Munster vs Connacht, Sat 23 March 5:45pm, Live on TG4

CIARAN_BOYLE

Wexfordboy89 wrote: »

whats the score??

22-0 Munster beseiging the Connacht try line looking for a bp 4th try

trouttrout

Connacht defense is fantastic considering they really have nothing left to play for

Spudmonkey

Williams fires the ball at POCs face from five feet away.

thomond2006

That's any slim hope of reaching the playoffs gone now. No excuse, Munster had plenty of time to get a fourth try.

Rightwing

Poor attacking play from Munster, we need Zebo back asap. POC v good, great to have him back.

thomond2006

POC outstanding but the team performance must improve for next week, where Munster have a big test in Glasgow.

Quint2010

Great to see POC back. He was absolutely class tonight. How Munster and Ireland missed him.

CatFromHue

Not a great result for the neutral here. A Munster win without a bonus point is not enough to make it interesting for their battle for a play off spot, it's too little, and a Connacht loss rules out any chance of Connacht getting the third HEC spot for next season.

That loss is pretty much it for this season for Connacht now.

Rightwing

POC for Lions captain if he can stay fit. Best man for the job.

sioda

Game went very down hill after Sheridan went off. Williams is just awful slow across the park and slow feeding the ball

Judgement Day

22-0 I'll take that despite the lack of a bonus point try - good to see the boys back to winning ways. Sheridan outstanding and great to see Paulie back.

cityman 18

From a Connacht point of view that was a really really poor performance. Very few positives (if any). We always have a howler when we're away to Munster and Ulster for some reason. George looks like a fish out of water in the second row. Muldoon is no number 8 either. Felt we had a real chance of getting a result tonight and i was certain we'd at least see a performance, unfortunately we got neither. Great to see POC back from a national team pov, how he was missed this spring.

wp_rathead

Connacht summary:
SHI!TE

thomond2006

sioda wrote: »

Game went very down hill after Sheridan went off. Williams is just awful slow across the park and slow feeding the ball

I actually thought Williams was ok, compared to other showings. It still doesn't justify why Sheridan was replaced.

You have to give credit to Connacht for not allowing a cheap try at the end.

trouttrout

thomond2006 wrote: »

I actually thought Williams was ok, compared to other showings. It still doesn't justify why Sheridan was replaced.

You have to give credit to Connacht for not allowing a cheap try at the end.

Ya Williams was fine, certainly not his fault we didn't get the bp

Shelflife

Connacht were poor, two good breaks that should have been converted and a brainfart from kearney (I thought a YC was a bit much).

Munster are like the bully outside the shop who take the icecream from the little boy (Connacht) they are cuter with what they get away with, dummy runners interfering in the defensive line and then coming into the ruck from an off side position, slowing the ball down all the time, Archer didnt bind once properly at the scrum, obstruction etc etc.

Dont get me wrong, its up to the ref to spot this and Connacht really seem to be the innocent kid in trying to deal with it. Its good play from Munster because they dont get caught at it and connacht let them away with it.

Solid play from Munster, they simply would let us play with their ball. Good to see POC back.Connacht have a lot to learn.

ouncer

connacht were dreadful. but then the insanity continues. yes i pointed out henshaw has no future at 15 prior to the game but then to have macca and mckeon on the bench when available shows how daft the selection process is in connacht. this was potentially a game that connacht could have won, just not with the players they fielded. more daft connacht insanity

trouttrout

ouncer wrote: »

connacht were dreadful. but then the insanity continues. yes i pointed out henshaw has no future at 15 prior to the game but then to have macca and mckeon on the bench when available shows how daft the selection process is in connacht. this was potentially a game that connacht could have won, just not with the players they fielded. more daft connacht insanity

The only daft thing here is this post

McCarthy could not have started due to the player management rules

Henshaw doesn't have a future at 15? Maybe not because he's been played elsewhere in the past but I'm not sure how you can say he doesn't have a future at full back based on tonight's performance.

thomond2006

ouncer wrote: »

connacht were dreadful. but then the insanity continues. yes i pointed out henshaw has no future at 15 prior to the game but then to have macca and mckeon on the bench when available shows how daft the selection process is in connacht. this was potentially a game that connacht could have won, just not with the players they fielded. more daft connacht insanity

Would have made no difference who played for Connacht, result would have been the same.

jamiedav2011

thomond2006 wrote: »

Would have made no difference who played for Connacht, result would have been the same.

What?!
So Munster were that good that Connacht could have done nothing eh?

thomond2006

jamiedav2011 wrote: »

What?!
So Munster were that good that Connacht could have done nothing eh?

Munster won comfortably tonight. Would a different fullback, McKeon and McCarthy have changed who won that game? Hardly.

jamiedav2011

thomond2006 wrote: »

Munster won comfortably tonight. Would a different fullback, McKeon and McCarthy have changed who won that game? Hardly.

Who knows, McCarthy certainly would, as the Kearney yellow was a major turning point, as would McSharry. Starting Buckley and Vainakolo would also have been a step up.
In any case, that line is fairly full of yourself, Connacht were poor, Munster were better than previously, but hardly an epic performance that Connacht could do nothing about now.

thomond2006

jamiedav2011 wrote: »

Who knows, McCarthy certainly would, as the Kearney yellow was a major turning point, as would McSharry. Starting Buckley and Vainakolo would also have been a step up.
In any case, that line is fairly full of yourself, Connacht were poor, Munster were better than previously, but hardly an epic performance that Connacht could do nothing about now.

I never said Munster were "epic". Those Connacht players would have made the scoreline closer but Munster would have still won, in the context of what transpired tonight.

And no, I'm not "full of myself", I'm just typing what I think.

its_phil

jamiedav2011 wrote: »

What?!
So Munster were that good that Connacht could have done nothing eh?

If Paul O'Connell decides Munster will win, there is nothing Connacht or any other teams can do!

Munster decided to target Murphy in the 12 channel and that is how they made all their hard yards. Switching off at the side of the rucks is a constant problem for us. Line speed wasnt great either.

Game was beyond us after Kearney made that tackle, but then again Poolman and Marmion went close.

Couple positives to take was our performance at the breakdown especially Faloon and Eoin Griffin is becoming a monster in defence for us. He is so quick getting back on his feet and contesting.

Munster were deserving of the win and the scoreline was a fair reflection but I think a TBP would have been harsh.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Murphy was badly exposed tonight. Does anyone know what the story is with Tonetti?? Is he injured? He is much better center cover than Murphy.

culchienator

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

Murphy was badly exposed tonight. Does anyone know what the story is with Tonetti?? Is he injured? He is much better center cover than Murphy.

He's been out with a shoulder injury for the last month or so I believe. His season has really been ruined by injury.

its_phil

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

Murphy was badly exposed tonight. Does anyone know what the story is with Tonetti?? Is he injured? He is much better center cover than Murphy.

Tonetti isn't just cover. He is just as capable of giving a performance as Griffin or McSharry. He was outstanding vs the Ospreys this year. We've missed him this year.

I'd still give Murphy a contract for next year. He has been good in other games this year.

.ak

jamiedav2011 wrote: »

Who knows, McCarthy certainly would, as the Kearney yellow was a major turning point, as would McSharry. Starting Buckley and Vainakolo would also have been a step up.
In any case, that line is fairly full of yourself, Connacht were poor, Munster were better than previously, but hardly an epic performance that Connacht could do nothing about now.

Way OTT, no more jabs please.

CIARAN_BOYLE

its_phil wrote: »

Tonetti isn't just cover. He is just as capable of giving a performance as Griffin or McSharry. He was outstanding vs the Ospreys this year. We've missed him this year.

I'd still give Murphy a contract for next year. He has been good in other games this year.

True Tonetti is a good option to have however I prefer the McSharry Griffin partnership when available so Tonetti as the next best center would be considered as cover.

To be honest I'd hold off on renewing Murphy's contract. If Munster can pick up a squad center from another province who is free at the end of the season, perhaps Barnes or Dineen (I think both of their contracts expire this season) then Murphy could be let go. If they can't I'd sign him up for another season.

Borders no.2

CatFromHue wrote: »

Not a great result for the neutral here. A Munster win without a bonus point is not enough to make it interesting for their battle for a play off spot, it's too little, and a Connacht loss rules out any chance of Connacht getting the third HEC spot for next season.

That loss is pretty much it for this season for Connacht now.

Maybe in HC terms but that was never a realistic objective, maybe if we'd won the corresponding fixture back in Galway and the home games against Edinburgh and Cardiff we'd have had a shot but even with an unlikely win tonight it would still have been a long shot, 7th or at least 8th were Connacht's objective for this season imo. Its looking difficult now but in the context of the season Treviso away next week is a much bigger game than tonight and Connacht better bring a much more determined and cohesive game to Italy next week or Treviso will make mince meat of them up front.