Limerick Post Sports Blog all the sports not fit to print

Munster coaching ticket extend their contracts

Following on from Tony McGahan's recent contract renewal it was announced today that his Forwards Coach Laurie Fisher, Backs Coach Jason Holland and Team Manager Shaun Payne have also extended their contracts with Munster Rugby.
The coaching ticket has this season guided Munster to a record 12th successive Heineken Cup quarter final place and a current 5th position in the Magners League.

Speaking about the renewals, McGahan said " The Management here are working hard to challenge the playing group and provide an envirnoment where success can be achieved. I believe that continuity and stability are vital to this ambition. So to have Shaun, Laurie and Jason sign for the forseeable future is great news for Munster Rugby. Their work ethic, professionalism and knowledge of the game has been an integral part of this club's ethos and I'm delighted we'll be continuing our work together."

Johne Murphy signs for Munster

Johne Murphy (Leiceter Tigers) will join Munster at the end of the current season on a two year contract.The 25 year old Ireland A international initially joined the Tigers on loan in the 2005/06 season. He made his debut for them in September 2006 against Harlequins at The Stoop and after 19 appearances ended the season with a call up to the Ireland Churchill Cup squad.
He has made 93 appearances to date for the Tigers scoring 27 tries and was their leading try scorer last season.

The ugly face of modern sport

BEFORE you even think it. No, not my face. The last few weeks in local, national and international sport have unfortunately been dogged with controversy. Pictured below we see Carlos Tevez and Julien Dupuy. To introduce them, Julien plays for Stade Francais rugby team and was banned from rugby for six months after trying to remove Stephen Ferris’ eyes with his fingers. Twice. The other is Carlos Tevez, an Argentinian international footballer who, when celebrating a goal for his new side Man City against his old side Man United almost caused a riot. The City star, along with Man United player Gary Neville saw fit to air their personal dislike for each other in front of thousand of fans in a heated environment. Where am I going with this? Well, in the last few weeks there have been two allegations made against on of Limerick’s most famous rugby clubs. Shannon RFC are currently investigating an incident where an AIL and international referee was verbally abused after a senior game. Following on from that event, a 25,000 euro fine was demanded from the IRFU. In the week just passed, an alleged incident took place in an under 15’s game where by a player was struck by a coach. An under 15 boy was allegedly struck by a grown man. This event, if proven to be true, as we all know is unacceptable. My point is though that role models in professional sport both here and abroad are not setting an example to our young or our old sporting fans. The lack of true discipline in our professional modern games is filtering down to the underage of this country. The penalties handed out to Dupuy and Tevez and the rest are to blame for the lack of respect for the “systems” that rule our games. The facts are there for all to see. Suspensions do not act as a deterrent to foul play. All of our games we love, need tough love. It appears to be the only way to clean our games up.

Munster name their side for Saints challenge

Munster: P Warwick, D Howlett, K Earls, J de Villiers, D Hurley, R O'Gara, T O'Leary, W du Preez, D Fogarty, J Hayes, D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell [capt], A Quinlan, N Ronan, D Wallace
Replacements: D Varley, M Horan, T Buckley, D Ryan, J Coughlan, P Stringer, L Mafi, I Dowling

Northampton Saints: B Foden, C Ashton, J Clarke, J Downey, B Reihana, S Geraghty, L Dickson, S Tongauiha, D Hartley [capt], E Murray, I Fernandez Lobbe, J Kruger, C Lawes, P Dowson, R Wilson
Replacements: B Sharman, A Waller, B Mujati, C Day, N Best, A Dickens, S Myler, C Mayor

Mc Grath Cup Games called off

The 3 Preliminary Round Games fixed for Sunday Next January 10^th. are POSTPONED.   These games will now take place on

THURSDAY JANUARY 14th. 2010

@ Dr. Morris Park, Thurles, Tipperary v University of Limerick, at 7.30pm

@ Austin Stack Park, Tralee, Kerry v IT Tralee, at 7.30p.m.

@ Gaelic Grounds, Limerick, Limerick v Waterford IT, at 7.30 p.m.

Quarter Final games will take place on Sunday January 17^th., Semi Finals on Sunday January 24^th. with the Final taking place on Sunday January 31^ST.

All AIL games are off

Due to the current prevailing weather conditions throughout the country and the poor forecast for the coming days, the IRFU has taken the decision to cancel all games in the AIB League scheduled to take place this weekend, January 9th/10th in the interests of player and spectator safety.

Further games that have been cancelled include the women's interprovincial finals that were scheduled to be played in Naas this weekend also.

The scheduled games will be refixed for an alternate date and the new dates will be announced next week.

Magners League prepare for Grand Final

The race is now well and truly on for the Magners League title after the Celtic Rugby Board announced the details regarding the format of the Play-Off matches.

The date for the final, which will be known as the Magners League Grand Final, has been set for Saturday, 29 May, 2010, with a provisional kick-off of 6.30pm.
The venue for the Grand Final will be determined by the final finishing positions of the four semi-finalists in their regular league campaign.

That was a vitally important rugby principle that the Celtic Rugby Board were determined to implement in this the first season of the exciting new, end of season format. Clubs will have until 8 March to nominate their choice of final venue should they be in the race for a Play-Off place.

Ecowarm Competition Winner

Earlier this year, the Limerick Post Newspaper in association with Ecowarm Insulations offered one lucky reader the chance to win a 1000 euro voucher for home insulation. All that was needed was a favourite GAA memory from the last 25 years. Several events  of the last 25 years of the GAA were picked, but one moment kept coming up, again and again. Ciaran Carey’s point against Clare in the 1996 Munster final. The winning entry from Liam O Brien of Shannon Banks in Corbally recorded this moment the best.  Following a massive entry and some magnificent memories, Liam’s portrayal of the event, we think you will agree, summed up all that is good about the GAA and Limerick in the glory days of the 1990’s

Limerick v Clare 1996, Ciarán's finest hour
It was a really lovely morning in June and our household was a beehive of activity, with the family preparing for the big game in the Gaelic Grounds. Green and white hats and jerseys were being passed around as well as the, by now precious match tickets. The flag was cable-tied to the branch of a cherry blossom tree that hung over our front wall. Another big game beckoned….