JUST WHEN CONNACHT had appeared to have scraped and scrapped enough to win a place at the top table, they are slapped down.
With loose talk of poaching flying back and forth in recent weeks, today’s confirmation that Mike McCarthy will scrum down with Leinster next season is tough to take for the western province, but they will simply have to grimace and bear it.
Mike McCarthy is out of contract at the end of the season. No matter how much Connacht contributed to his current status, they cannot lay claim to him beyond that.
At 31 years of age the London-born lock will no doubt remain grateful to his current club for the opportunity to show his worth and play rugby at the top level. They have given McCarthy a platform to push onto the international stage. And there, in Paul O’Connell’s absence, he continued to excel.
Was the rugby world supposed to ignore him as if he was their best mate’s ex-girlfriend? ’No, we can’t go near Mike, he’s got roots in the west.’
It’s easy to whip up some faux-rage in support of the underdog, especially when the poor are being ‘robbed’ for the benefit of the rich and successful. Fingers will inevitably be pointed to the recent examples of Leinster snapping up Fionn Carr, Sean Cronin and Isaac Boss, but this is sport.
Problem solved
Leinster have a long-standing problem in the tight-head side of the second row. Since Nathan Hines’ departure nobody – whether by fitness or fallibility – has been able to nail the place down.
When McCarthy does show up in UCD for pre-season training next (barring a bolt for the Lions tour) August, he will viewed as first choice ahead of another Connacht lock, Damian Browne. But Leinster ‘targeted’ Browne as a Brive player, so that makes it okay.
There will be some horse-trading in in the new year and Connacht will use their sense of injustice to wrangle a replacement from the other provinces.
It would be nice if the new director of rugby appointed by the IRFU to smooth relations between the provinces could ensure that Connacht were not just getting players who are surplus to requirements, but stars in the making who need to do more than being a 24th man in a match-day squad or experienced heads with plenty left to give.
With a return across the Shannon a possibility for Cronin and Carr, and a move for Jordi Murphy also mooted, Connacht’s squad will not be left entirely stripped.
Besides, the chances are that Eric Elwood’s successor won’t have a Heineken Cup campaign to fret over. It’s worth remembering that they would not have had an opportunity to knock lumps out of Harlequins and Biarritz if it were not for the astonishing feat of Leinster.
Pic: INPHO/James Crombie
Much as we would all like four provinces working towards one goal, dividing resources so that we have four clubs of equal standing, they are not all in this fight together. These are competing entities and Tom Sears’ assertion that this move is bad for Irish Rugby is wide of the mark.
Of course, Connacht would have loved to keep McCarthy. Plenty if clubs would have happily shelled out more than the IRFU are offering for a second row who has proved himself against top-tier opposition.
It’s a painful blow to take, but this is precisely what made players like Eric Elwood and John Muldoon so special. Not everyone is of a mind to stick it out in Galway when the chance of playing at a consistently high level comes around.
At 31, McCarthy was unlikely to get another shot at the big-time. He is a professional, and Connacht should enjoy his talents while still at their disposal.
No better opportunity for that than 29 December when the RDS will host the warring factions.
Has trap gone senile. McClean was one of the best Irish players in the premier league last year and he brings on Cox!
I’m sure the captain of d titanic was similarly positive and optimistic after striking d iceberg!
Rose coloured glasses
Don’t believe in miracles…Depend on them
No Trap…we were brutal last night…brutal!
If the lads can keep the score down to 3-0 it would be great.
We’ll be lucky to keep it to 3 nil by half time against Spain.
I see your point Wolf, cause itd be a shame for us to win 4 or 5 nil only to lose to Italy, we dont wanna be getting false hope :D
Definition of insanity. Keep doing the same things and to think you can get different results. I really really want to be wrong but I cannot see anything but a thrashing from the Spanish. I would love it to be wrong!!!! So I will keep hoping.. But Jayzus apart from 15 mins we lack all imagination. I went to every game in the Aviva and it was excruciatingly boring. Anyways here’s hoping. But uz all know what I mean
Comical Trapattoni
Will people ever give Trap a break. He picked the players who helped this country to get to the European Championships.
Jaysus, would all the Negatrons give it a break already.
I also don’t agree with the way he sets up Ireland (i.e. no midfield), but maybe he knows the teams limits better than us casual observers do (he does have a little more experience ;-).
It is the first time that we have been in a major tournament in 10 years, I for one will make the most of it and wish the lads all the best, like Irish fans used to.
We are in a bloody tough group and we always knew that this was going to be difficult. I can’t wait to see McLean in action, but is he expected to transfer us into Brazil or something? Also I kind of agree with Trap that throwing him on against Spain for his competitive debut could go great, but also backfire horribly – his time will come (I think he should come on as a sub to gain some experience).
Think of it this way, would most of you out there prefer that we weren’t in the competition? I have been waiting 24 years since the last time we were in the Euros and will enjoy every moment!
If we could PASS the ball ( forward not backwards as we did) we might have a chance but under Trap it seems unlikely as he has been far too rigid
No adaptability
I looked back at some of the match and we couldn’t keep the damn ball in our possession. Stupid play and some aimless passing. Trap has a different opinion, What the hell was he lookin at? And if he doesn’t play mc clean, how the hell is he going to get the experience he talks about? He looked experienced enough this year in the league…..
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again Trap is senile and deluded. Everyone from Ireland to Ukraine that saw the match knows we were crap but he thinks we played well. Time for him to go can’t stand another campaign of the same crap, give the job to Brady
Yes. Everyone remembers what a glorious success Brady was at with Celtic
Trap’s style of play has been criticised as being negative. Reading the comments here one could say he seems to have found a way for the team to perfectly reflect the national psyche. I for one understand the frustration but fck it, if we’re goin down let’s go down singin boys and girls. Let’s not just be positive let’s be mind bogglingly hyper speed engage the warp drive Mr. Scott positive! No we won’t beat the Spanish we’ll effin slaughter them, in fact it’ll be the biggest defeat since the Armada! Not only will they not know what hit them but we’ll hit, bag and tag em, go down to the pub, get pissed, wake up and recover from the hangover before they even realise what hit them! There won’t be 11 Irish players on the pitch it’ll be 11 green Borg, Spain, prepare to be assimilated!
Positive rant over you may now return to normal winging,…
Sounds great Mark I’m all on for it. COYBIG
He is all about his own ego. If your good enough your old enough. What does it matter that we were 14 games unbeaten. The man is a fool and im on record with that. His pragmatic Crap football works in qualifying but not at a tournament and that was as evident last night as it was when he managed Italy to a group stage knockout. Even big Jack took a chance on youth remember the three amigos. To think this clown will be in charge in two years time when he is 75 year old senile old git is terrifying.
This comment is horrible, ageism sucks and your bulshit
I dunno if you’re old enough to be senile but you’ve definitely got issues
It was a magnificent achievement qualifying for this group of players. They got a good slice of luck to help them on their way ( moscow ), drawing Estonia. But the luck ran out, and we’ve been shown up as the ordinary side that we are. No slight on the players or management, but we’re out of our depth. I will be cheering them on nonetheless…
Well I certainly hope the squad are not reading journal.ie comments on their iPhones or we are definitely getting buggered on Thursday.
Looks like he’s showing how small are chances are of qualifying..
Wake up Trap we don’t have the ability
I don’t really want to berate Trappatoni but why bring James McClean and not play him. I understand that he wants to protect him but why have him in the squad and then not play him, I’m sure other players that were left at home won’t be very happy about this
Humbug!
Come on Ireland!!!!
Croatia where much by a mile the better team and any other result would have been an injustice.what is needed is Brendan Rodgers type of football and he has proven lest gifted players are capable of good football when at Swansea.I am not impressed with Traps or by the way big Jack played football boring.
He should play Jedward.
And ruin their hair for less money