Galwegians part ways with O'Sullivan

EDDIE O'SULLIVAN, who on Thursday resigned as coach to the Connacht senior team because of contractual problems - he has been replaced by former All Black booker Warren Gatland - has also lost his position as director of coaching with the Galwegians club.

O'Sullivan was informed in a one-minute phone call on Monday night by Michael Deacy, chairman of the Galwegians rugby committee, that the club would not be renewing his appointment as director of rugby.

"It came completely out of the blue and I am shocked and very disappointed," said O'Sullivan, who took up the position with the club last season when Galwegians regained the Connacht Senior Cup after 10 years.

"Basically it was a question that we could not agree terms with Eddie and we decided at a meeting on Monday night to dispense with the position of director of rugby and run with another structure," said Galwegians honorary secretary Shane O'Mahony yesterday. "Obviously we are sorry to lose him. I do not really want to add anything further to that"

As I understand the position, Galwegians made an offer to O'Sullivan which was not initially accepted.

The decision not to alter the offer was taken by the Galwegians Board of management, which is part of the new structure of the club. O'Sullivan had expected to work as director of rugby with two coaches, Joe Healy and Bart Fannin.

"I did not have a contract with the club," said O'Sullivan. "We started training last week and I had an amicable discussion with officials and, as I understood the position, I expected the club to come back to me with a proposal. There was no further contact or nothing further happened until I got the phone call telling me of their decision that I was no longer required.

"I asked Michael Deacy if there was any point in discussing the issue and he said no and that the decision had been taken not to renew my appointment. The conversation was as brief as that, it scarcely lasted a minute, " said O'Sullivan yesterday.

"While I would not have been able to combine coaching Connacht with my duties as a teacher, and that was one of the factors in my resignation, I had no such problems with regard to coaching Galwegians and I was looking forward to doing so. I hope there is no connection between my resignation as Connacht coach and the decision taken by Galwegians to terminate our association," added O'Sullivan.

Galwegians cancelled their first three fixtures of the season, against Shannon, Monkstown and Garryowen, as they felt that there would be no point in playing the matches when they had not resumed full training until last week, and also because they would have had to field weakened teams. They are preparing now for the start of the Connacht Senior League and the All Ireland League. The decision to cancel the fixtures had been taken on O'Sullivan's advice.

One wonders if Galwegians will call in Gatland to help with their coaching when he arrives in Galway. He linked up with the Connacht team in Sweden yesterday. He will coach Connacht until the end of November. He has strong connections with Galwegians, as he coached the club for over three years in the early part of the decade.

O'Sullivan was coach to the Ireland under-21 team that won the Triple Crown last season. The IRFU is expected to ratify the appointments of the Ireland A team coach and manager and the under-21 coach and manager at a meeting on Friday. That ratification will come after the recommendation of the election subcommittee to the union.

ray Coughlan and Dave haslett are manager and coach respectively to the A team and it is anticipated that both will be reappointed. David Irwin is manager of the under-21 team with O'Sullivan as coach. Both have ability. Those positions with the A and under-21 sides are honorary and consequently unpaid posts.

Paul Burke and David Corkery, who were told last week by Bristol that they would not be released to play for Munster in the European Cup, are still retaining some hope that the club might reverse that decision. Corkery said yesterday: "While I am very happy playing for Bristol and especially pleased that we beat London Irish last Saturday, I am very disappointed with that decision. Playing for Munster is close to my heart. I will be talking to our coach Alan Davis to try and get that decision reversed. The problem is Bristol are in the European Conference. But I intend to point out that all the other clubs in England are releasing their Irish players to play for their provinces."

Burke said: "As of now, we have been refused permission to play for Munster. I am still hoping that there might be a change of heart. I will be contacting Ireland manager Pat Whelan and maybe he may be able to intervene.

The Leinster Senior League gets under way next Saturday. Quite apart from the fact that an Ireland side is due to play Munster on Sunday in Limerick, the current tours of Leinster to Italy and Connacht to Sweden mean that many clubs will not be able to call on representative players. But the Leinster league, in any case, has among its aims helping player development and was, like the other provincial leagues, put in place to give clubs competition during the interprovincial and European Cup series. But there is nothing to prevent clubs from selecting their strongest teams when their players are available.

The Leinster party is due to arrive back in Dublin on Saturday evening and consequently, with one exception, those clubs who have announced their teams have not included their Leinster squad players.

However, Old Belvedere have chosen two of the Leinster players currently in Italy, Paddy Gavin and Neil Francis, in their side to meet Clontarf at Anglesea Road. Obviously, the Old Belvedere pair are hoping to travel home ahead of their colleagues. Francis has been selected to play at number eight and Gavin in his customary wing berth. Francis has, of course, played at number eight in the past, and in tact figured for Ireland in the position in the 1987 World Cup.

Old Belvedere, coached this season by former All Black scrum-half Bruce Deans, including new recruit Paul Allen from Old Wesley in the centre.

Greystones have left two vacancies in their team to laced newly-promoted senior team Suttonians. Wanderers will be without new recruit Owen Cobbe, the former Ireland under-21 out-half, and wing Dermot Finnegan for their match against Bective Rangers.

St Mary's College, who lost the services of internationals Vincent Cunningham, Nicky Barry and Victor Costello and A international Malcolm O'Kelly during the summer, will be without their Connacht and Leinster squad players for their tie against the league champions Terenure College. St Mary's will also be without their Ireland under-21 and senior interprovincial out-half Fergal Campion in the initial stages of the season. He is still recovering from the leg injury he sustained playing for Ireland in the Students World Cup. Although the Old Wesley and Blackrock College match is scheduled for Sunday, Wesley have not included Leinster players Chris Pim and Greg Duffy in their team.