Muldoon trying to keep emotions in check ahead of farewell game

Talking Sport with Stephen Glennon

The iconic embodiment of modern day Connacht Rugby, captain John Muldoon, will bid farewell to a professional playing career that has left an indelible mark on not just Galway but on the West of Ireland sporting landscape as a whole when he hangs up his boots after this Saturday’s PRO14 game against Leinster.

Four days before he is to bring down the curtain on an illustrious career that saw him lead the province to the PRO12 crown in May 2016, Muldoon is just trying to keep his thoughts and emotions on this landmark event at arm’s length. It is not easy.

Ahead of Connacht’s final fixture of the season, the powers-that-be at the Sportsground have added additional terracing and advised supporters to get to venue up to two hours in advance of kick-off, such is the volume of crowd they are expecting to pay tribute to a man that has inspired them as a player and as a person.

“I don’t want a big deal to be made of it,” remarks the Portumna native as he settles in for a quick chat with Talking Sport on Tuesday before the Connacht press conference takes places a little later. “I have been contemplating retirement now for about 18 months – before Pat (Lam) left – so it has kind of been a slow burner.”

Indeed, just the week previous, he touched base with Connacht’s marketing team in an effort “to keep a lid on this somehow” but he now concedes that this is now unlikely to happen and laughs that he is “just going to have to sit and suffer for the next couple of days”.

The well-wishes have been pouring in for a player who has epitomised the journey Connacht Rugby has been on since 2003.

“Without sounding arrogant, I have been around the city and around Connacht Rugby for a long time. I suppose, a lot of people would look at me in terms of Connacht Rugby and the journey it has been on and would relate with me through that.

“So, I am appreciative of that and I am appreciative of all the sincere wishes that have come in over the last couple of weeks and I am sure over the next couple of days as well. Just for me, I don’t feel I deserve anything bigger than anybody else. There have been lots of good people who have worn the jersey and continue to be in the jersey. I don’t feel I deserve anything more than them.”

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.