Returnees end Con slump
The return of Williams, fresh from lifting the Celtic League trophy for Munster in Cardiff last weekend, was a welcome addition for Con supporters alongside locks Donncha O’Callaghan and Mick O’Driscoll and Leinster scrum-half Brian O’Meara.
And all four played their part in this 37-33 victory over spirited Blackrock, welcoming the return of Leinster players David Quinlan, Leo Cullen and Ben Willis. It was Con’s returnees that made the difference, though. O’Meara pulled the strings at fly-half instead of his usual scrum-half role, while Williams organised the pack with customary authority and the second row dominated line-outs and rampaged about the field to convincing effect.
They also contributed where it mattered most, the scoreboard. O’Meara, as solid with the boot as he has been for Leinster this season, kicked 20 points, while Williams tacked his name on to the scoresheet alongside try scorers Rory Kenneally (two) and Derek Dillon with the fourth and final Con try to seal a valuable bonus point. A late Blackrock fight-back added tries from Conor Kilroy and substitute Niall Treston to Mick Carroll’s first-half score and closed the winning margin enough to earn a bonus point, but it was Con’s afternoon and enough to make coach Christy Cantillon wail as much in despair as triumph.
It has been no coincidence that the slump that followed a three-game winning start to the AIB League campaign came at the same time as their contracted players were most in demand for province and country. That Con’s players were away with successful provinces compounded the problem, said Cantillon, leaving their replacements to take on clubs with more experienced men back from the European front. “We have to level the playing field,” Cantillon said. “With Munster doing well this year you can see Munster clubs have been suffering. You can tell we had the players back because we won and so did Shannon.
“From what I’ve heard and believe, next year, if they broaden the Celtic League and there are a lot more games for the provinces, the players will technically be gone from us. Now, if that happens across the board that will be fine, in a way. But at the moment it’s awkward for us when we’re playing against teams who might have four or five pros and you have nothing. It’s tough for the young fellas out on the ground to have to experience it.
“Those fellas have been working extremely hard all this season, but not getting any reward for it so a victory like this makes for a great day for them.
“They’ve played the same way as they always have and been as honest as ever and got their reward for it at last.
“And it’s good those lads to be running round with the likes of Jim Williams, Donncha and Brian O’Meara, who was immense against Blackrock.”
Since Con’s contracted players were obliged to serve a tour of duty with their paymasters, the momentum of those opening wins has been brought to a shuddering halt. Having to field inexperienced sides, Cantillon has seen his willing but largely untested players slip to five straight defeats as Con have dropped down the division one table.
So the visit of Blackrock came with the feeling that this could be a defining moment in the campaign. After all, a sixth loss in a row and the unthinkable possibility of relegation would have to be countered.
“We have stayed confident throughout having experienced the three wins at the start of the season,” Cantillon said. “We knew these things tend to work themselves out.
“There was huge relief in the dressing room afterwards. To be fair to Blackrock they were an exceptional side but we scored four tries and we’re thrilled, absolutely thrilled. It takes a bit of the pressure off now.
“Having the lads back, there was a different intensity, a different performance level a different focus. Even having just one or two players back makes the difference between being an average team in the league and competing at this level.
“The guys that came back to us for this game made a huge difference. They bring experience, rugby sense, physical power and it is a great fillip to the rest of the lads to actually play with them. Some of the lads are still a little bit overawed having them in the dressing room but it’s lovely to see them with us.
“Their focus is something else. They come in and just go about their business in a very calm, methodical way and it’s lovely for us. It’s a privilege to be associated with them.
“They’ve all moved on now whereas in the last few years two or three of them had progressed. Even last year Con would have had Donncha O’Callaghan in every game whereas this year we don’t.
“So there’s a little bit of a vacuum there that needs to be looked at, we need to bring more players through and develop them.
That’s all part and parcel of the job, I suppose.”
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
