Connacht Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread - Part II

Zzippy

Eagles team to play Dragons named. I don't recognise too many names. Are some of these club players drafted in?

15 Ciarán Gaffney
14 Adam Leavy
13 Cormac Brennan
12 Ed O’Keeffe
11 Jack Keegan
10 Conor McKeon (captain)
9 Conor Lowndes

1 Jacob Walshe
2 Pat O’Toole
3 Saba Meunargia
4 Cian Romaine
5 Ben Marshall
6 Marc Kelly
7 Rory Moloney
8 Stephen McVeigh

REPLACEMENTS

16 Jack Dinneen
17 Matthew Burke
18 Peter Claffey
19 Cillian Gallagher
20 Stephen Kerins
21 Aidan Moynihan
22 Simon Keller

errlloyd

Ben Marshall is back though, good news.

connachta

connachta wrote: »

With most of the Eagles team probably busy in Siberia, it will be difficult to have a competitive lineup for Dragons A

Smth like

1) Kyne/Walshe
2) Dineen
3) Menuargia
4) Romaine
5) Claffey (or Marshall if back)
6) Moloney
7) McVeigh
8 ) Kelly
9) Lowndes
10) McKeon
11) O'Keefe
12) Club player
13) Brennan
14) Club player
15) Gaffney

I Haven't predicted too badly..
Especially happy about Marshall come-back

wp_rathead

Didn't know Ed O'Keefe can play centre
Good to see Marshall back
Was hoping Poolman would be available for this
Rather surprised Pat O’Toole (Year 1 Academy) is starting ahead of Dinneen (Year 2)
Don't know our winger's
That's a good pack we have, Romaine is a great prospect

Unfortunate I'm working tomorrow at 3 and gonna miss it

Robbo

Brive beat Newcastle 13-9. Not entirely sure what to make of this.

Brive have had a reasonable start to the season domestically so I'd say they wanted to keep the home crowd happy so I hope they'll be sending a weaker team over next week?

b.gud

Robbo wrote: »

Brive beat Newcastle 13-9. Not entirely sure what to make of this.

Brive have had a reasonable start to the season domestically so I'd say they wanted to keep the home crowd happy so I hope they'll be sending a weaker team over next week?

Well Newcastle haven't won any games so far this season and are bottom of the premiership without even an lbp so I don't know if that win means that much

The Lost Sheep

Zzippy wrote: »

Eagles team to play Dragons named. I don't recognise too many names. Are some of these club players drafted in?

15 Ciarán Gaffney
14 Adam Leavy
13 Cormac Brennan
12 Ed O’Keeffe
11 Jack Keegan
10 Conor McKeon (captain)
9 Conor Lowndes

1 Jacob Walshe
2 Pat O’Toole
3 Saba Meunargia
4 Cian Romaine
5 Ben Marshall
6 Marc Kelly
7 Rory Moloney
8 Stephen McVeigh

REPLACEMENTS

16 Jack Dinneen
17 Matthew Burke
18 Peter Claffey
19 Cillian Gallagher
20 Stephen Kerins
21 Aidan Moynihan
22 Simon Keller

Most are in Academy/Sub Academy. All contracted in some form.

wp_rathead wrote: »

Didn't know Ed O'Keefe can play centre
Good to see Marshall back
Was hoping Poolman would be available for this
Rather surprised Pat O’Toole (Year 1 Academy) is starting ahead of Dinneen (Year 2)
Don't know our winger's
That's a good pack we have, Romaine is a great prospect

Unfortunate I'm working tomorrow at 3 and gonna miss it

E O'K has played centre at age grade and club level before.
Adam Leavy is a Dub, younger brother of Dan I think. Keegan is from Sligo.

flouncer

Well only a few minutes before kickoff. Having followed all the twitter posts from the team, if nothing else, this seems to have been a great team bonding exercise. Indeed I figure the guys left behind are feeling a bit jealous. Anyway here goes. Up and at them Connacht

Bazzo

I see the famous Russian spin was put on the expected attendance of 20,000+

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Bazzo wrote: »

I see the famous Russian spin was put on the expected attendance of 20,000+

It's -26, maybe some had more sense.

nobbo

Can't exactly see the ball once it goes loose

Bazzo

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

It's -26, maybe some had more sense.

Ah I'm only taking the piss. Crazy conditions. Glad I got up to watch it though, thoroughly entertaining.

wp_rathead

forgot how short matches are when ref doesn't stop the clock every two minutes :pac:

Kalyke

What Channel is it on?

Cosmo Kramer

It's finished, it was live on YouTube.

b.gud

Kalyke wrote: »

What Channel is it on?

It's over, it wasn't televised but there was an official, really high quality, YouTube stream

basillarkin

How many brave souls watched it live. 2000?

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Some great photos coming from it. Once in a lifetime kind of experience.

connachta

A BP, a great scrum, good performance by the youngsters (Dillane perfect, O'Brien ok, MacGinty and Robb impressive), no major injury despite -15°, and some pretty agreable rugby played during 2nd half!!! What more could you except??

connemara man

I'd say this match was the most covered of the provinces this week. Well from the little bits I caught of the radio. We were definitely the focus on some sports radio segments.

This match may have been a nightmare but its enhanced the teams profile immensely which can only be good.

Crimsonforce

Highlights available yet anywhere?

b.gud

Crimsonforce wrote: »

Highlights available yet anywhere?

Better still the live youtube stream can be replayed so you can see the whole match.

This was our 6th win in a row, just curious what is Connacht's longest winning streak?

Cosmo Kramer

b.gud wrote: »

Better still the live youtube stream can be replayed so you can see the whole match.

This was our 6th win in a row, just curious what is Connacht's longest winning streak?

Apparently this is. We have had quite a few fives in the past but never six in a row. I'm not sure if I read that on this thread or over on Connacht Clan.

freyners

I'm hesitant to draw many conclusions as there was a good circumstances to this game that wont be repeated in a long time (weather, travel time, pitch conditions)

Forwards as a whole were impressive. James Connolly has really impressed me every time he has played for the seniors. Unlucky the quality ahead of him is restricting him but I hope he stays with us for the years to come. Dillane is a beast

Gotta feel for Rory Parata, some of the softest hands going in the whole squad but with McSharry to come back and ronaldson and Aki playing so well together his game time is going to be heavily restricted. Another gorgeous pass (that may or may not have been forward) for Muldoons try

Aj looked good. Really testing conditions to play in but kept his composure and dealt with the rushing defence well

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Opinions on the Russian team? I only saw bits of the match this morning. Will they get a win somewhere along the way?

Crimsonforce

Sorry lads anyone point me to the game on you tube? Ill watch it now as all the other games are postponed...

hogandrew

Crimsonforce wrote: »

Sorry lads anyone point me to the game on you tube? Ill watch it now as all the other games are postponed...

It's on the first post of the match thread. The op has it at the bottom of the post

Crimsonforce

hogandrew wrote: »

It's on the first post of the match thread. The op has it at the bottom of the post

Thanks found it.

vienne86

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Opinions on the Russian team? I only saw bits of the match this morning. Will they get a win somewhere along the way?

I thought their skill levels were way below Connacht's.

case885

freyners wrote:

Gotta feel for Rory Parata, some of the softest hands going in the whole squad but with McSharry to come back and ronaldson and Aki playing so well together his game time is going to be heavily restricted. Another gorgeous pass (that may or may not have been forward) for Muldoons try

We'll welcome him back at Munster