Conditions spoiled derby, say coaches

RIVAL coaches Alan Gaffney and Michael Bradley both bemoaned the atrocious conditions that spoiled yesterday's Celtic League game between Connacht and Munster at the Galway Sportsground.

Conditions spoiled derby, say coaches

While making no secret of his delight at picking up the four points that leave his side one behind the Neath-Swansea Ospreys at the top of the table, Gaffney conceded: "We learned absolutely nothing from that kind of game."

Bradley, a man who had performed so frequently and so well over the years in the Munster jersey, quipped: "If we had played the match on Sunday, we'd have needed our suntan lotion. I actually believe a dry day would have suited us better because with the team they picked, their strength was in the pack."

Twelve months earlier to the day, Munster also beat Connacht by a penalty goal to nil in Athlone and the conditions yesterday were virtually identical.

Gaffney, a man more familiar with heatwave conditions over Christmas in his native Australia, pointed out: "It was miserable and cold out there and the wind was howling just as it was in Dubarry Park last season. We tried, not too successfully I suppose, to spread the ball but you have no idea how difficult it was to do so. You couldn't build anything. You would have thought that the team making fewer mistakes would have won but in fact we erred more than they did."

Were there any positives at all? "Our maul wasn't too bad but we were penalised five times at scrums in their 22 and that's something we weren't at all happy about and something we'll have to look at. It was Connacht's biggest game of the year and they were up for it and there is no doubt they could well have pulled it off."

Not surprisingly, Bradley concurred, adding: "We were looking forward to today since the first game when we felt unlucky to be held to a draw in Cork. We're doing alright, we've had a good run of success over the past few weeks and could definitely have pulled it off. There was the charged-down kick in front of their posts. That would have put us 5-3, 7-3 in front, and who knows what might have happened. On the other hand, there's nothing to be learned from a game like that. I'm not sure we will even look at the video but we're in good shape, and have a lot of things to go for still, not least the Parker Pen Cup."

x

More in this section

Sport

Newsletter

Latest news from the world of sport, along with the best in opinion from our outstanding team of sports writers. and reporters

Cookie Policy Privacy Policy Brand Safety FAQ Help Contact Us Terms and Conditions

© Examiner Echo Group Limited