Cooney fired up to face native province

John Cooney can’t have imagined the roundabout route he’d travel to get back within touching distance of Europe’s highest reaches when he came on as a replacement for Leinster against Ulster with six minutes to go in the 2012 Heineken Cup final.

Two changes of club — from Leinster to Connacht to Ulster — three shoulder surgeries, and much soul-searching later, he finds himself as one of five Leinster men travelling south from Belfast to take down their native province.

“I’d be lying if I said it didn’t matter,” he said. “It adds that extra bit of fire in the belly. When you’re struggling, fatigued in a game, that’s where you find that extra level. I’ve only played them a few times. I’ve played Connacht (more) and came out of those games battered.

“It does add fire in the belly, even for the lads playing against Leinster, and I’m sure they’d say the same thing, but it’s a positive thing in the energy you can provide.”

Eric O’Sullivan, Marty Moore, Nick Timoney, and Jordi Murphy are the others hailing from the eastern province but starting for the northern one this evening. Dave Shanahan and Alan O’Connor, who took similar paths, feature on the bench.