Latest news with #FineenWycherley
The 42
26-04-2025
- Sport
- The 42
"It's in our own hands still' - Munster maintain playoff target after Cardiff slip
AT FULL-TIME at the Arms Park on Friday night, the narrative seemed simple. Munster looked assured with 15 men on the pitch but at sea when down to 14. Of Cardiff's four tries, three came while either Fineen Wycherley or Jack O'Donoghue was in the sin bin. The other came from the penalty try infringement which saw the latter sent for a 10-minute breather. By contrast, when a full strength Munster worked up the pitch, they were efficient, notching three points for each of their seven 22 entries. Ian Costello, Munster's interim head coach, was in no mood for straightforward narratives. Immediately after full-time, other failings, alongside discipline, stuck in his craw. 'Our performance wasn't good enough,' he said. Advertisement 'Our lineout still didn't function as well as we would have liked. Our kicking game, which is usually a big factor in momentum, we didn't win the aerial battle tonight. I thought Cardiff were excellent in the air. 'We kicked some balls in the second half that we didn't give ourselves the best opportunity to get back. Ideally we keep the ball on the pitch a bit more tonight, because we were under pressure we were forced to kick off the pitch.' The set piece once again hampered a Munster side whose forwards coach, Alex Codling, continues to double job with the Ireland women's side. Against Bordeaux, a 62 per cent lineout success rate crippled their attack. On Friday, while all three Munster tries came from throws in the 22, Munster secured just 64 per cent of their own lineout ball. Victory could have seen the province move from seventh to fifth. Instead, travelling back to Limerick with just a losing bonus point means they'll be lucky to end the weekend still in the top eight, by Costello's own admission. The final games against Ulster and Benetton at home look eminently winnable. Now, Munster appear to have little choice. Lest the unthinkable happen, a URC knockout phase without the 2023 champions. Not to mention new boss Clayton McMillan arriving to a club no longer playing Champions Cup rugby. 'From our point of view, everything we can, we have to be in the playoffs,' acknowledged Costello. 'We know how important it is to the club, for the players. There will be no stone left unturned around making sure we get what we need out of the last two games. 'The positive, the only positive, is it's in our own hands still. But we have to win.'
The Journal
25-04-2025
- Sport
- The Journal
Munster's URC play-off hopes suffer blow with defeat in Cardiff
Cardiff 26 Munster 21 Nathan Johns reports from Cardiff Arms Park A FIVE-POINT defeat to Cardiff has cost Munster the opportunity to solidify their hopes for the URC knockouts, the province falling in an ill-disciplined display in the Welsh capital. Fineen Wycherley and Jack O'Donoghue saw yellow either side of half-time, and their combined 20 minutes in the bin cost Munster 26 points – a total they could not overhaul. Advertisement In a first half which saw Munster concede 12 unanswered points with Wycherley in the bin, the province nevertheless took a narrow lead into half-time. Calvin Nash and Mike Haley – making his first start since January – crossed while both sides were at full complement, Gabriel Hamer-Webb and Harri Millard hitting back when Cardiff ran at 14 men. The 42 Subscribers can read the full match report here (€) The 42′s award-winning team produces original content that you won't find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women's sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
BBC News
16-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Ireland 'A' name 29-man squad for England encounter
Leinster's Max Deegan will captain Ireland 'A' against England 'A' at Ashton Gate in Bristol on 23 February (13:00 GMT). Back row Deegan is one of six players - alongside forwards Fineen Wycherley, Oli Jager, Tom O'Toole and backs Harry Byrne and Shane Daly - to have been capped at Test level by Ireland. The squad also includes 12 players who were part of the Emerging Ireland tour to South Africa in September, including Ulster's Zac Ward and Jude 29-man panel is made up of 11 Leinster players, eight from Munster, seven from Connacht and three from Ulster."I am hugely excited to work with such a talented group of players and coaches and we're all looking forward to the opportunity to represent our country in Bristol this weekend," said Ireland 'A' head coach Mike Prendergast. "It is an experienced group with a number of capped senior internationals named alongside players who have featured for Emerging Ireland and for their provinces in recent months."Munster coach Prendergast added: "The standard, whenever you pull on an Ireland jersey, is to perform to the best of your ability and we believe that we have a good blend of talented players who will look to take this opportunity to impress the national and provincial coaches."Sunday's game presents a huge opportunity against what will be a well-drilled England side who boast a lot of Premiership experience in their ranks. It is a task that we will approach with a positive frame of mind." Ireland 'A' squad (Club/province/Test caps)Forwards (16): Jack Aungier (Clontarf FC/Connacht), Diarmuid Barron (Garryowen/Munster), James Culhane (UCD RFC/Leinster), Max Deegan (Lansdowne/Leinster) (captain) (2), Brian Gleeson (Garryowen FC/Munster), Oli Jager (Munster) (1), Sean Jansen (Connacht), Alex Kendellen (UCC RFC/Munster), Paddy McCarthy (Dublin University FC/Leinster), Darragh Murray (Buccaneers RFC/Connacht), Evan O'Connell (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster), Conor O'Tighearnaigh (UCD RFC/Leinster), Tom O'Toole (Ballynahinch/Ulster) (16), Stephen Smyth (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster), Alex Soroka (Clontarf FC/Leinster), Fineen Wycherley (Young Munster/Munster) (1).Backs (13): Shayne Bolton (Connacht), Harry Byrne (UCD/Leinster) (4), Hugh Cooney (Clontarf/Leinster), Shane Daly (Cork Constitution/Munster) (2), Cathal Forde (Corinthians/Connacht), Hugh Gavin (Galwegians RFC/Connacht), Fintan Gunne (Terenure College RFC/Leinster), Ben Murphy (Clontarf/Connacht), Ben O'Connor (UCC RFC/Munster), Tommy O'Brien (UCD RFC/Leinster), Andrew Osborne (Naas RFC/Leinster), Jude Postlethwaite (City of Armagh RFC/Ulster), Zac Ward (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster).Ireland 'A' management team Mike Prendergast (head coach/attack coach), Jimmy Duffy (forwards), Sean O'Brien (defence), Mark Sexton (backs/assistant attack coach), Colm Tucker (scrum/breakdown).
