Ireland's six debutants against Georgia: What they said and what song they sang
's six debutants were presented with their caps in the dressingroom where Ireland's interim head coach
Paul O'Connell
did the honours before IRFU president Declan Madden repeated the gesture in the more formal setting of the post-match dinner with the Georgia team looked on as the players had to sing.
Tommy O'Brien
'It was a crazy good start. I have to thank Sammy [Prendergast] for them [the two tries], he helped me out. Listen, when it comes like that you just grab it with both hands. I was actually okay. I played a good few big games recently for Leinster, so the nerves were okay.
'I was a bit emotional listening to the anthem now all right. I guess I was just thinking back to the people at home that were watching, probably seeing me up on the screen and stuff. I was just delighted to give them a great day out.'
Song:
Firework (Katie Perry)
READ MORE
Darragh Murray
Ireland's Darragh Murray after the game with his first cap. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho
'It was unbelievable, the lads made it such a special week for us. We had full licence to go out there and be ourselves. Calling the lineout, it was a bit of added pressure, but all the lads got behind me. Paulie made it very easy for us on options, and it was such an enjoyable week.
'The highlight is just getting out and wearing a green jersey. It was so special. I tried to take it in and not get ahead of myself, which is something that can happen. A lineout steal is always an added plus, to disrupt them and their set piece.
'We knew that the Georgian team are a big, physical side. That's what we wanted to bring especially in our tackling, get off the line. The most nerve racking ... the singing, that's what I was most worried about, not the game.'
Song:
Country Roads (John Denver).
Jack Aungier
Ireland's Jack Aungier after the game with his first cap. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho
'That first scrum is something I won't forget, when I got up and saw that we had won a penalty. I think it was all Michael Milne, but we won't give him that credit. It was a frontrow effort. It was great. Set piece was solid, I was happy enough with the way it went. It was a proud day.
'I am very easy going and I tried to keep it as normal as possible until Friday night when Craig [Casey] sat down and said it's not normal to play for Ireland. It is an incredible privilege to wear an international jersey; not many people get to do it. My [nerves] kicked in when he said that, when you think about it in that way.
'I saw the lads [Michael Milne and Tom Stewart] go on at 56 or 57 minutes and I knew it would be soon after that. It's actually a bit nerve racking watching, when you get on it's the same as any other game to be honest, a bit more physical and faster.
Song:
Piano Man (Billy Joel)
Michael Milne
Ireland's Michael Milne after the game with his first cap. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho
'I think before the match the highlight when I got a bit of time to reflect a little was to be the first international from Birr rugby club. It means an awful lot to me and my family. It is a club that has done an awful lot for me, and I am proud to represent them.
'On the pitch it was the first scrum and winning the penalty. Me and Jack Aungier just got up and looked at each other. We smiled and gave each other a nod. It was a great moment.
'I suppose it is something that you dream of as a kid but when you are playing Under-10s and 11s for Birr you never think that you are going to play for Ireland. When you get to represent your country at the highest level it's an unbelievable feeling. It's everything.'
Song:
Sweet Caroline (Neil Diamond).
Tom Ahern
Ireland's Tom Ahern after the game with his first cap. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho
'It feels amazing, a dream come true. It's something I have wanted for a long time, so it's a very special feeling.
'No, I wasn't too nervous. There was a lot of excitement to be honest. I was just absolutely buzzing to get an opportunity to play for this team. It's a special group of players and I'm delighted to get a chance to play with them.
'Yeah, my parents, Anthony and Jessie came over, so that made it a lot more special. They sacrificed a lot for me when I was younger, so to have them over here means the world to me. Obviously, there's not too much rugby played down in Waterford, so they were driving me all across the province for training sessions and matches. I owe a lot to them and to have them here is absolutely brilliant.
'Growing up, I was looking up to Jack O'Donoghue. He got the opportunity to do it as well, so it was always something that I saw and I strived for.'
Song:
The Gambler
Ben Murphy
Ireland's Ben Murphy after the game with his first cap. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho
'It was challenging playing in a game with so much emotion on it, trying to keep them in check and focus on the game. I was pretty calm this week, we had a nice presentation on Thursday, and it was good to let a couple of emotions out.
'I got a video from home from my parents, my brother and my dog, which was very nice and a video of highlights throughout the years from school all the way up. It was emotional seeing all the journey back, but it made me hungrier.
'We haven't been together very long, but we got around each other over the last few weeks. It was a big challenge set to us when we came into camp whether we could do this. We answered a lot of questions tonight. I think we can grow again next weekend.
Song:
Angels (Robbie Williams)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Times
6 minutes ago
- Irish Times
Kilkenny must evolve to keep pace with competitors if they're to end Liam MacCarthy drought
It will be a long winter of introspection for Kilkenny hurling, mulling over the county's longest wait. Kilkenny are now officially going through their most protracted Liam MacCarthy Cup drought since they first won an All-Ireland senior hurling title in 1904. They had decade-long gaps without major silverware between 1922-32 and 1947-57, but Sunday's defeat to Tipperary ensures Kilkenny's current barren period will continue until at least 2026. They were last crowned All-Ireland champions in 2015. In the 10 years before that the Cats owned hurling, winning eight All-Ireland titles between 2006 and 2015. A shot of Brian Cody briefly flashed up on the screen during Sunday's semi-final. Cody, the most successful manager in the history of the game, stepped down as Kilkenny boss three years ago. READ MORE Several of his former players were dotted around Croke Park on Sunday – Henry Shefflin was in the press box on duty for RTÉ, Aidan 'Taggy' Fogarty was working for KCLR, David Herity was on the sideline as part of Liam Cahill's management team. Derek Lyng, who had been one of Cody's most trusted lieutenants both as a player and later as a selector, was also on the sideline, trying to manage the Cats to a second All-Ireland final appearance on his watch. At one stage that looked on the cards, until Tipp decided otherwise. When Tipperary were reduced to 14 men and Kilkenny flicked over a couple of points to lead by two with seven minutes remaining, you would have forgiven the PA spin-master if they decided to prepare The Rose of Mooncoin for an airing. Kilkenny, you see, don't lose from there. Or didn't used to. But they do now. Some of Kilkenny's defending on Sunday was careless, bordering on sloppy. They conceded 3-11 in the first half, all from play, and coughed up possession needlessly at times, including a turnover which led to Oisín O'Donoghue's goal. Oisín O'Donoghue scores Tipperary's fourth goal. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho How O'Donoghue was able to get his shot away from within a tangle of Kilkenny defenders is a mystery. Lyng had tried to plug the defensive holes by moving Paddy Deegan into the full-back line during the first half, and at the interval he hauled ashore Shane Murphy to introduce David Blanchfield. But Blanchfield would be one of just three subs used by Kilkenny. The other two – Stephen Donnelly (66 minutes) and Killian Doyle (70) were brought on in the closing stages. With everything on the line, it suggests Lyng didn't quite trust the depth of his squad much beyond those already on the field. Still, for Kilkenny to only manage four points from the moment of Darragh McCarthy's sending off until the final whistle is a stat that will haunt the Cats over the winter. There is no dressing it up – this was a bad defeat for Kilkenny. While there's a sense that Tipperary are coming, nobody seems quite sure where Kilkenny are going. That might sound odd given Kilkenny are six in-a-row Leinster champions. They also won the provincial title at minor and under-20 level this year. So they're still very much the princes of Leinster, but beyond that these are lean times for a county celebrated until recently as the kings of hurling. Their last All-Ireland senior triumph was in 2015. Their last All-Ireland minor triumph was in 2014. Their last All-Ireland under-20/21 triumph was in 2022, before that it was 2008. Of the 18 players who featured in the under-20 decider against Limerick three years ago, none started for the seniors against Tipperary on Sunday. Just one (Doyle) came off the bench. As of now, they haven't kicked on. In this year's final Kilkenny's under-20s were beaten 3-19 to 1-16 by Tipperary at Nowlan Park and the manner of that loss generated plenty of criticism around the county. There does not appear to be a conveyor belt of talent about to whizz off the production line in Kilkenny to bolster the senior team. Kilkenny's TJ Reid with his daughter Harper after Sunday's game. Photograph: Tom O'Hanlon/Inpho So, what happens when they lose the leadership and brilliance of players like TJ Reid and Eoin Murphy? Cork, bolstered by three All-Ireland under-20/21 titles over the last five years, have been threatening a senior breakthrough for several seasons. The Rebels might well realise that ambition in a fortnight. Chances are they'll be around for a while. Limerick have way too much talent to disappear, while Tipp now seem to have rediscovered their mojo. In Leinster, there are promising signs of progress emerging in Dublin and Offaly, and Kilkenny's status as best in the province is likely to be properly stress-tested over the coming seasons. The recriminations for Sunday's championship exit will continue for many weeks in Kilkenny, albeit among most hurling folk in the county there is a belief Lyng has done a decent job with the squad at his disposal. Of Kilkenny's 2015 Liam MacCarthy winning team, Reid and Murphy are the only survivors who played in the All-Ireland final against Galway a decade ago. Richie Reid was an unused sub goalkeeper. It seems probable now that in the near future a Kilkenny team will take to the field without a single remaining All-Ireland senior hurling winner.
The Irish Sun
26 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Dublin boss Niall Ó Ceallacháin hails Cork hammering as ‘the best hurling performance this year'
AFTER Cork sunk his side's hopes of All-Ireland SHC glory, Dublin boss Niall Ó Ceallacháin admitted the red wave will be hard to break. The Rebels remain odds-on favourites to land the Liam MacCarthy Cup on Sunday week after their 2 Ó Ceallacháin's side reached the All-Ireland semi-final for the first time since 2013 2 The Dubs fell victim to a rampant Cork as they lost 7-26 to 2-21 Alan Connolly claimed man-of-the-match honours after hitting a hat-trick in Saturday's semi-final. Brian Hayes and Tim O'Mahony found the net twice. During his first season in the hotseat, Ó Ceallacháin was one step away from steering Dublin to a first All-Ireland final appearance since 1961. But a rampant Cork outfit had other ideas. The Sky Blues chief said: 'They're going to take some beating. That's as good a team performance from a sharpness perspective that I've seen in a long, long time. 'We couldn't live with their goals. We couldn't live with their pace and power inside. Did Alan Connolly get three? And that's not on the lad that was marking him. Read more on GAA 'They were breaking the line and they had the composure and presence of mind in tight scenarios to be really aware of who was outside and just pop the ball outside. They did that extremely well. They were quality goals.' Returning from a four-week lay-off since their It was the first time since 2006 that the Leesiders backed up a provincial title triumph by advancing to an All-Ireland SHC decider. Pat Ryan's side will now look to go one better than in 2024, when an extra-time final defeat to Clare saw them fail to end Cork's longest-ever wait for hurling's biggest prize. Most read in GAA Hurling Ó Ceallacháin added: 'I don't want to do Cork a disservice by over-hyping them. Every game is different. 'But what I will say is that was by far the best hurling performance over 75 minutes that I've seen this year by a long way.' RTE pundits weigh in on scoreboard controversy that marred Tipperary's dramatic win over Kilkenny Dublin secured their place in the knockout stages of the Championship with wins over Offaly, Wexford and Antrim. Defeats to Kilkenny and Galway then cost them a place in a second straight Leinster final. But after easing past Kildare in the All-Ireland preliminary quarter- finals, the Dubs defied the dismissal of captain Chris Crummey to record Ó Ceallacháin said: 'Is there a difference of 20 points between us and the top team in Ireland? I don't think there is. 'But the reality as we leave here is that's kind of what we're looking at. Is there more in us? There absolutely is. And that experience for a few lads will probably serve them well. 'But we were never in this for a two-year thing or a three-year thing or a five-year thing. We're just very disappointed.' It has been a hectic year for Ó Ceallacháin, who was still juggling club and county commitments when he guided Na Fianna to All-Ireland success back in January at the expense of Cork side Sarsfields. Asked about his aspirations for 2026, he said: 'No idea. Listen, we need a bit of time now. 'We were planning on being back here in a fortnight's time. I don't know what the future holds.'
Irish Times
32 minutes ago
- Irish Times
Jacob Stockdale ruled out of Ireland's game against Portugal
Jacob Stockdale has been ruled out of Ireland's match against Portugal in Lisbon next Saturday and will return home to Belfast after suffering a shoulder injury in Ireland's 34-5 victory over Georgia in Tbilisi. The Ulster winger successfully contested a high ball but landed awkwardly and suffered damage to an AC shoulder joint. He will see a specialist to ascertain whether surgery is required. The 29-year-old had been an impressive figure in attack for Ireland up until his injury, one that represents a continuation of misfortune in a green shirt as this is the third Test in a row in which he's suffered a bang, the previous one a hamstring injury against Fiji last November. Stockdale was replaced by Calvin Nash in the win over Georgia with the Munster man playing an important role in Ireland's fourth try. Ireland's interim head coach Paul O'Connell's wing resources include Nash, Tommy O'Brien , who chipped in with two tries on his debut last weekend, and the uncapped Shayne Bolton. Jimmy O'Brien played fullback against Georgia and Jamie Osborne in the centre, both of whom could also play wing, as could the uncapped Hugh Gavin, who did so for the Irish 20s, although centre is his preferred position. READ MORE It would be a significant surprise if the 25-year-old Bolton doesn't win a first cap, as the South African-born Connacht player is someone that the Irish management is keen to give a run to. He was a try scorer for Ireland against England in an A international in February and might have made his senior debut before now but for injury. The Ulster and former Irish under-20s tighthead Scott Wilson, who was a late call-up and travelled with the squad to Georgia, is not required for the Portugal game and has returned home to Belfast. Cian O'Sullivan is available for selection after missing the win over Georgia through illness. There are no further injuries and the team to play Portugal in Lisbon on Saturday night (7.0pm, Irish time) will be announced on Thursday morning.
