anyone at the game, who did well for us etc? a report would be good

2 late tries sees the Eagles win 30-27

Replacements:

16 Paul O’Donnell
17 Saba Meunargia
18 Aaron McCloskey
19 Marc Kelly
20 Conor Lowndes
21 Aidan Moynihan
22 Dwayne Corcoran

That's a shallow enough bench. Good opportunity for some of the younger lads but wouldn't fancy our chances for this one.

Connacht Eagles v London Scottish
Saturday October 25th
The Sportsground
Kick off 2:30pm
Referee:
Assistant Referees:

Connacht Eagles team

15 Ciaran Gaffney
14 David Panter
13 Shane O’Leary
12 Peter Robb
11 Jerome Harimate
10 Conor McKeon
9 John Cooney

1 Jacob Walshe
2 Pat O’Toole
3 JP Cooney
4 Cian Romaine
5 Ultan Dillane
6 Stephen McVeigh
7 Rory Moloney
8 Eoghan Masterson (captain)

Replacements:

16 Paul O’Donnell
17 Saba Meunargia
18 Aaron McCloskey
19 Marc Kelly
20 Conor Lowndes
21 Aidan Moynihan
22 Dwayne Corcoran

It's a shame that the match isn't a bit earlier as I would have gone to it.

Ponty at home to Ebbw Vale the same weekend Connacht travel to Blues in early March, worth bearing in mind for anyone travelling ...

Nuts indeed Loud and passionate. If Bridgend and themselves could come together and sort out the issues that caused the Warriors to fall apart then they'd be a force to be reckoned with.

They thoroughly deserved the victory, just had a lot more energy about them and approached every play with aggression. Shane O'Leary played very well for us, I thought, at outhalf and when he moved to 12 (when Conor McKeon came on). Some silly decision making not to take points on offer in the first half.

Positives: The subs made a huge difference. Blade, McKeon Gaffney, McVeigh even Saba put a little turbo into a side that looked like it was running through porridge; Masterson, Robb & Dillane didn't hide-got sod all benefit but always went looking for work. O'Leary kicked from placed ball well on a difficult windy day

AND the Ponty fans-Wow, just wow.

Negatives: Everything Else: Line-out was disastrous at times, Scrum creaked. Back play was so slow and pedestrian. Lack of leadership. Poor decision making. So many missed tackles. Cooney anonymous, Carr had an absolute shocker. Moloney barely touched the ball. Leyden anonymous and taken off for McKeon.

AND The Ref-more his inability to signal what he gave. He'd blow. Play would stop and then you had to interpret what he'd given from his gestures and then he'd signal pen or scrum

AND AND could we get a number board signalling who's coming on and off (GAA you need this too)

wp_rathead wrote: Has to be said; The Ponty fans are wonderfully nuts

+1 to that. We were probably outnumbered and definitely outsung on the Clan Terrace.
I was a bit ropey from the night before so I didn't stay around very long to watch them drink the bar dry but I have faith in their abilities.

also the no.18 looked energetic when he came on, i think his name is McVeigh and could be another player to make the Ireland u20's sqaud.

connachta wrote: No Maloney = worriness awaken.. I think the best solution for openside (waiting for Heenan) is still Masterson, decent last year in pro12 and stunning with the Eagles until now, even if it's as n°8....

Although Moloney is an out and out 7 he's still a big young and light. James Connolly is our best other option to convert to a 7. I think he picked up a knock a couple of weeks back.

McKeown done a decent job when he's being called on. While it's not ideal I'm not as worried when I heard that Heenan would be out for a while.

No Maloney = worriness awaken.. I think the best solution for openside (waiting for Heenan) is still Masterson, decent last year in pro12 and stunning with the Eagles until now, even if it's as n°8....

If anything this Eagles game has shown us that Maloney isn't ready to step-up yet. That's no bad reflection on him just that he isn't ready yet. They've named Connelly in the Challenge Cup squad and as afaik he should be fit again in a weeks time. Simply put he needs to be fast-tracked into the Seniors as soon as possible so we have some cover for Faloon.

As for Romaine I'd rather him learn his trade at six then shoehorn him into a 7.

How long is Connolly going to be out? I agree we should try options when possible, Zebre is a prime candidate of a game to play a new 7 even just off the bench.

We've enough potential 6 : Muldoon as captain will be chosen in 90% of the cases, + Browne + Keaney + Muldowney who had played here also. No, try Romaine at 7!!! Try everyone at 7! Bring Gilsenan back! Ooooh I'm so scared having only one openside fit, until February....

I'd be interested to see Romaine get a try-out at 6 in the senior team. I think he's 6'5 so maybe slightly small for second-row but it could be a nice way to ease him into the senior panel and learn his trade while giving us another option in the line-out ala Browne. We did it with Mick Kearney and it worked out well so I think we should go it. Glad to see Blade and Dillane playing well also.