FOR those of you that witnessed Young Munster’s loss to Cork Con at the weekend in the Ulster Bank League Semi Final, you could not but be filled with admiration.Even though the Greenfields side lost out on a scoreline of 19-9, the Cookies were unlucky not to have won the game outright.
The loss of Shane O’Neill to injury robbed Young Munster of a massive line out option. The boots of Alan Kingsley and Willie Staunton once more were the catalyst for all good things that Munster’s did. But it was not all hoof and hope. The Limerick side more than matched their illustrious counterparts with some fantastic lines of running and some brilliant ball skills.
The difference in the end however was the depth of talent at Cork Con’s disposal. Young Munster’s men were meant to compete with a team loaded with professional rugby players. Fogarty, Deasy, O’Mahony, Nagle and Holland all play rugby for a living. Can amateur sides ever compete? New rules for next season will see an end to ‘packing’ the side, which will make for happy faces in Young Munster. Third this season, who knows for next, with a level playing field.
