Connacht swing back into Magners League action

CONNACHT are back in Magners League action this Sunday when they take on the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium. The game kicks off at (5:00) and is live on welsh channel s4c which is available on sky. This game marks the beginning of the final phase of this season which is jam packed. Connacht have nine games to play in the next ten weeks and if they reach the last four of the Challenge Cup, you can make that 11 in twelve.

The squad will be tested to the limit during this period but a cautious approach to selection with a view to preparing for the Challenge Cup quarter final in April could well backfire as the side will need some momentum coming into that game.

Four of the six games before the clash with Bourgoin are at home, meaning there is plenty of opportunities for Magners League points. The Dragons, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Leinster (in the still to be re-arranged fixture) are all to travel west while Connacht's other away game is at the RDS against Leinster.

Connacht will be boosted by the form of Gavin Duffy, John Muldoon, Sean Cronin, Ian Keatley, Fionn Carr and Keith Matthews for Ireland A in recent weeks. Duffy, in particular,excelled during his two games.The Ospreys sit second in the Magners League and have reached the quarter finals of the Heineken Cup so even allowing for the absence of a number of their frontline Welsh internationals, this should end up with a home win.

Connemara climbing clearConnemara secured a huge win in Division 3 on Saturday against mid-table Kildare side Barnhall to ease their relegation fears, and raise hopes that the coming months could see the club continue their recent upward curve and pull clear of relegation trouble.

The Clifden men fought back from 10-0 down in the first half to trail by just four at the break thanks to two Sean Joyce kicks, the second was from close to half way.

Joyce was on form with the boot and by the midway point of the second half he had Connemara two points in front with two more kicks. The momentum was very much with the home side, but there was still fight in Barnhall at that stage.

They finished the contest camped on the Connemara line and had no less than three drop goal attempts which went wide before a turnover at the base of a ruck was pounced on by David Keogh who hacked clear.

David Newman was quickest to the loose ball and kicked further ahead before collecting his own grubber on the bounce and sprinting to the corner for a try with the last play of the game. Cue old style celebrations.

The victory was badly needed and will lift spirits around the club. Mark Foyle was back to his very best in the centre alongside Newman. Young up and coming winger David McDonagh also caught the eye while the front row of Alan Bane, Kevin Barry and Emmett Ferron more than held their own.

For more, read page 46 of this week's Galway City Tribune.