MUNSTER POURED THEIR blood and guts into Saturday’s Heineken Cup semi-final defeat to Clermont.
Yet without a win or a place in the Dublin final to show for their efforts, Paul O’Connell was left to bemoan a level of naivety in his side.
“We gave them a leg up at the start with a sluggish start to the game in every respect; in our physicality and our execution. You can’t do that against good sides.” O’Connell told SkySports in the game’s immediate aftermath.
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“Second half we had our opportunities and we didn’t really take them. We got a a good try from a great little chip from ROG, but there were plenty of other opportunities when we were in their 22, 10 metres from their line, five metres from their line particularly just before half-time and we didn’t take those opportunities.
“We spoke about the Leinster game two weeks ago when Leinster got into our 10 metre area and converted and we didn’t. It was kind of the same this time around. Failure to convert when we were in the green zone and giving them that leg up at the start of the game really killed us.”
Epic
It will be of scant consolation, to the Limerick man, but with Warren Gatland watching on O’Connell put aside early afternoon rumour of a hip injury and provided the grunt as Munster made the favourites for this year’s European Cup sweat for every inch they made.
In the end, though, this was an epic game to put in the ‘hard luck story’ column of Munster’s incredible history in the Heineken Cup. At times it seemed the southern province were running to stand still as Clermont’s Top14 stars created their luck and used it fully.
Never the less, after trailing 13-3 after the first quarter, Munster held Clermont scoreless for 30 minutes. And through a typically deft grubber from Ronan O’Gara to Denis Hurley they pulled themselves back to within a score after 60 minutes. Not for the first time with Munster, the impossible appeared on the cards.
“We were doing a lot of good things at that stage. We were getting down, playing the game in the right part of the pitch. There were some very good kicks from the boys which put us into their half and put them under pressure.”
The failure to turn that pressure into points, you sense, is a subject Munster players will be hearing a lot more about from their spiritual leader.
“But we just turned over ball and we’ve kind of been doing it all year, where we’re just not willing to stay in a team’s 22 and hold onto the ball, be belligerent and stay there until we score. We just haven’t done it all year and unfortunately we didn’t do it today.”
Heineken Cup: O'Connell laments lack of killer instinct as Munster bow out
MUNSTER POURED THEIR blood and guts into Saturday’s Heineken Cup semi-final defeat to Clermont.
Yet without a win or a place in the Dublin final to show for their efforts, Paul O’Connell was left to bemoan a level of naivety in his side.
“We gave them a leg up at the start with a sluggish start to the game in every respect; in our physicality and our execution. You can’t do that against good sides.” O’Connell told SkySports in the game’s immediate aftermath.
“Second half we had our opportunities and we didn’t really take them. We got a a good try from a great little chip from ROG, but there were plenty of other opportunities when we were in their 22, 10 metres from their line, five metres from their line particularly just before half-time and we didn’t take those opportunities.
“We spoke about the Leinster game two weeks ago when Leinster got into our 10 metre area and converted and we didn’t. It was kind of the same this time around. Failure to convert when we were in the green zone and giving them that leg up at the start of the game really killed us.”
Epic
It will be of scant consolation, to the Limerick man, but with Warren Gatland watching on O’Connell put aside early afternoon rumour of a hip injury and provided the grunt as Munster made the favourites for this year’s European Cup sweat for every inch they made.
In the end, though, this was an epic game to put in the ‘hard luck story’ column of Munster’s incredible history in the Heineken Cup. At times it seemed the southern province were running to stand still as Clermont’s Top14 stars created their luck and used it fully.
“Some days you have days like Harlequins.” O’Connell said. “I wouldn’t say it’s easy for you, but things are going for you. Today was the other way around. We couldn’t get anything going.”
©INPHO/James Crombie
Never the less, after trailing 13-3 after the first quarter, Munster held Clermont scoreless for 30 minutes. And through a typically deft grubber from Ronan O’Gara to Denis Hurley they pulled themselves back to within a score after 60 minutes. Not for the first time with Munster, the impossible appeared on the cards.
“We were doing a lot of good things at that stage. We were getting down, playing the game in the right part of the pitch. There were some very good kicks from the boys which put us into their half and put them under pressure.”
The failure to turn that pressure into points, you sense, is a subject Munster players will be hearing a lot more about from their spiritual leader.
Here’s how it feels to be in your first Heineken Cup final
Reaction: Magnificent Munster fall just short of cracking Clermont
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European Rugby Champions Cup conversion rates Munster poc Clermont