A great big Munster thread

[munstermuffin]

As I said in recent post it usually April/May academy is done but Gareth is in at moment

 

[profitius]

As I said in recent post it usually April/May academy is done but Gareth is in at moment

Good news. He looks a decent player! I know he played for the Leinster school but is he from Cork originally?

 

[profitius]

What about Andrew Small? Will there be a formal announcement of his Munster contract?

He must have a Leinster relation because he gave them some amount of decisions in the first half!

 

[munstermuffin]

Yea he is a corkman. He is related to the O'Sullivans involved with cork hurling. (Diarmuid O'Sullivan etc)

 

[profitius]

Yea he is a corkman. He is related to the O'Sullivans involved with cork hurling. (Diarmuid O'Sullivan etc)

Dairmuid O'Sullivan would have made some rugby player. Prop most likely.

 

[munstermuffin]

Actually plays on the wing would you believe. Well he did last year in AIL 2 or 3

 

[lucky number 7]

Dairmuid O'Sullivan would have made some rugby player. Prop most likely.

beast...anyone remember the big sow of a point he got ..fielded the ball smashed the first man and launched it over from well inside his own half.

 

[profitius]

beast...anyone remember the big sow of a point he got ..fielded the ball smashed the first man and launched it over from well inside his own half.

I remember it well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4253XPdkVV8

 

[monkeypigeon]

What about Andrew Small? Will there be a formal announcement of his Munster contract?

Once he sends Boss to the bin for slowing Munster ball down on the Leinster line and then sticking his hands in the ruck and yanking it out of the Munster side even though the Ref himself was after calling RUCK about 5 seconds previous and was standing rights next to him....oh wait.

 

[lucky number 7]

I remember it well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4253XPdkVV8

This epitomizes everything I want to be ...but never will

 

[profitius]

Bad news. Dowling has retired.

Dowling Forced To Call It A Day
5 April 2011, 1:12 pm
By Pat Geraghty

Following extensive medical consultation, Munster regretfully announce that Ian Dowling will retire from professional rugby, as a result of a hip injury sustained earlier in the season.

Dowling (28 )suffered a hip injury in the game against Ospreys last September.
In the course of a career that started in September 2005, the Kilkenny native won 97 competitive caps and played in both the 2006 and 2008 Heineken Cup finals and won a Magners League medal in 2009.. He would have added greatly to that final total but for injury in 2007 and last season when he was stretchered off in the Heineken Cup quarter final game against Northampton at Thomond Park Stadium.
It was a knee injury on that occasion that forced him to miss the rest of the season and he was only playing in his third competitive game that September day when he sustained the hip injury, four minutes into the game, that would ultimately end his career.
The hugely popular member of the squad made his debut in the Magners League game against Lllanelli Scarlets in Musgrave Park and ended his first season with 15 caps and a Heineken Cup winners medal having played in the quarter, semi and final of that competition.
A try scorer in the 2008 quarter final win over Gloucester at Kingsholm he won his second Heineken Cup medal lining out on the wing against Toulouse and a year later won the first of his two international caps against Canada on Ireland's summer tour of North America.
Dowling informed his teammates of his decision ahead of training in CIT this morning and afterwards although admitting he was "gutted" to be ending his career spoke more of the highlights of his six seasons with Munster. "It's been a fabulous experience. I've made some great friends and take with me really great memories, the two Heineken Cup wins obviously the highlights. But besides that, I've had wonderful times with Munster."
"In fairness I've received all the help and assistance I could have asked for from the Munster medics and I'm hugely appreciative of all the time and effort they've put in trying to get me back. We've explored every avenue possible but in the end I know this is the right decision, the only one really."
In the course of his efforts to recover from the hip injury, the 28 year old sensibly made provision for a day of reckoning he knew might arrive and has been engaged in a degree course in Physiotherapy in UL. "I'd have to say I'm excited about this new direction. A lot of the skills that I needed to bring to professional rugby are transferable to what I'm doing now."
"But again I have to thank the course director who has been so supportive in facilitating my studies while I was also rehabbing this injury."
"I've been fortunate really. I had a great career as a professional rugby player. Enjoyed success with Munster. Got to travel the world. And am lucky now to be in the position I'm in with a new career hopefully beckoning."
"But there is a lesson here for all those looking to follow a pro rugby path. It can end abruptly. Keep that in your mind if you're sitting in a classroom with only dreams of playing in Thomond Park." says the holder of an Honours Sports Science Degree (UL).
"I'd like to thanks all those who have supported me in my career, the coaches, fitness guys, all involved with Munster and Ireland and close friends with particular thanks to my parents John and Kitty, sister Catriona and girlfriend Gill who were always there for me in good times and bad."
"And finally, to the Munster fans, the best in the world, my heartfelt thanks for the part you played in making mine such a memorable career."

www.munsterrugby.ie/news/8890.php

 

[munstermuffin]

An unlucky bit of news and well Ian has a good education but sad to hear any player having to retire prematurely.
His longterm health was most important and well think of him as you may but he served munster well.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

It's a shame for the guy but he can look back on a good career. Ireland caps, a Magners League ***le and two Heineken Cup wins is a fantastic achievement for a player who made the most of his ability.

 

[lucky number 7]

I hate seeing players bow out early due to injury...but what of the players who aren't getting pushed out early, one can only wonder what the state of the body will be of a player with perhaps 10 seasons of pro rugby will be like in 30 years ..

 

[munstermuffin]

I think the door open for Fionn Carr now

 

[lucky number 7]

You sly goose.

 

[munstermuffin]

Realistically looking at our squad we will be short badly come World Cup and well I hope we explore every avenue

 

[Feicarsinn]

It must be worrying for Munster fans that they're offloading two centres and have no replacesments lined up so far. It's a position they're notoriously weak in and at the moment they'll be looking at:

Keith Earls - A good winger
Lifeimi Mafi - A poor 12
Johne Murphy - A winger
Ian Keatley - An Outhalf

And some younger guys. You'd have to expect them to make a fairly big signing in that department over the summer.



Shame about Dowling. A good, honest player who served Munster with distinction. I guess that's professional rugby these days though.

 

[coonor]

Good luck to Dowling in what ever he moves onto. A solid play that did a job and its never good to see any player have their career ended by injury.

 

[munstermuffin]

Downey is on radar too feic now yes he won't be Irish class but he is a fine player for Saints and can do a job