ALL THINGS IRELAND: September 2011
GALWAY 0-26 WATERFORD 2-17...GALWAY'S 29-YEAR WAIT FOR AN ALL-IRELAND TITLE IS FINALLY, GLORIOUSLY OVER...

Monday, September 26, 2011

IRELAND DEMOLISH RUSSIA 62-12

Ireland cruised past Russia in their Group C pool match to return to the top of their table.

With a much-changed team, coach Declan Kidney must have been pleased to see his team score nine tries against World Cup minnows Russia.
The all-important game is against Italy next weekend so some of the squad members got a run-out today.
Leo Cullen got a run out as Captain against the Russians while Fergus McFadden, Paddy Wallace, Sean Cronin and Donnacha Ryan all started the game.
Ireland started brightly with Fergus McFadden getting the first try for Ireland on 10', Sean O'Brien then scored 3 minutes later to get Ireland off to a good start in the game.
Isaac Boss, playing in his native country, then scored on the goalpost on 38 mins as Keith Earls rounded off a good first-half display by scoring Ireland's fourth try on 40 mins.
Then,  before half-time Andrew Trimble got on the score sheet with an individual score of his own.
So Ireland had a big lead at the break which was extended further by another Keith Earls try on 49 mins.
Russia, to their credit, fought back with a well-taken try by Artemiev try to leave it 43-7 to Ireland.
 Eight minutes later they had another try through Simplikevich to worry Declan's time somewhat but Rob Kearney calmed Irish nerves with a well-taken try on 65 mins.
The impressive Shane Jennings and the biggest player at the World Cup in Tony Buckley also scored late on to leave the score:
 Ireland 62 Russia 12. 

Sunday, September 18, 2011

IRELAND TRIUMPH V AUSTRALIA IN WORLD CUP

Ireland produced the shock of the Rugby World Cup so far when the demolished Tri-Nations Champions Australia by 15 points to 6 at Eden Park, New Zealand.

After losing all their warm-up games to England and France before the tournament added to a poor display against the USA, Declan Kidney's team were unfancied to win this match.

But win it they did with a stunning display of offensive in your face aggressive rugby.
Two penalties and a drop-goal by Jonathon Sexton followed up by two penalties by substitute, Ronan O'Gara set the seal on a famous Irish win in the Southern Hemisphere for the very first time.

The Irish team players Brian O'Driscoll and most notably, Ronan O'Gara were emotional after the win with fly-half, O'Gara hinting that this World Cup will be his last appearance in an Ireland jersey.
We will have to change his mind on that when he gets back home from New Zealand.

So a historic Irish win puts them on top of the Group Table, ahead of Australia by 3 points, win our last two games against Russia and an improving Italy and we qualify as Group C winners facing either Wales or Samoa.

Happy days if you are an Irish Rugby fan.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

IRELAND SURVIVE RUSSIAN ONSLOUGHT AS ARMENIA HAMMER SLOVAKIA

Ireland survived the mother of all hammerings today against Russia in the
Luznicky Stadium in Moscow.

Thanks to the heroics of Shay Given in goal and particularly Richard Dunne in defence, the Republic survived to earn a very unlikely and fortunate draw with Dick Advocaat's Russian side.

Ireland played a very negative, defensive brand of football which would have left people calling for Giovanni's head were it not for the invaluable point earned away in Russia, our first ever out there.

Later in the evening there was incredible news that Slovakia had been beaten 4-0 at home Armenia, that result leaves Ireland in second outright one point ahead of Slovakia and Armenia who we play in our last game at home in October.

Win our last two games and we are in the play-offs at the very least.


EURO 2012



Teams        P W D L F A +/- Pts


1 Russia     8 5 2 1 10 4 6 17


2 Ireland     8 4 3 1 11 6 5 15


3 Armenia  8 4 2 2 17 7 10 14


4 Slovakia  8 4 2 2 6 8 -2 14


5 Macedonia  8 2 1 5 6 9 -3 7


6 Andorra    8 0 0 8 1 17 -16 0