FRIDAY night in Thomond Park, at 7.30pm, the two most decorated champions of the Munster Senior Cup will once again meet to decide who wins this season’s local rugby marque competition.
Garryowen, 38 times winners of the famous trophy, will face 24 times winners Cork Constitution.
Ahead of the game, both sides are at the mercy of the Munster senior management team. The release of contracted players could have a huge effect on the outcome of Friday night’s clash.
Garryowen, managed by former Irish international Tom Tierney, have had a tough time of it so far this season in the All Ireland league, but the former Leicester Tiger hopes that their Cup form will hold out for one more game.
“To be honest, the results in the league have been really disappointing. Obviously we have lost all of our games, but taking the positives where we can, we have been there or there abouts on more than one occasion. For me, we have been in the winning position in three games and we did not close them out. Our cup form has been different. We managed hard wins over Richmond, Cashel and Shannon to make it to Friday night, so we know how to win close games. I hope this weekend can be a kick start to the second part of our season,” commented the Dooradoyle side’s head coach.
On the field this weekend, Cork Con centre Niall Kenneally, formerly of Limerick side UL Bohemians, will be looking to make amends for his heart breaking loss last season to his current team mates.
“Losing to Cork Con last season was heart wrenching, to be honest,” the Sligo native admits.
“I did learn from the experience though. I know now that you must play to the very last breath. You must finish out games. That is something that Cork Con and the pressures of playing with them teaches you.”
The Munster academy star knows from his days in Limerick that a clash with Garryowen is something special.
“I have been saying to the lads to ignore Garryowen’s league form. At the end of the day, they are Garryowen and the weight of history alone makes them an extra special side. You just have to look at the players they have at their disposal like Shane Buckley and Eddie Rossiter, never mind the Connacht and Munster lads they could have. I say for myself how good they were when we met in the league in November”
That All Ireland league game ended in a narrow 18-15 win for Cork Con. Garryowen coach Tom Tierney knows how ‘Con’ are going to play, it’s just about stopping it now.
“We know, with Mick O’Driscoll’s influence in Cork Con, that their set piece is excellent. They can attack you from there and around the rucks too. Cork Con are a great side, but we know we can more than match them. I think we need a little luck too this weekend to make the chances we have been creating stick. If we can do that, it will be a great game for all to watch.”
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