Going west is never easy, admits McGahan

THERE was a time not so very long ago when post-Christmas games between the sides and played west of the Shannon Connacht and Munster were decided by a single penalty goal.

In 2003 at Dubarry Park, Athlone, in conditions that defied description, Ronan O’Gara somehow drilled a close range penalty kick through the gale force wind and lashing rain to give Munster the It was the only score of a game that everybody believed could never be repeated again. Twelve months later, however, it was just as bad when the sides lined up again, this time at the Galway Sportsground. Once more, Munster scraped through by three points to nil, Paul Burke the marksman on this occasion.

Thankfully, the elements have relented appreciably over the past few years. In 2005, rugby league star Gary Connolly celebrated his debut in the Munster jersey with a couple of tries in a 44-19 victory, six of Connacht’s points coming from replacement Paul Warwick who will be in the opposing line-up on this occasion.