Munster Into Semi final

Declan Kidney had a broad smile on his face as he arrived in the packed media room in Kingsholm following Munster’s 16-3 win over Gloucester.

I put my microphone down on the little table in front of the coach at the post-match press conference and, in a whisper, asked him if he also backed the winner of the Grand National earlier that day.

“Two out of three can’t be bad,” I replied.

I was of course referring to the amazing Kidney gamble of playing Thomas O’Leary and Denis Hurley in place of two established key players, Peter Stringer and Shaun Payne.

Hats off to the Munster boss—the gamble paid off and the two young men played excellent games.

Shaun Payne, now in the twilight of a distinguished career, has been outstanding in his 27 Heineken Cup appearances for Munster. He will take over from Gerry Holland as manager of the Munster squad next season.

The coach obviously decided that he was going to give young Denis Hurley the chance to prove himself at full-back, and the Cork Constitution man had a fine game against Ulster in the Magners League, and followed that up with a good game in appalling conditions against Connacht in the Sports Grounds.

It was still a big call from the coach to give him the number 15 jersey for the Heineken Cup match, but as Jimmy Grieves would say, “the lad did well”.