Munster v Connacht 23/03 17:45 Musgrave Park TG4

Connacht (9th) return to action this Saturday, taking on provincial rivals Munster (6th), in Musgrave Park in Cork, with only 11 points separating the sides.
Connacht enter the game on the back of a three game winning streak, and have four wins in their last five games.
A win for Connacht will keep alive our hopes of qualifying for the Heineken Cup via the league position.
Unfortunately, our recent history against Munster, and especially away from home makes for pretty terrible reading.

22-12-2012: Connacht 12-16 Munster
24-03-2012: Connacht 16-20 Munster
26-12-2011: Munster 24-9 Connacht
06-05-2011: Munster 22-6 Connacht
26-12-2010: Connacht 12-16 Munster
18-04-2010: Connacht 12-18 Munster
26-12-2009: Munster 35-3 Connacht

In Connachts last three visits to Munster, we have never reached double figures in points (9, 6, 3), while always conceeding more than than 20 (24, 22, 35). This is sure to change this weekend, with try scoring phenom Willie Faloon (and Connacht player of the month for February) looking to add to his three tries in his last two games.

Tom Sheridans Bar in Knocknacarra are running a bus to the match. Tickets cost 100euro and include return bus tickets, match ticket and overnight accomodation

The Connacht Clan are having a get together in Massimos bar in Galway for the game

I want to say I'm cautiously optimistic about this one? If it wasn't for a few silly mistakes in the home game we would have won, and Connacht are almost at full strength compared to Munster who have been sapped by injury and lost many of their main scoring threats. Added to that Musgrave has not been great for Munster this season. Don't know if the teams have been named yet but I would say the main threats from Munster are Keatley, Stander and O'Donnell. If those threats can be nullified as much as possible then we're half way there. On the flipside Connacht will have to be totally clued in for the full 80, the last two losses to munster came from momentary lapses in concentration rather than being the worse team.

The Connacht Rugby squad trained in Galway this week ahead of their interprovincial clash with Munster Rugby in round 18 of the RaboDirect PRO12.

Head Coach Eric Elwood is happy with the current condition of his squad and looks forward to ‘this important derby clash’.

“We had a week off after the Zebre game so then we had a week of training with no game. We got a lot of quality work done last week. And thankfully the squad is healthy enough. We have a decent squad to choose from.”

Centre Dave McSharry has returned to training and will continue to be monitored ahead of Friday’s team announcement.

International Mike McCarthy will also be available for this week’s fixture following his involvement with Ireland over the last number of weeks.

"We have given Macca a few days off post-Six Nations. We are going to see him on Thursday and we'll assess his injuries, he has been carrying a couple of knocks, so we gave him four days off. It would be nice for us, as Macca is a very good player and he is very important for us. He has got five games left in his Connacht career and we have a lot to play for in those five games.

"But he has been through a tough campaign in the Six Nations and picked up a few knocks and we'll assess him on Thursday.”

McCarthy’s second row partner Michael Swift is still nursing his knee injury and is ruled out of this week’s game.

Kyle Tonetti and Johnny O’Connor are both struggling with ankle injuries and are unlikely to be available as early as this weekend.

Connacht have won four of their last five PRO12 games including victories in their last three matches against Ospreys, Blues and Zebre.

“This is such an important derby match for us. Munster are going to get some of their big dogs back for this week. Obviously they’ll have to rest some of their internationals but it’s still going to be a daunting task for us. We never get anything easy against Munster whether it’s Thomond or whether it’s Cork.

“But the key for us is that we’ve three victories out of our last three games. And we’re going there with a bit of confidence and we’re very much looking to the challenge. “



Munster v Connacht
At Musgrave Park; 5.45pm
Live on TG4

Referee: Alain Rolland (IRFU, 56th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Michael Black, Brian MacNeice (both IRFU)
Citing Commissioner: John West (IRFU)
TMO: Seamus Flannery (IRFU)

Heading down for this. Are Sheridans bringing a full coach? Any body else heading independently? And where's the best view - East Terrace?

salmson wrote: Heading down for this. Are Sheridans bringing a full coach? Any body else heading independently? And where's the best view - East Terrace?

Not sure of the take up from Sheridans, I just saw something on their Facebook a while back. There doesnt look to have been any more updates on it, so chances are they either have a full bus, or no interest. I would have thought they'd be pushing it

Connacht head coach Eric Elwood is keeping his fingers crossed Mike McCarthy will be at his disposal for Saturday's inter-provincial clash with Munster in the RaboDirect PRO12.

Elwood's troops head to Musgrave Park this weekend in pursuit of a fourth straight win in the RaboDirect PRO12 since 2002, having defeated the Ospreys, the Blues and Zebre in the their last three matches.
Elwood has confirmed that lock Michael Swift will not be available for the trip and will target a return to action against Edinburgh next month instead.

But in terms of McCarthy, who started all of Ireland's Six Nations matches, Elwood is hopeful that the second row will shrug of a knee injury in time for Saturday's clash.

Connacht are currently 11 points behind Munster but victory would keep alive their hopes of catching their rivals, and Elwood hopes McCarthy, who will join Leinster at the end of the season, plays a big part in their run-in.

"We have given Macca a few days off post-Six Nations. We are going to see him on Thursday and we'll assess his injuries, he has been carrying a couple of knocks, so we gave him four days off," Elwood told the Irish Independent.

"It would be nice for us, as Macca is a very good player and he is very important for us. He has got five games left in his Connacht career and we have a lot to play for in those five games.

"But he has been through a tough campaign in the Six Nations and picked up a few knocks and we'll assess him on Thursday.

"He is just returning from his knee injury so that's the big concern, but hopefully his knee is okay because he was substituted the other day."

i cant see macca being aloud play under the irfu rules with a week off. i do hope he plays as we will be missing swifty and might have to stick george into second row to hope for power in the scrum.
i worry a little if kearney and browne are up against POC and DOC.

salmson wrote: Heading down for this. Are Sheridans bringing a full coach? Any body else heading independently? And where's the best view - East Terrace?

I sent Sheridans a tweet. They're still sending down the bus, and there are some spots remaining. They're staying in River Lee, but trying to organise meet up places for before and after. I've asked them to confirm what stands there tickets are for.
I'll post it here when they get back to me

I think seated stand apart it's general admission.

I'm gonna be more optimistic if o'gara gets the nod over keatley for the match

Also, does anyone know if you can pay at the gate for the match?

ConnachtCows wrote:

salmson wrote: Heading down for this. Are Sheridans bringing a full coach? Any body else heading independently? And where's the best view - East Terrace?

I sent Sheridans a tweet. They're still sending down the bus, and there are some spots remaining. They're staying in River Lee, but trying to organise meet up places for before and after. I've asked them to confirm what stands there tickets are for.
I'll post it here when they get back to me

Last i heard Sheridans had sold around 40 places.

GTTC wrote:

ConnachtCows wrote:

salmson wrote: Heading down for this. Are Sheridans bringing a full coach? Any body else heading independently? And where's the best view - East Terrace?

I sent Sheridans a tweet. They're still sending down the bus, and there are some spots remaining. They're staying in River Lee, but trying to organise meet up places for before and after. I've asked them to confirm what stands there tickets are for.
I'll post it here when they get back to me

Last i heard Sheridans had sold around 40 places.

Thats a good number. Almost a full bus.
I remember my last bus trip to a Connacht vs Munster match.... Dont remember much of the journey home mind you

wp_rathead wrote: I'm gonna be more optimistic if o'gara gets the nod over keatley for the match

Also, does anyone know if you can pay at the gate for the match?

generally yes. u buy ticket similar to sg and then go to turnstile. it only holds 10k tho and it is an interpro.

and poc is making his comeback! the Game v leinster drew a huge crowd to UL during work for this very reason.

Confident enough in Connacht's chance to win this though the 2nd row would be a concern if Macca ends up joining Swifty on the sidelines. Can't see Connacht overtaking Munster in the final table even with a win, but a win here would set them up better for finishing 7th especially with them heading to Treviso next week.

well considering those games get s couple of hundred normally most accounts of attendance are estimated at over the thousand but it was free so no official attendance.
can never figure out the attendance being so low in cork. there is a large cork contingent present in thomondregularly and a hhuge one for the big games but they fail to cross the road for musgrave games.