Connacht astound prophets of doom

SPORTS fans in Galway are spoiled for choice this weekend.

If the triple-header in Pearse Stadium, of NFL, NHL and Ladies football fails to tickle their fancy, there is always the small matter of a European semi-final across town between Connacht and Harlequins.

A win by 10 points or more gets the hosts to the Parker Pen Challenge Cup final on Saturday, May 22, in Reading’s Madjeski Stadium against either Bath or Montferrand.

Victory there would secure the westerner’s spot in the Heineken Cup.

It’s a scenario that has surprised Connacht team manager John Fallon given the province’s brush with death 18 months ago. But he is not complaining.

“After what happened, we faced a lot of difficulty. While the threat from the IRFU didn’t eventually materialise, the bigger threat that it left in its wake was that Connacht would fall flat on its face, it could have actually died a natural death. The fact that the opposite happened is the great story.

“12 front-line players left, so did our coach, Steph Nel. He was replaced by Michael Bradley who was coming off the Ireland U-21 job but coming into his first big-time coaching position.

“Then we picked up players left, right and centre and, from the outside looking in, it seemed that Connacht were in for one hell of a difficult season. The opposite has happened. We had a great run in Celtic League Cup competition when we were beaten by just a point in the semi-final and here we are in with a shout of beating Harlequins in the semi-final of the Parker Pen.

“We’ve already knocked out three French sides: Beziers, beat them away, lost to them at home, but we had more than enough done in France; Pau, beat them well at home, lost to a late try away, not bad, considering they hadn’t been beaten in their own backyard in I don’t know how many years; then Narbonne, beat them home and away.”

Just how impressive are those three wins?

“Well, put them in context,” says Fallon. “Ulster, who won the Heineken Cup, have never won in France, or in England. Beziers were top of the French League when we beat them, and Narbonne were right up there as well. Connacht were the first Irish team to win in France and also won early in England, against Northampton in the Shield, as it was known then, several years ago. When you hear of an Irish province going to France and getting a result, people tend to do cartwheels but Connacht have been doing that consistently, this year especially, without any of the fanfare.

“It’s a ferociously intimidating place, but that’s the sort of atmosphere Connacht thrive on, they have the bottle.”

Consider that Connacht are doing all of this on a shoestring budget which means they are unable to prevent the likes of Johnny O’Connor and Gavin Duffy from leaving for pastures greener.

Consider also the fact that though officially designated the development province, Connacht are denied access to the best of the Irish U-21 team. Indeed, even those they have helped to develop have left them, lured to other provinces.

“Last year, four guys stuck out a mile for us, but all four left. Two went to Munster, Jerry Flannery and Eoin Reddan, and two went to Ulster, Roddi McCormack and Rowan Frost. In all four cases, it was a bad move.

“Flannery and Reddan were up against Frankie Sheehan and Peter Stringer, were not going to get the big games. McCormack who was outstanding for us last season, sat on the bench all season in Ulster, behind two South African props. The fact that they were even allowed move was counterproductive, I believe.”

Yet, all four were replaced, successfully, so not alone has the Connacht rugby success story continued, it has grown.

From the gloom of last season, there is now a buzz around the place, in Galway, particularly, as the glow from Connacht’s on-field success spreads. “There is, very much so. Between one competition and another, we’ve been live on television something like 14 times this season, on Sky, BBC, TG4; that has helped.

“We sold 1,200 tickets for the first leg match in the Stoop, and that was for an area all behind one goal. What surprised us then were several hundred Connacht supporters scattered all around the ground; I’d say we had about 2,000 supporters over there for that game.

“It’s not too long ago we weren’t even getting that in total for home games, now we’re sold out. Then there’s been the support from the business community which is so vital to the success of any professional sports team.”