Burke relishing Munster challenge

IT may be deemed a touch ironic. As Ronan O’Gara was limping off in Lansdowne Road on Sunday, a pivotal moment in Munster’s Heineken Cup semi-final loss to Wasps, Paul Burke, the man signed up as O’Gara’s back-up next season, was celebrating the Parker Pen Challenge Cup semi-final last-gasp win of Harlequins, over Connacht, and his own pivotal role in that success.

In the wind-assisted first half, Burke’s line-kicking was almost O’Gara-esque in its execution. Time and again, after the dominant Connacht pack had ground out many hard-earned yards with phase after phase, Burke had them turning on their heels with long, raking, accurate touchfinders forcing the men in green to start all over again.

One such kick stands out. In the 28th minute after a long period of sustained Connacht pressure Burke produced a monster kick, from his own 22 which ran and ran and was eventually shepherded into touch just short of the Connacht line.

Just what Munster would have appreciated on Sunday (with due respect to the contribution of Jason Holland), just what the man himself expects to be doing for the Reds, next season.

“I’m looking forward to coming to Limerick, my wife is from there. It is another big challenge in my career. Quins have been fantastic, hopefully I can win a trophy with them now, get them into Europe, and who knows, we might even meet!"

Apart from his goal-kicking (two penalties and one conversion), the out-half also got in for the first try of the game, a score that put Connacht 16 points behind on aggregate and left them chasing the game.

“It was just constant pressure, we kept pounding and pounding, I had options left and right, showed the ball inside and the gap opened. It’s always nice to score. It was my first try this season, and what a time to score it. Personally it was a big day given the announcement, Munster playing also and if offered me an opportunity for me to show what I can do.”

Even though Connacht won the game (23-18), Burke’s contribution was enough to see Harlequins hold on, their 9 point first-leg lead giving them an overall four point win, gets them through to the final, against French side Montferrand.

Connacht were disappointed naturally but given the threat of disbandment last year, loss of 12 front-line players in the close season, even reaching the semi-final stages of the Parker Pen Challenge Cup was a wondrous achievement which was especially gratifying to first-year coach Michael Bradley.

“It was a good contest, Harlequins are a good side, they fought very hard in the last five minutes to stay in the contest and all credit to them, they deserve their win in the end. But I have to hand it to the 22 players we had on the pitch, we had a game-plan, knew what we wanted to achieve and for the most part we did it.”

Silverware, any silverware, was the stated objective of coach Bradley at the beginning of this Connacht season. But alas it is not to be. They were beaten by a point in the Celtic Cup semi-final, beaten by four points on aggregate in the Parker Pen Challenge Cup and are too far off the pace now in the Celtic League (though they do sit proudly above Munster and Leinster).

Does that constitute failure? Definitely not, says Bradley.

“That was one of our objectives, and we’re disappointed in that fact. But we’re a team with ambition, a lot of determined players who worked very hard through the whole season. We had set our sights on a bit of silverware, had a great opportunity and just didn’t take it.”