FROM THE ARCHIVES:In this article printed in The Irish Timeson Monday, November 24th, 1986, DEREK JONESdescribes the shock that greeted Connacht's 11-9 win over Munster at Thomond Park – a tie played in front of just 300 spectators
IT WAS almost like that sunny afternoon in Galway in 1979 when the green-clad Connacht players walked back to the dressingroom to a standing ovation after achieving their first win over Munster.
But this time it was slightly different, as only about 300 spectators were at Thomond Park to see another piece of rugby history being written with the men of the West winning in Munster’s backyard on what must have been one of the coldest days of the year and leaving Munster with the mythical “wooden spoon”.
It was cold, very windy and wet, with rain and hailstones, but none of this distracted from an impressive Connacht performance, especially in view of the massive hammerings they had taken from Leinster and Ulster in their previous interprovincial championship games.
With Ciarán Fitzgerald back as captain, the Connacht pack tore the hearts out of the Munster forwards, with Noel Mannion, John O’Driscoll and Mick Fitzgibbon making life unpleasant for Munster. And on this showing there is no better backrow forward in the country than the London-based O’Driscoll. He was superb.
Even Ireland skipper Donal Lenihan could do nothing about the display of the Connacht pack, nor could he reach the standard that has made him such a world-class forward. Nor could the other two current internationals in the Munster side, Michael Kiernan and Michael Bradley, come up with any solutions.
Indeed, the individual duel between Bradley and Galway student Conor McCarthy at the base of the scrums was quite fascinating, and this was not the first time I have been thoroughly impressed by McCarthy.
Munster can make a sort of case for their defeat by pointing to the loss through injury of Ralph Keyes and Brian Spillane, who never looked happy or fit from the start.
But even allowing for the fact the winning score came one minute into injury time, when the few who had braved the weather were stepping into the comfort of their cars, this Connacht triumph, particularly on the strength of their second-half efforts, was totally merited.
In a swirling wind that often had the players guessing and caused the ball to go into one of the local back gardens on three occasions, Munster had the upper hand in the first half. Pat Murray rounded off a move involving Keyes and Kiernan to go over for a try, which Kiernan converted.
Kiernan also landed a penalty goal, and Connacht’s only reply was a penalty goal by Brendan Moran which left Munster leading 9-3 at half-time.
But with the Connacht pack responding brilliantly to Fitzgerald’s leadership and O’Driscoll showing he holds a rightful place among a healthy stock of Irish backrow talent, Connacht took the game by the scruff of the neck after the break and decided to go one better than the draw they achieved at Thomond Park in 1974, which was their best result there until Saturday.
This pressure and perseverance in wretched conditions paid off 20 minutes after the interval when that nippy fullback Henry O’Toole sent Moran away on the right, and from the resultant ruck Fitzgibbon scored on the right of the posts. Moran’s kick for the conversion hit the near upright to deprive Connacht of drawing level 9-9.
When Michael Cosgrave, trying desperately to get the winning score, failed with a drop kick into the wind with one minute of injury time gone, Connacht’s cause looked doomed.
But then that superb forward quartet of Mannion. O’Driscoll, Fitzgibbon and Fitzgerald handled as though they were putting in claims for the three-quarter line.
Munster had no option but to backpedal as Collie Dunne, Cosgrave and O’Toole carried on until the retreating Munstermen finally collapsed altogether. Liam Mulcahy, one of eight western players based with Dublin clubs, put the finishing touch to a move that stretched fully 60 yards by going over for the dramatic winning score with only seconds remaining.
It was an amazing result to what was, overall, a disastrous season for Connacht, who had 104 points scored against them by Leinster, Ulster and the touring Canadians.
CONNACHT: H O’Toole (Corinthians); B Moran (Waterpark), L Mulcahy (Terenure), M Cosgrave (Wanderers), MP Farrell (UCG); C Dunn (Wanderers), C McCarthy (UCG); T Clancy (Lansdowne), C Fitzgerald (St Mary’s), D Henshaw (Athlone); M Tarpey (St Mary’s), M Moylett (Shannon); N Mannion (Wanderers), J O’Driscoll (London Irish), M Fitzgibbon (Dublin University).
MUNSTER: P Murray (Old Crescent); E O’Sulllvan (Garryowen), M Finn (Constitution), M Kiernan (Dolphin), G O’Kelly (Dolphin); R Keyes (Constitution), M Bradley (Constitution); T Healy (Shannon), D Kingston (Dolphin), P McCarthy (Dolphin); D Lenihan (Constitution), R Costello (Old Crescent); G McMahon (Shannon), B Spillane (Bohemians), P O’Hara (Sunday’s Well). Replacements: T Lenihan (Bohemians) for Keyes (22 mins), N O’Donovan (Shannon) for Spillane (27 mins).
Referee: O Doyle (Leinster).
