Heineken Cup — Munster vs Gloucester
Posted on Friday, April 4, 2008Forget Bertie Ahern.
Forget Iraq.
Forget global warming.
Forget the banking crisis.
Tomorrow, Munster meet Gloucester in a make-or-break crunch game that will either see us progress to the semi-finals or crash out of the competition.
Already, we’re wondering why Tomás O Leary is in and Peter Stringer is out. Why there’s no place for Shaun Payne. If Paul O Connell is up to a full game. Why Foley isn’t in the starting fifteen. If Quinlan will keep his discipline. What magic Dougie Howlett will produce.
Make no mistake: this is a serious business, and folks around these parts are serious about it. The travelling multitude of Limerick people have already left for Gloucester, and those left behind are starting to wear that tell-tale anxious frown. Two years ago, when we beat Biarritz in the final, Bullet and myself were among that travelling host, and perhaps if we make it through this year, we might go again, but tomorrow we’ll have to settle for the telly, along with a hundred thousand other Limerick people.
Tomorrow will be a grim day of cheering and Guinness and hands over eyes and more beer and more cheering and hiding behind chairs and screaming and looking through your fingers and jumping up and down and with any luck everybody hugging each other and more Guinness. And a party one way or the other.
Grim work.
Serious business.
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UPDATE
Munster 16 — Gloucester 3
Well, that was a comprehensive win, wasn’t it? I take back everything I said about Declan Kidney’s selection. I was wrong. Tomás O Leary had a fine game at scrum half and so did Denis Hurley at full back.
Outstanding stuff.
There were no passengers on the Munster team. Everyone pulled their weight and some were absolutely faultless. Doug Howlett gave everything and was as effective in defence as he was in attack. The back three were simply beyond comparison, and Tipoki at number 13 was terrifying. Ian Dowling returned from injury at number 11 and showed the kind of skill as a winger that would earn him a place on any team in the world.
And that’s only the backs.
Do you want to talk about the forwards?
Paul O Connell? Massive.
Freddy Pucciarello? Savage as ever.
Donncha? Do you need to ask?
Denis Leamy? Maniac.
I could go on with this shit all night, but you wouldn’t listen. Look. Let’s just confirm that Munster went to the cauldron of Kingsholm, the home of Gloucester rugby, and dismissed the home team summarily.
But let’s not show disrespect to the Gloucester side. I was proud of Paul O Connell when he gave the post-match interview, because he didn’t gloat, nor should he. Paulie acknowledged that we were lucky when Chris Paterson missed the three penalty kicks, giving us momentum, and without that it could have been a lot different.
But it wasn’t, and now Munster march on to the semi-final. Keep the faith.
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Previously:
Munster 19 — London Wasps 3
Munster 36 - Clermont 13
Limehouse Dick comes good again
Limehouse Dick
Carer wanted
No More Heineken Cup?
Oh Yes, He’s the Great Zucchini
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Elsewhere:
Stumble it!
April 4th, 2008
what game is this in chess or something?
April 4th, 2008
I heard Bertie Ahern had a sex scandal in Iraq that caused global warming and it was paid for by the mighty Zimbabwe dollar.
April 5th, 2008
me nerves are at me up early on my day off
i have faith in declan that he knows what he’s doing’s least we need a result not a miracle this time
April 5th, 2008
Knudsen, by Jesus! I thought you were dead.
Mr Fan: Strange selection though.
April 6th, 2008
after the other results this weekend is our luck in this year. the young players really stepped up to the mark and tony buckley is looking like an huge prospect.so far so good a win next week in the magners league could set up the end of the munsters best ever season just one game at a time
April 6th, 2008
Paulie cooked one of my recipes the other day and loved it so I’ll take some credit please:) We also feed half of them but they never mention it on the telly - the cheek of some people:)
April 6th, 2008
Damn, Lorraine! Did you record Paulie cooking your grub? And if not, why not?
April 7th, 2008
Bock, have you checked out he fab recipes on Lorraine’s site. Holy Moley, mouth watering, seems like a must try to me.
April 7th, 2008
Not only that. I had the good fortune to meet Lorraine in person last week. So now!
April 8th, 2008
It was lovely to meet you too Bock, re Paulie I was too busy acting cool and pretending it was no big deal but in my head shouting - LEAVE A COMMENT ON THE BLOG AND TELL THE WORLD!! but no I just smiled and served him his food!! I nearly fell over myself trying to listen to him tell John Hayes about it over their soup! They take their food seriously these boys!!
June 17th, 2008
Draw just made for next seasons European Cup:
POOL 1:
Munster, Sale Sharks, Clermont, Montauban.
POOL 2:
Wasps, Leinster, Castres, Edinburgh
POOL 3:
Leicester, Perpignan, Ospreys, Treviso.
POOL 4:
SF Paris, Llanelli, Ulstersaysno, Harlequins
POOL 5:
Toulouse, Bath, Newport Dragons, Glasgow
POOOL 6:
Biarritz, Gloucester, Cardiff, Calvisano