LEINSTER… 50
CONNACHT… 5
They haven’t gone away you know. Watching their marauding barbarism took the mind back to a GAA match almost three decades ago. The Leinster football final of 1997. When Meath took to the field with a full back line of Ned Kearney, Kevin Cahill and Donal Curtis. The following is not meant in derisory terms to any of them but, not only would they never have played as a unit together, I’d say there’s a fair chance it was the first time any of the three of them had ever filled said positions at all.
Their doing so transpiring after a mixture of incompetent and just blatantly anti Meath refereeing saw Mark O’Reilly, Darren Fay and Graham Geraghty were all sent off in the midst of a trilogy of matches against Kildare by a pair of Longford plonkers that had far too much pull in high places than their ‘talents’ merited.
***
Reason for mentioning all of the above here is as follows – though those who were on the field in green and gold battled manfully and did better than anybody could have anticipated – after all it was the match which sealed Brendan Reilly’s All Star – but eventually being shorne of so many stars was too much of a strain. In contrast, Leinster took to the Dexcom Stadium with what with respect was a third string line up and absolutely obliterated the home side.
Then again, when you’re able to field a would be third string including internationals Max Deegan, Joey Carbery, Gus McCarthy and Jordan Larmour it gives you some indication of the scary levels of resources Leo Cullen has at his disposal.
Something underlined by the frightening rapidity with which the visitors chalked up two tries. Well, that requires a slight caveat as there was actually no score for the first 14 minutes!
But when they did cut loose they buried whatever hope there was of being a contest in what felt like seconds. Well, again, a bit a misnomer because it was in reality three five point scores in ten minutes via the aforementioned pair of McCarthy and Larmour and also the very impressive Todd Lawlor who really caught this viewer’s eye on first encounter.
All of which meant that – allied to Carbery’s impeccable kicking game which was even more magnified given the prevailing wintry conditions – the visitors took a 21-5 cushion to the comfort of the dressing rooms. The sole Connacht response coming from the tried and trusted warrior that is Dave Heffernan.
If going on recent form, though, what could not have been foreseen was the prop’s points being the only ones Stuart Lancaster’s side would register for the entire contest. Instead, it was the former Connacht and much travelled fly half Carbery who took control of the game.
Converting tries from Max Deegan, Fintan Gunne and Ciaran Mangan before also touching down himself to bring up the half century of points for the boys in blue. In so doing seriously calling into question Lancaster’s contention that the western province would be able to cope with the upheaval of having several players called up to Andy Farrell’s squad for the Nations Championship which returns from an Irish perspective on Friday night next.
However, mention of same is not, in any way, meant as a criticism of the former England and Leinster coach. Rather, a reality check that, in an overall sense, all may not look quite as rosy in the bigger picture of the garden as appeared to be the case just a couple of years ago. Only time will tell.
Leave a Reply