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Jack Carty in action in Bloemfontein, Photosport/Frikkie Kapp/INPHO

'Like a morgue in there': Keane laments Connacht's missed opportunities in SA

The province went down to a last-minute defeat in South Africa yesterday evening.

CONNACHT COACH KIERAN Keane lamented missed opportunities during his team’s last-minute 26-25 loss to the Toyota Cheetahs on Saturday evening.

Cheetahs out-half, Niel Marais slotted a last-minute penalty to deny Connacht the distinction of becoming just the second away team after Glasgow Warriors to win a Pro14 match in Bloemfontein.

This has put a serious dent in former champions’ chances of making the play-offs and has allowed no room for slip up against Edinburgh, Leinster, Glasgow and Ospreys in the coming weeks.

Following the defeat the disappointment was visible and Keane indicated that had the province made better use of the opportunities on offer they would have boarded the flight back to Galway on Sunday morning with four points in the bag.

“That was like a morgue in there from the boys. We didn’t come all the way here to make the numbers up, we came here to give our best and do our best,” the head coach said afterwards.

“For probably 95 per cent of the time we did, but there we lost in the last few minutes. It is gut-wrenching for everybody to come this far and fall at the last hurdle.

“We had some opportunities. We fluffed a couple of opportunities, just to put a margin out there and to make it mentally tough for them.

“If you recall a few minutes prior to all the other business with the set pieces we actually had them on the ropes and we were doing well. If we had nailed that, we would have won the game.”

Man of the match Matt Healy scored a brace of tries down the left following good team play by the visitors. Near perfect conditions in the City of Roses lent itself to an expansive game and this is exactly what both sides were targeting.

Niel Marais kicks at goal Niel Marais kicked the match-winning score. Photosport / Frikkie Kapp/INPHO Photosport / Frikkie Kapp/INPHO / Frikkie Kapp/INPHO

“The Cheetahs are a team that play with a lot of width and we felt that the conditions are going to suite our game to play with width as well. That would have been a priory for us if the conditions allowed it,” said Healy.

“I thought that the couple of tries that were got were great team tries, and that was off the back of putting them under pressure at the right times and as KK (Kieran Keane) said it was just a couple of slip ups we fell down on.”

Towards the later stages Connacht were looking fatigued due largely to the altitude in the Free State, and so too were the hosts. The Cheetahs skipper, Francois Venter, conceded that the pitch was heavy on the night.

Healy felt that cramp and the other side effects were not a valid excuse for the defeat.

“I thought we were in great shape coming into the game. We had a really great week in Bloemfontein. Our strength and conditions staff had us in really top shape. We recovered really well after all our sessions during the week.

“We were right in the game, yes, a couple of guys were cramping towards the end of the half, but look it is no excuse, we got beaten at the end.”

Connacht’s next game in the Pro14 will be on 23 March when they entertain Edinburgh at the Sportsgrounds in Galway.​

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    Mute Norris Kevin
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    Sep 19th 2016, 7:37 AM

    The rules are the rules and he’s right they were not applied consistently and as the manager of Dublin he should be grateful. In the first half, McCauley should have been carded for a deliberate trip and Connolly should have been gone for dragging a player to the ground.

    on the Sunday Game last night the panel were suggesting that the was no difference between the shoulder by Aidan o Shea in his run up to the referee and McCarthys except there was. The latters was a block to take a defender out which is cynical and hence the black card. IMO it was the harshest of the 3 Dublin instances in the first half.

    This is not an anti Dublin comment btw. Mayos OConnor and OShea should also have been black carded for cynical fouling also.

    Given that there was only 1 black card shown and in my view for probably the least of the instances it was very harsh.

    Overall I thought the ref had a poor game.

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    Mute BMJF
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    Sep 19th 2016, 9:58 AM

    I think you need to replay the incident – Dublin had the ball in their OWN back line so McCarthy could not be accused of taking out a ‘defender’ – Dublin were 10yards from their own goal and had comfortable possession. There was nothing to be gained by McCarthy deliberately barging. Spirit of Rule is about punishing players who cynically take guys out with the ball or off the ball when a team is ATTACKING WITH THE BALL. MAyo didn’t have the ball and no one was attacking

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    Mute Micheal S. O' Ceilleachair
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    Sep 19th 2016, 10:11 AM

    Ah! But you must know that if the ref gave out black cards to all who deserved them he would have “spoiled the game as a spectacle!!!!!!!!”.

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    Mute Lad
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    Sep 19th 2016, 1:23 PM

    @BMJF I don’t think you know much about football if you think it matters where on the field an offence occurred to determine what colour of a card you get. It’s a third man tackle, it’s effective everywhere on the field, as is dragging people down to waste time. If what your saying is true then every team would be doing that.. rules are rules there’s no spirit.

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    Mute James costigan
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    Sep 19th 2016, 6:54 AM

    Players put there lives on hold to play in games like these to get a black for that was terrible decision.

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    Mute Liam Melia
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    Sep 19th 2016, 6:32 AM

    Nothing about Macauley there Jim, just looking for some consistency.

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    Mute David Carolan
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    Sep 19th 2016, 7:12 AM

    What about OShea should have gone OConnor should have gone too

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    Mute Frainc Ó Broin
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    Sep 19th 2016, 7:12 AM

    @Liam Melia: he didnt say consistency against Mayo, he just said consistency.

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    Mute Augustus hoop
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    Sep 19th 2016, 7:25 AM

    Yeah to be fair – he was talking about the type of incident that McCarthy was black carded for…. O’Connor had one, right in front of ref that was way more cynical. For me mccarthys wasn’t a card (what could he do in the conditions), oconnors was.
    Though I agree McCauley (twice) and Connolly probably deserved black cards. As did o’shea.
    There were other inconsistencies, the ref called one free for over-carrying, yet there were loads of incidents of it (including by parsons in the very next play) that didn’t get called.

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    Mute Curragh Bill
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    Sep 19th 2016, 8:31 AM

    @Augustus hoop:
    Was it McAuley who made that high neck challenge, if so?, then on another day he would’ve got a straight red never mind a black.

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    Mute BMJF
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    Sep 19th 2016, 9:53 AM

    Ref obviously deemed that McCauley’s wasn’t ‘deliberate’! You can name every player and every incident! The card is a mess and it needs to go. Replace it with straight red for pulling a guy down on way to go which is where this came from in the first place – Cavanagh rugby tackle on Monaghan attacker

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    Mute BMJF
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    Sep 19th 2016, 9:55 AM

    It was an awkward challenge after having legally dislodged the ball. I don’t think people appreciate just how slippy the pitch is. He won the ball fairly and then grabbed his man as momentum carried him through. He did grab him around the neck but it was awkwardness rather than anything malicious

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    Mute Augustus hoop
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    Sep 19th 2016, 10:14 AM

    I’m a dub and I thought it was an awful challenge! Tho I also thought the one on John small, when he was cleaned out off the ball (which we didn’t even get a replay on) was also awful.

    But as you say this tit for tat (green/blue tinted) all your lads should have been sent off, but none of ours, is just ridiculous. The ref wasn’t great, but he (having watched it more calmly again – obviously first time around I felt he was anti-Dublin) didn’t advantage one team over the other.

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    Mute Augustus hoop
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    Sep 19th 2016, 10:19 AM

    Ah great timing Declan. I mention green-tinted and you appear.
    You are right tho, despite all replays showing Keegan starting it (and everyone knowing all week that part of his role was always going to be to rile Connolly up)….. it was all Connolly.
    The cheek of Joe Brolly to comment ‘isn’t it amazing how everyone lee Keegan has ever marked gets booked for wrestling with him’.

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    Mute Ciaran Morgan
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    Sep 19th 2016, 10:59 AM

    Great post declan. You display excellent knowledge of the game. One thing, what exactly does the first sentence of your post mean?

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    Mute Emmett McNamara
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    Sep 19th 2016, 8:36 AM

    Mayo are a despicable rabble. Constant diving dragging pulling and cheating. A horrible team who will never get their grubby paws on Sam. Back in your box Mayo. You blew it

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    Mute Skim Coat
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    Sep 19th 2016, 8:54 AM

    There’s was only one team 5 points u p at half time and one team 3 points up with minutes left. It’s not Mayo who blew it!!!

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    Mute Emmett McNamara
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    Sep 19th 2016, 8:59 AM

    @Skim Coat: how many minutes?

    Dublin were shit and all you fans knew to win you would have to meet Dublin on an off day. You got exactly what you wanted and still managed to spill the tea. Stop cheating constantly and focus on ball and you might do it some day. Roll on replay

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    Mute Spoddgy
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    Sep 19th 2016, 9:18 AM

    I’d respect your opinion emmet if you knew your arse from your elbow but you wouldn’t know anything about football if it smacked you in the mouth! I’d say we blew it there to be honest!

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    Mute Emmett McNamara
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    Sep 19th 2016, 9:40 AM

    @Spoddgy: I was at the game and witnessed the constant cheating. Especially off the ball. The ref was completely out of his depth too which didn’t help. He was conned for the black card.

    Mayo have become, through constant heartache, the most cynical team in Ireland. If it was Tyrone there would be calls for them to be banned.

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    Mute Paul
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    Sep 19th 2016, 9:49 AM

    Emmett

    You make out as if Dublin would never do any of those things…..

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    Mute Emmett McNamara
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    Sep 19th 2016, 10:06 AM

    @Paul: Every top team operates on the edge of the rules. Mayo break them constantly. The absolute state of their tackling. They lack discipline and resort to fouling. If we get a decent ref the next day it will be Dublin by 7 points

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    Mute Emmett McNamara
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    Sep 19th 2016, 10:09 AM

    @Gerry Healy: your’e worse than Catherine Noone

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    Mute Skim Coat
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    Sep 19th 2016, 10:47 AM

    Emmett ya haven’t a clue. Mayo played by the rules. As did Dublin. Yes there was a couple of dodgy decisions against both teams but I think to be fair to ref he let it flow as much as possible which resulted in a great game. Now stop talking rubbish good boy.

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    Mute Peter Mc Hugh
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    Sep 19th 2016, 9:12 AM

    They need a stronger ref for the replay, one who will apply the rules consistently to both teams. I’m amazed there were not more fist fights yesterday, the ref seemed to have no real control at times.

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    Mute Conor Pocock
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    Sep 19th 2016, 12:32 PM

    Unfortunately for the GAA in general there is only one David Coldrick.

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    Mute Dave cullen
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    Sep 19th 2016, 9:38 AM

    Ref done his best for Mayo,thought the days of the referee being biased were gone.

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    Mute Emmett McNamara
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    Sep 19th 2016, 10:38 AM

    @Dave cullen: it was the same in drawn semi last year

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    Mute Declan McDermott
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    Sep 19th 2016, 1:56 PM

    Look the truth of it is, diarmuid Connolly is one of the best Footballers in the country, Lee Keegan has done such a great job in every final encounter that Connolly has only scored 5 points against mayo in the last few all Ireland finals, whatever you say about him starting fights he is an amazing defender

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    Mute John
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    Sep 19th 2016, 11:26 AM

    Don’t mind the referee or the players, the absolute worst performance yesterday was the ‘Dublin Kit Man’.

    All that money spent in preparation went to shit because the players didn’t have long enough studs in their boots to be sure of their footing.

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    Mute Eugene Comaskey
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    Sep 19th 2016, 11:06 AM

    I think that the Ref. got McCarthy right enough as the rule stands. He did see O’Connor but kept going. McCauley should have gone on Black early on, in my opinion he hand in ripped an opponent and that is black as the rule stands. As well as that, McCauley was luck because he was a consistent fouler and should have been gone on two yellows early on. He actually committed at least four bookable ones . That is probably why they took him off, but he was playing poorly.All in all, it was a very poor game, as was the minor game. That is the level that these so called managers and tactitions have brought Gaelic football to.. It is now a bore of a game just like soccer.

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    Mute Dwayne Jordan
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    Sep 19th 2016, 1:43 PM

    Emmet and Dave both of you are talking complete rubbish.

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    Mute Gerry Healy
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    Sep 19th 2016, 10:58 AM

    The moderator on this thread is obviously an idiot, deleting legitimate comments.
    Actually, do me a favour and ban me from this site.

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    Mute Skim Coat
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    Sep 19th 2016, 11:19 AM

    You could just delete the app.

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    Mute Eoin
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    Sep 19th 2016, 8:51 PM

    Consistency for Dublin getting every decision in the semi final and the final ;-)

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