this game before they round off the season at home to Ulster and Glasgow. Three wins from their final four might lift the spirits heading into the summer, but it’s a tall order for this side.
NEARLY THERE
A 24-22 bonus point home win over Old Wesley last Saturday has Corinthians on the brink of promotion to the second tier of All Ireland league rugby. They travel to UCC this weekend joint top of the table with a six point advantage over the Cork students who are the only side left capable of breaking into the top two in the final two rounds.
A win there, or a win in their final game over Seapoint would almost certainly see them go up, but Corinthians will be keen to do the business this weekend to avoid any final day complications.
Promotion would bring the club to the highest point in their history and would underline the huge progress being made under the guidance of Phil Pretorious.
JUNIOR CUP FINAL
Galwegians and Monivea meet at the Sportsground on Sunday in the final of the Heineken Junior Cup with a 3pm kick off in a game that will be preceded by the Junior Plate final between Ballinasloe and Ballina.
Connacht centre Bundee Aki received a three match ban for misconduct this week which means he will miss Connacht’s final two league games and the European play-off game most probably against a French side.
Aki faced a Disciplinary Panel via video link after a Misconduct Complaint was made against him by the Disciplinary Officer of PRO12 Rugby.
The complaint referred to Aki’s behaviour to and remarks directed toward, referee Ian Davies, during and immediately after the Round 20 fixture between Connacht and Leinster.
Aki admitted to the charge of misconduct and the Panel gave him a sanction of a three-match suspension.
That means he will also miss Connacht’s final home fixture against Scarlets tomorrow or in the last game of the regular season against Munster in Thomond Park next week.
The player can return to play on Monday, May 22 which means he would be available to play in a final European qualifier should Connacht win the first one.
GALWEGIANS’ hugely disappointing All-Ireland League campaign came to a rather ignominious end when they were soundly beaten by their visitors Naas, who in the process secured second place with this victory and earn themselves a home semi-final in the promotion play-offs.
The Blues came into this game knowing that nothing less than a win would save them from the drop, and they were also counting on UL Bohs to do them a favour against Dolphin, so the motivational stakes could not have been higher.
Wegians started nervously and looked like a side bereft of confidence, and it was the Kildare men who dominated the opening quarter, threatening the Wegians line on several occasions. However for all their dominance, the Blues defence held sway and kept their line intact.
Wegians got a boost when an intercept by centre Rory Parata on his 10m line saw him race clear into opposition territory, and his clever kick ahead just eluded winger Alan McMahon. However Parata was impeded on his run which gave a chance for a shot on goal, and out-half Morgan Codyre made no mistake from in front of the posts to give the hosts a 3-0 lead.
With the aid of a stiff cross-breeze, the visitors kept up the pressure, and they finally managed to breech the Wegians rearguard just on the half-hour mark. It looked like Wegians would initially deal with an attacking threat, but when the ball went loose, Naas hooker Warren Larkin found himself unmarked with the line at his mercy and he dived over for the game’s opening score.
Cillian Dempsey scuffed the simple conversion to leave it at 5-3, and shortly afterwards a great hit by Parata on his opposite number Fionn Carr led to a penalty opportunity. Codyre again took full advantage to restore his side’s lead by the narrowest of margins at 6-5.
Arguably the turning point of the game came right on the stroke of half-time. With Wegians prop Martin Fox in the sin-bin, the ever-threatening Carr went on a sortee down the right flank. The ex-Connacht man easily brushed off three attempted tackles before feeding his winger Ben O’Connor who sauntered over unopposed for the simplest of scores. This time Dempsey converted to give his side a 12-6 lead at the break.
Wegians came out of the traps immediately on the restart, and when they were restored to 15 men and with the slight wind advantage at their backs, there were flickers of hope that they could regain their lead. They desperately needed the next score to keep themselves in contention, however the visitors dealt comfortably with the attacking threat and they soon took a stranglehold on the game, working their way back upfield.
For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.
New signing Cian Kelleher will make his competitive debut lining out at fullback for Connacht against Galsgow tomorrow (5.15pm). The 22-year-old is named in a back three with Niyi Adeolokun and Irish international Matt Healy.
Eoin Griffin has been handed the number 13 shirt for his return to the Sportsground after two seasons with London Irish. The 25-year-old from Galway will partner last season’s PRO12 Players’ Player Bundee Aki in midfield.
In the pack, Denis Buckley makes a welcome return to the front row after his lengthy lay off recovering from an ankle injury. Internationals Finlay Bealham and Ultan Dillane are also named and Nepia Fox-Matamua returns to start in the back row with Eoin McKeon and captain John Muldoon.
From the bench, Lewis Stevenson is in line to make his full Connacht debut and Kieran Marmion comes in as the replacement scrum half.
Commenting on the team selection and the upcoming game, head coach Pat Lam said:
“What an exciting game to kick off a new season at home where we have two teams who really like to express themselves. Games against Glasgow are always tough and uncompromising and with their impressive selection of international players, we expect that to be no different tomorrow.
“It’s a new season and a somewhat new-look side with just eight who started at Murrayfield in May lining out tomorrow. Today is the last time all 12 teams will be level on points. With five points on offer now our focus is on the process which will give us the best chance of winning.
“Starting the championship at home is a huge boost and we’re looking forward to experiencing the magical atmosphere here at the Sportsground once again come 5:15.”
Connacht team to face Glasgow Warriors, Saturday 3rd September, the Sportsground, 5:15pm
15 Cian Kelleher
14 Niyi Adeolokun
13 Eoin Griffin
12 Bundee Aki
11 Matt Healy
10 Jack Carty
9 Caolin Blade
1 Denis Buckley
2 Tom McCartney
3 Finlay Bealham
4 Ultan Dillane
5 Danny Qualter
6 Eoin McKeon
7 Nepia Fox-Matamua
8 John Muldoon (captain)
Replacements:
16 Dave Heffernan
17 Ronan Loughney
18 JP Cooney
19 Lewis Stevenson
20 James Connolly
21 Kieran Marmion
22 Shane O’Leary
23 Peter Robb
For a full preview of the match and Connacht’s season see this week’s 24 page souvenir supplement free with the Tribune
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