Munster v Ulster non event...

First topic message reminder :

Unfortunately as dead rubbers go this weekends game between Munster and Ulster is pretty much a non event except for pride.

Its 18-17 head to head in favour of Munster.

Teams will be interesting. I expect Munster to put out a strong team not sure about Ulster...

Wonder how many Red/Yellow cards will be dished out...

Owens to ref.

Ulster...academy team...

Ulster XV and replacements to face Munster, RaboDirect PRO12, Thomond Park, Saturday 10th May (kick off 18:30):

(15-9): C Gilroy, D McIlwaine, M Allen, S McCloskey, R Scholes, J McKinney, M Heaney; (1-8); C Black, R Herring, A Warwick, L Stevenson, D Tuohy (Captain), M McComish, S Doyle, N Williams;

Replacements (16-23): K McCall, B Ross, A Macklin, N McComb, C Joyce, D Shanahan, R Andrew, P Nelson.

Munster team announced.

Mun XV v Ulster; Jones, VHD, Laulala, Downey, Zebo, Keatley, Williams, Kilcoyne, Varley-Capt, Ryan, Foley, POC, Butler, Dougall, Coughlan

Replacements; MacDonald, Cronin, Cotter, B Holland, O'Donnell, Murray, Hanrahan, Earls

Given the score in Glasgow this result is entirely moot, last I checked they were up by 40 points.

This game in Limerick being fairly irrelevant, and the Glasgow game already well beyond Zebres reach, I'm not sure what I want to happen in Dublin. Leinster are a point down at half time.

It shows that they are vulnerable right now, but they have the indian sign over us. I would rather the Final was in Ireland though as if it is in Scotland good chance I won't be able to go. On the other hand, I want it to be us who knocks Leinster out. I really do!

Do you know what...come on Ulster....we deserve to get beaten....

Johnny Bell laughing his head off in the stand...and so he should

Oh jeez we scored...

Pretty disappointing try to concede that, on so many levels. Still in it though.

Reminds me of the time Quinlan had a bunch of youngfellas in Belfast and sneaked the win...

Come on Ulster, hold out here...

This is so brave from the Ulster lads. They're showing incredible resolve.

It would be a very special memory for the unheralded homegrown guys who are leaving Ulster to beat a team filled with Lions and Ireland caps. A load of academy players on now who would gain massive confidence from this too.

So nervous...

Warwick has really played well at TH over the last few weeks.

No chance of him switching permanently and letting McCall go back to LH?

My hearts in overdrive. These lads are doing the jersey proud tonight. Im delighted for those moving on, can only hope an experience like this encourages them to come back some day.

Last play and an Ulster scrum. Come on lads, see it home.

YES! Woohoo!!

Oh no...

YES ULSTER !!!     

Phew!

Yes Ulster! What a performance, what a result.

Well done ulster totally deserved to win Munster just terrible

Superb stuff

I wouldn't be too worried if i was a Munster fan. Top players witch off when they know nothings at stake. They are thinking ahead.

For the Ulster fringe players though - unreal result!

You could see how much it meant to them at the final whistle (well no, I mean the not quite final whistle moment).

I'm still really worried about what the emergence of McCloskey at 12 means for our squad....

if we don't manage this, we are sure to lose a real talent to another province...

The guys simply does no wrong.

Also, would have liked to have seen a replay of the incident between him and Downey? Was it anything nasty?

clivemcl wrote:I wouldn't be too worried if i was a Munster fan. Top players witch off when they know nothings at stake. They are thinking ahead.

For the Ulster fringe players though - unreal result!

You could see how much it meant to them at the final whistle (well no, I mean the not quite final whistle moment).

I'm still really worried about what the emergence of McCloskey at 12 means for our squad....

if we don't manage this, we are sure to lose a real talent to another province...

The guys simply does no wrong.

Also, would have liked to have seen a replay of the incident between him and Downey? Was it anything nasty?

Really?   

McCloskey did do some wrong. Taking a quick tap penalty and then immediately dropping it when it was a near certain 3 pointer for McKinney in that form. Kicking the ball dead. Those had me biting my lip.

But he did some great work in defence to counter-balance that. His last ditch tackle on VDH stands out as does his great aptitude in holding up the tackler.

Yea, i guess i didnt expect my statement to be taken so litetally! Maybe i should have just said hes taken to it like a duck to water. Certainly in terms of physicality, hes right up there. I think hes potentially on a par with marshall and olding.

Yeah, I worry about Luke Marshall. He may be the anointed one in terms of being groomed as D'Arcys successor but if McCloskey and Olding keep up their form he might find himself sitting on the Ulster bench...

Thats what we need, a real meritocratic selection policy. No-one getting a free pass into the team, even if they are in the Ireland squad. If guys feel like it's done on merit regardless of who has a central contract or what have you then they'll stay. Parachute guys in without having them fight tooth and nail and they won't. I'm thinking of Marshall and Payne here. Payne wants to play 13? Oust Darren Cave. Good luck with that, he's been on fire. Marshall is still first choice but the pressure will be on him in a big way next season if he wants to keep that shirt.

Any chance of sending one of them south? Share the love and all  

Yes, McCloskey has shown a lot of promise, and he did have a solid game this evening,
the most obvious fault being the tap penalty. Poor decision, very poor execution. It's inexperience at this level, and something that can be put right over time.
Not sure who started the scuffle between him and Downey. Think some of the Munster guys were getting a tad frustrated towards the end.

clivemcl wrote:Yea, i guess i didnt expect my statement to be taken so litetally! Maybe i should have just said hes taken to it like a duck to water. Certainly in terms of physicality, hes right up there. I think hes potentially on a par with marshall and olding.

Sorry, Clive. Just a wee joke   

Yes, he's certainly strong, but I wouldn't have him on par with either Marshall or Olding just yet. Potentially maybe, but only experience will tell.

Well done Ulster. Thoroughly deserved win.

The worry about next week for Munster is their form. Although the weather was wet and windy tonight, they're not playing well lately.

Was McCloskey rated within Ulster before he got his chance this year? We all heard lots of hype about the likes of Marshall and Olding (even Farrell) before they got into the Ulster team. McCloskey seems to have slipped under the radar.

Was he even involved in the under 20s?

Hopefully Oldings injury doesn't hold him back too much. He has the potential to be our best player

Well done Ulster, should have won by more , we ain't going to win anything this year

Golden wrote:Was McCloskey rated within Ulster before he got his chance this year? We all heard lots of hype about the likes of Marshall and Olding (even Farrell) before they got into the Ulster team. McCloskey seems to have slipped under the radar.

Was he even involved in the under 20s?

As far as I'm aware McCloskey didn't trouble the Irish U20 squad last year so it is somewhat out of the blue. When I first saw him warm up I assumed it was Alan O'Connor drafted in to lock.

I am not going to be popular but I think if I were picking a centre to move on the basis of this season it would be Cave. Marshall has had a better year than him IMO. That's not say I want either moved but I expect Olding to demand selection and who knows. As long as it's based on form then work away

McCloskey will be 22 in August so would have been too old for the U20s last year. He first came into the reckoning following the Spence tragedy and some good performances from him for Dungannon. He is an accomplished place kicker too so has the potential to be a bit more than a bosh merchant.

We should encourage him to continue kicking. Too often Irish outside backs come in with good kicking records at lower levels and they stop when they get to provincial level. You can never have enough back-up place kickers.

Standulstermen wrote:I am not going to be popular but I think if I were picking a centre to move on the basis of this season it would be Cave. Marshall has had a better year than him IMO. That's not say I want either moved but I expect Olding to demand selection and who knows. As long as it's based on form then work away

Really? I think Caves been the better performer this season, in seasons past he had some poor games and went missing against the top teams but has definitely stepped up this year

I think until February or so Marshall was significantly better. Scoring trys for fun and solid as a rock. Making serious yards like against Leicester away.

Cave is a smashing player who I think has been unlucky but if I could only have one looking forward it would be Marshall

Great win and one in the eye for the doom mongers.

McCloskey v Downey was a cracker and the younger man came off the better of the two if I say so myself and McKinney and Heaney finally stepped up the plate. Great effort all round. Was impressed with Allen and Doyle too. 

The future's bright, the future's ora .. I mean white....

Unfortunately Doyles future lies not with us, but with the Brumbies! I'll miss him. Not the most glamorous of players but a useful guy to have around.

He's developed into an extremely useful squad player, exactly the sort of player we keep losing/getting rid of. We can't afford to let players like him get away, although Joyce looked useful enough and certainly better than mccomish.

I thought McComish had a great game. Seems to get a bum deal from the fans but puts himself about when he gets the chance. Probably not powerful for fast enough at this level though.

Sorry, I meant he looks better than mccomish, not he was better on Saturday. Mccomish is pretty poor most of the time, the handful of times I've seen Joyce he's looked good. I think he has the potential to be better than mccomish.