Injury Time - 4oct2024

Injury Time is back after a few years. James Callaghan and Paul Gerrard are guests. They discuss Galway Hurling and the changes in the team. They talk about past managers and the challenges they faced. They also mention the disappointment of losing in finals and the need for success. They talk about talented players like Joe Canning and the effort required to reach that level. They mention upcoming players and the potential for future success. They don't believe immigration is a major issue for losing talent. It's Injury Time, the first week of October, and it's a great pleasure to welcome back to Injury Time. We haven't spoken for a number of years on Injury Time. James Callaghan, Paul Gerrard, you're very welcome indeed. Thank you, Eamonn. How are you keeping? Well, from my voice, you'll gather that things are not right in the upper end anyway, but with that new title that I got earlier on from James Mungan, it might be very much to do with my personality. I don't know. Yes, indeed. James, yes, indeed. It's a number of years since we've spoken on Injury Time. Back with you. Everything good with family and all? Great, Eamonn, yes. All very good. Thanks very much. Yes, good indeed. Now, it was very much related to Galway Hurling, and with that in mind, how many years, James, have you been associated now on the inner circle, in the backroom team of Galway Hurling? I went into my 17th year with Michal Dunhu. Michal is my sixth manager. I spent three years with John McIntyre, four years with Anthony Cunningham, four years with Michal Dunhu, two years with Shane O'Neill, three years with Henry Sheffield, and I was dropped back with Michal again. I was going to retire this year, but Michal persuaded me to stay on for another, he said four years, but I said to Michal, I said we'd do one year at a time, and I'm back again. In those years, I mean, you've seen some of the greats in Galway enter and exit the stage, without naming anyone too closely, but they have come and gone, and Galway Hurling has been, I suppose, in the doldrums for a period as well. Entering into a new era under Michal again, I'd say everything is probably looking brighter for the team. There'll probably be a huge amount of new faces entering into the arena as well. So I suppose with the new era, it's something to look forward to. Yes, you know, I'd be honest, Henry was one of the greats of all time. He actually put in a huge effort there for three years, travelling up and down to Kinney, seven hour round trip with Rich O'Neill and himself, and it was very, very difficult for him. But the first year Henry came in, his brother passed away suddenly, he dropped dead one day out for a jog. It was the early part of the season when Henry came into the team. Then it was really tough on him, losing his best friend, his brother and his best friend, as he always said. Then the following year, we lost the Leinster final with a free goal in injury time, and just one of these free goals lost the Leinster final. Then the following year, he tried to win Fiverwear with the present team and it didn't work out. He probably won for gold that year, but it didn't work out and we just didn't rise to the occasion in 2024. There was nothing he could do about it. I think that was the end of Henry, but it just didn't work out well for him. But he put in a huge effort into the team and the commitment from everybody was as long as it has been, he gave it 100% and it just didn't work out. He stepped down and he probably could have come back again for another three years. I think the County Board offered another three years, but he wasn't prepared to give that commitment because he would have to rebuild again. I don't think he was prepared to go for the three years, but he would have certainly taken another year. The County Board wanted a three-year because I suppose like everything else here, there's a lot of players there now for a long time and he has to freshen up the team and he wouldn't give that commitment. So he stepped down and Micheál Dunne had stepped down from Dublin, so he was the obvious choice. He was the player's choice. Going forward, the players approached Micheál about coming back and they sat down with the County Board and put a deal together and really looking forward to it because Micheál, you know, he's a brilliant, brilliant manager and he's coming back in with Fanny Ford and Noel Larkin and Derek Ford. So yeah, they were a great team and there were problems there at the start and he stepped down, he went to Dublin and he really brought on Dublin. He brought them to an inter-final this year and he certainly improved the hurling in Dublin. And again, the commitment to going up and down to Dublin, another six-hour round trip for them wasn't too much and County knew that around this year that they wouldn't be staying on for the third year. So it was good for Galway and probably bad for Dublin that he wasn't staying on but it was certainly good for Galway and looking forward to 2025 because he's going to bring a lot of excitement. We lost a lot of supporters last year due to, you know, everybody wants success and we didn't get the success. So hopefully Micheál will bring back that next year and really looking forward to it because he certainly has the support of everybody in the County Board and the players, so looking forward to 2025. Yeah, yeah, we are as well because, you know, just across the board, not just in Galway Senior Hurling but in the other areas, both in football and women and ladies, participants in different areas of GAA, we ended up in more semifinals and losing than I'd say any county in the country. It was such a downward spiral of nearly along the way or nearly getting there along the way and getting nothing at the end. Yeah, that was unfortunate really this year. The footballers, I felt, were just unlucky, never performed on the day. They didn't go to play a bad game, it just didn't happen for them, but I've no doubt in my mind if they got another score that could level that game that day, they would probably have won it in entry time by three or four points. It just didn't happen for them on the day and, as you said, the ladies football were in the ladies final and the camogie team were in the ladies and they both lost the finals. We had actually a bad record here in Galway losing finals, to be honest with you, a very bad record. I met Damien Comer this morning and we were talking about it and you were just saying it's all about winning. Homecoming for losers should never happen really and it's all about getting over the line and being home to the San Miguel Cup or the McCarthy Cup or the Camogie or the ladies football. That's what it's all about. Nobody wants losers, they all want winners. So yeah, it was a bad year for Galway, but having said all that, you know, there were good net catchers in the finals, but you're obviously, you know, there's only going to be one winner and, unfortunately for Galway, it was a tough year, like you're losing three out of the four probably major finals. With all that you've seen coming and going in that period of 17 odd years, James, is there anyone there that you felt, you know, didn't get the acknowledgement or didn't achieve with the ability they had to be one of the greats? Was there a disappointment or maybe a scenario that you don't want to really mention? You know, I just feel like we think back to the great Joe Canning especially. You saw Joe come and go and what he had left in Galway Hurling. Was there anyone you felt that could have left more or achieved more? Yeah, there's a lot of people, like Joe was the exception. He was up there with the all-time greats, you know. The modern day hurler like Henry Sheffield and Joe Canning were probably, you know, the two most outstanding hurlers over the last 10-15 years. But yeah, there's always players coming through, but some of them just don't, you know, bring it to the next level. At the moment now, there's a huge amount of talent out there and there's some of them, you'd say, like, you know, they're going to be the next Joe Cannings. But, you know, they're going to have to work very hard at their game to be at that level. You know, if you want to be at the highest level and then Joe Cannings or Henry Sheffield, you have to put in the effort and you have to. I remember Damien Hayes said one time, you know, he used to go home every day when he was in the garage at one o'clock and he'd go down to the ball alley with the hurler and the slitter alley. We'd hopper up the wall and it was all about speed and all that. And he used to do that three or four days every week. Joe Canning used to do it and he used to go outside and he'd be hitting balls over sheds and he'd land them in the one spot. But this is the effort that these players have put in. There's a lot of talent out there. You'd always say, like, this guy's going to be the next Joe Cannings. And there was three or four players I thought would be the next Joe Cannings, but no, they never came up to that level. But having said all that, like, you know, even at the moment now, he's had a lot of club games this year. There's a lot of talent out there and there's, you know, the young Collins there, two young Collins from Capitagin, Dexter McLaughlin from Port Cumnor. You know, there's players from other clubs that are coming through, but, you know, to get to that level, they're going to have to put in the effort. But, you know, they only come once every two years that you get a player of the Joe Canning calibre. So, you know, is there an area there that's an excuse, if you like, for the hurling scene? You know, would immigration be an issue that the talent reaches and then moves on to college, maybe, and then jobs abroad? Are we losing talent to immigration, do you think? No, I don't think so, Eamon. No, I don't think so. This split season might help this, might stop this immigration. I know this year we were beaten last, in June, and we were beaten on the Sunday. We were the only chances to get Dublin beat us. And that night, there was eight players travelling to Boston to follow on Wednesday. They'd been on the phone from Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, New York, bringing out the players. I think there was 11 or maybe 13 players went out for the summer to America to play hurling and it was a great opportunity because I've talked to Darren Morrissey there earlier on this year and he captained the team in 17. He actually never could go away for a holiday any year because he was involved with the county and with the colleges and with the club and he could never travel. He missed, as you said, family weddings, he missed Debs, his Debs, he missed, you know, he's got offers to go to America but never got that opportunity. But this is the first time since I've been there that he had 12 players, 12 or 13 players, go out to America for the summer, which is great for the players. You know, like in Boston, I know at the moment there's only two clubs in Boston. I remember going out there a few years ago, there was eight or nine clubs, counties, but now there's only two. Two Galway clubs actually, Father Tom's in Galway and there was seven or eight of them playing with Tom's and there was two or three playing with Corwin, two or three playing with Tom's alone and they played against Dublin on the Sunday and they were playing in Boston the following Sunday. So it was a great opportunity. Two or three of them went to San Francisco, two or three of them went to, I think two of them went to Chicago and then there was a few of the boys went to New York as well. So it was a great opportunity and they were back then from the start of their hurling club season as well. So they were great. I don't think it affects immigration anymore. I think they got an opportunity to go, it was a great chance for them to make a few quid and they're all going to school, college, so there's an opportunity for them to make a few quid and go out and enjoy themselves as well. Okay. What about the calendar of the rescheduling of the whole GAA scene and where we're at with the exit on Ireland in, you could say, six weeks prior to, or two months nearly prior to where we were so used to. Do you think that's having an effect? I think this fifth season, now there's an awful lot of hurling being played at the moment, but this year going forward, there's going to be no Welsh Cups, which is great. No pre-season challenge matches, but there was the Welsh Cup, there was the O'Byrne Cup of football, there was the other one up in the north. But I think by dropping them and next year going forward, you're going to have a super league, like you're going to have the four teams from in Ireland, you're going to have four, you're going to have Cork, Limerick, Tipperary and Clare, Galway, Kickly and Westford. So you're going to have a kind of a super league this year going forward. You're going to have a break in between and it's the four captains play a semi-final and final and then in early May you're going to win the championship. I think by not having the Welsh Cup, you're going to have an extra two or three weeks in between. So you will get time, you will get a break and then they'll extend the championship out to the end of July. That's why I'm here. So the All-Ireland Hurling Final will be played the last Sunday in July and football will be played the first week in August. So that will give the players an opportunity. But the players, I have to say, you talk to the players and they love it. They want to play as much hurling as they can. They love the hurling. It's just the people behind the scenes. I think they should sit down. I would love to see myself going back to the first week in September, the Hurling Final. I think it's not fair on any team that goes to the All-Ireland. There's no build-up. I remember in 2017 when we were in the All-Ireland Final, 12th, 15th and 17th, it was brilliant. You had two or three weeks to enjoy it, the build-up. You went out to Athens-Royal training and the build-up in the crowd. You used to get into the ground at that time. So you had more at an All-Ireland Hurling Semi-Final or Final training session than you would at a club match. Yes, you were at both. That's all gone now. The players, you know, you play a Semi-Final next Sunday and the following week you're going away on a training camp if you qualify for the All-Ireland Final. You have only one week to get ready for the final. So I'd love to see you go back to the old system, but it won't happen, not for the time being. OK, yes, because I just felt two things. That it was very, maybe, money-oriented at the higher level of GAA and added to the fact, too, that it put a hell of a pressure on the players themselves, you know, that there was no break from training or playing. If they weren't training, they were playing. After all, they're amateurs. Professionals get thousands and thousands and thousands to be professional, but it's a big demand, I think, on amateurs, the way it's currently scheduled. But as you say, it probably won't change. No, it won't change. I know about this year, for instance, the league won't start until the last, I think it's the first week in February. But this year now, the Club Championship is on at the moment. You're down to the quarter-finals next weekend, so you'll have the final over by the first week of November. But the County team cannot go back this year. You cannot go back to December 7th. And if you go back before then, and if you're cost-training, you will have to forfeit a whole match in the league. So I don't think any county will take that chance. So they will get an extended break this year by doing that. You know, a lot of counties have their Championship over, but Galway being such a big county, they make Cork, but Cork in particular and Galway are probably the two biggest. And it obviously needs to continue on. And people say, well, why don't you start before you go to the Championship? But then players want to go away. You could have the Galway Championship over, if you start it off in July, but that won't happen either. I'd like to see it happen, but it won't happen. Because then the players want to go, if they get an opportunity to travel, they can't travel. So it's the same old story. It's just a pity that they couldn't leave it, the old system. The old ways, you know, playing, having the final in September, it was great, the old ways. It's a shorter season, but it's non-stop. I can well imagine. Are you looking forward to the non-stop? I am actually. You do miss it, I'll be honest with you. It was great to get the break. And, you know, when you were down at the Championship, you were just waiting for the Harlequin to be over. And once that's over, you said, you'd love to be back, you'd love to be back. But, you know, I love going to the Games as well. I go to the Games next weekend, like your two great Games, and that's Rye on Saturday, and two great Games again on Sunday in Athens, Rye. So I'm looking forward to that. And you won't feel it, like the time is flying and you won't feel it. And, you know, you'd like to get back with all the buddies again, and the business and the whole lot, and get serious and start to the League. And, like, you're nearly out every Sunday. I remember last year, I think we were out nearly eight weeks in a row with the Welsh Cup and with the League and all that last year. You know, because we wanted to find the Welsh Cup. So that was four Games, and then we had a break of a week, and then we had another four Games in the League. Three Games, and then we had a break, and then we had another three Games. So, this year you'll have more time. But then the other thing is, the Club Championship, whichever team wins the County Final, they're going to stay with the Club there, so they're going to miss the pre-season training for that, for the County team, because they're going to be involved in the All-Ireland Club Semi-Final. Of course, of course. Being in the All-Ireland Semi-Final every year. So we never had the Tammins players, so they miss out on three months into County training. So sometimes I ask myself, you know, you never see a Limerick team, or a Clare team, but you wonder, like, Baddie Gunner has won, I think, 11 County Finals in a row, and they haven't been training with Warburg either last year. They're training with Baddie Gunner, so they miss out. Warburg miss out. Baddie is well on it. Yes, they do. But as I was saying, it's the Club scene in Galway that is so demanding, and has to be catered for, because that's the parish at home, and they want their hurlers to stay, and the demand is on them. We'll leave that aside for now, but other interests in sport, in Connacht, you know, there's a great freshness, I feel, in the soccer, which I know you have a keen interest in, especially in the ladies and the men's senior, where the boys are really proving themselves this year, whether it's a third or fourth in the league, and as I say, not the hardest run in to the end of it, James. You're a big fan. I am. I love going there every Friday night. You know, since we went up to the premiership, great crowds, great atmosphere. Looking forward to Friday night, Claims on Dock, the four games left. They're in fourth position, level with Shamrock Warburg, and five points behind Shelburne, and, you know, they're all talking about Shelburne, Derry, and Shamrock Warburg, but Warburg's still there, and, you know, they have two home games against Dundalk, and Slag Rovers, and a way to Pats, and a way to Bowes, and if they can get nine points, they won't be far away from either. They will certainly qualify for Europe with nine points, and if Derry win the cup, which they're playing Bowes on Friday night in the semi-final, if they win the cup, there's an extra European spot there as well. So, hopefully, they will finish up in second or third. They could possibly finish up in fourth as well, but the results have to go their way. You take second or third at the moment, and just qualify for Europe. It'll be a great achievement for the first year after 12 or 13 years playing in the First Division. So, it's fair play to John Caulfield and Ali Horgan that brought in good players this year. You know, they won the league last year. They were promoted nearly halfway through the season. They were so good, but the opposition weren't great, and this year, you know, I felt at the start that if they finished in seventh or eighth, I thought that would be a good position, but no, they have gone beyond their wildest dreams, and they've been playing great football. Beat Shelburne there last Friday week, won a great game, and John Caulfield made some good signings. He's bringing back Greg Cunningham from Preston North End. Jimmy Culhane, he's from Cork, played in England, brought him back, and brought in two or three guys from Northern Ireland, strengthened the team, and he's playing dividends for them, and they're playing very attractive football, and a group of brilliant athletes here up in Carradine Park every Friday night, and they had a great result last week in Warwick. That's their third time beating Warwick this year, no, fourth time actually beating Warwick, and it's been a great year for them. So hopefully, if they can, they have, as I said, they have the puppies running off the other teams, because Shelburne has to play Samarco over the next week, and Samarco has to play Gerry, and Gerry has to play Shelburne, so there's a lot at stake over the next two or three weeks, so look forward to it, and hopefully we can get into second or third position, and we won't be worrying about the fourth position. Yeah, I won't dwell on the rugby scene, and Andrew Brown put the programme on that, but there's a fresh list in conduct rugby as well, isn't there? Ah yeah, I watched Samir against Cunster last Saturday, sure it was an absolutely brilliant game, they were all very unlucky not to win it, and they were outstanding, and some great signings here again this year, and then on the last Saturday, I was down in Cork, and I was watching the first half, and I couldn't believe what I was seeing, it was the officer from the week before, and I was in, they had their meeting, I came out, and I was returning for some reason, I thought it might be Hockey, I couldn't believe my eyes when I seen it, 27-25, and they were on fire, so I watched the last 50 minutes, and they won it by, well, they got a penalty, the Sharks got a penalty in the last 50 minutes to just get a bonus point, so they got two bonus points, but it's a great start to the season for Connaught, and it's looking well for them for this year, there's some great signings, and with the new development in sports grounds, having more crowds, they're only allowed to get 4,500, it creates an atmosphere, but we're going to be so lucky in probably the start of 2026, you're going to have a lovely new ground in the sports ground, I believe it's going to be fabulous, and it's going to increase the capacity to around 11,000, so there'll be some atmosphere in College Road come next year, so looking forward to the Rugby, and you know Eamon, the lights are going to be, there's lights going to be at the Pearl Stadium this year as well, and the lights are going to be installed, actually start next month, they're going to be installing lights in the Pearl Stadium, so you're going to have three, you're probably going to have three hurling games, three football games there next year, in the league, and a hurling night, but, not before time James, not before time, not before time, no, but you're looking forward to, like, you know, going to matches up in the College Road, going to tarmac, it's a brilliant atmosphere, and certainly the crowds will double, I guarantee you that the crowds will double on a Saturday night in the Pearl Stadium, because it does create a special atmosphere, I remember just after Covid there, we were down in Limerick, playing Limerick in the league, and it was the first time that loud in the crowd, but I remember that particular night, had speakers on the sidelines, and they were playing all Dolores O'Riordan's songs, and it created a special atmosphere down there that night, and hopefully we're going to see that in the Pearl Stadium going forward. Look forward to that indeed. Listen, it's been a pleasure, it's been a pleasure, and hopefully down the road we can catch up occasionally, and to have your thoughts on the hurling and how it's progressing, and indeed sending good wishes to the Galway United in the football, and not forgetting the ladies, of course, are well up there as well, and to Connachton they will be seen looking forward to so much sport coming west, and maybe a bit of silverware as well, which would be lovely. But for now, James, thank you for taking time out to talk to us this Friday on Injury Time. Lovely Eamonn, thank you very much. James Callaghan coming back on Injury Time to bring us up to date on the Galway hurling scene, and we'll be right back with you after these. West Coast Insulation, their local cavity wall and attic insulation specialists. Walls pumped with Kingspan Platinum EcoBead. We also supply and fit blown rockwool and mineral wool in attics. Grant of up to 3,250 euro available. 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Joyce's Hardware Reset, located behind Joyce's Grocery, specializing in animal feed, fuel supplies and all your hardware needs. Competitive prices on both feeds. Joyce's will deliver to all areas of Connemara. Contact Brian on 095-347-50 or 087-268-6946. Clifton Supply Centre, Galway Road, Clifton. Provide building supplies, plumbing and heating supplies, fuel merchants, DIY and general hardware. Contact the Clifton Supply Centre on 095-214-76. It's my pleasure to welcome back to Injury Time this Friday, Andrew Brown. Andrew, you're very welcome and good to have you back on air with us. Thanks very much, Eamonn. It's great to be back on again. Before we move on, Andrew, a big congratulations. I've heard by the family wire that you've been appointed assistant coach to the Ireland Under-20s. Yes, yeah. I'm delighted with it. I was in with them for the World Cup back in 2023 when we actually got to the final in Cape Town. I love that experience. I've done three years or I have done three years of the Irish Under-19s. This was a natural stepping stone and I'm delighted I got it. Yeah, so it'll be a hectic year. There's plenty of build-up. The Under-20s, it's a big thing now. There's a full six nations. There's a World Cup every year as well. I'll be kept busy with it. There'll be plenty of times up in Dublin and the HPC and all that. I'm really looking forward to having regular games, six nations, prepping for a World Cup and all that. I'm delighted. I'm looking forward to getting started. There are a fair bit of travel involved in all of this too, aren't there, Andrew? There will be, just internally within Ireland, there's a lot of days up in Dublin, just for myself away from home. We've got quite a lot of prep time that has to go in prior to the six nations. Then when the six nations kicks off, we have England and France at home this year. That means we have Wales, Italy and Scotland away. Then after that, it'll be the prep for the World Cup. I'm not sure exactly where the World Cup is this year. I know it's going to be in the Northern Hemisphere somewhere because they've done two years in South Africa. I also know it's not going to be in Ireland. There will be another chunk of time, like a good three or four weeks or so, in wherever it may be, France, Italy, England. I'm not sure yet. There is quite a bit of travel. It's a lot of time away from home, a lot of time away from family, which is the difficult thing of it, obviously. Nevertheless, it's good to have that regular exposure to games and to the players themselves. It's marvellous for you. Many congratulations. It proves and holds the level of esteem for you in the rugby world today. There's to say many, many congratulations. I know Mum and Dad and Damien and all the family will be delighted with this, which is the Browns award of rugby, it really is, isn't it? Well, hopefully we have a bit of success now. Hopefully it goes well. I know previous years, there's a lot to live up to because previous years have had that success where they've won two Grand Slams in a row. They were very close to winning the Six Nations last year. As I said, when I was with them for the World Cup, we got to the final. Now I know it didn't go well, particularly this year. They finished fourth. But there's a lot to live up to now. Big shoes to fill as well with other coaches moving on that have done a really good job there as well. It'll be challenging, but it'll be good. Of course, it's a stepping stone at the under-20s. It's a stepping stone at the senior level. It has been in the past, yes. Definitely from a player point of view, but definitely from a coach point of view as well. Even if I'm looking internally within Connacht, we have Cully Tucker now who's the scrum and breakdown coach here. He was part of the under-20s back around 2019-2020. We have Mark Sexton who was with the under-20s around 2021-22. He's now moved into the back coach role or attack coach role here in Connacht as well. There's plenty more other examples outside of Connacht within Ireland. It is a natural stepping stone. For me, it'll be good to get that exposure to games and prepping and review and all the stuff that comes with that. It'll give me more of an impression where I want to go down the road with coaching as well. If that is pro-coaching someday, that'll be great. Absolutely. Talking about Connacht, a new shape Connacht. New faces, new blood, new captain, an Irish citizen now in Bundy. All good. To be said, it's all good after they turned around what looked to be another defeat against the Sharks and want to come back in that. There's a certain new doggedness about Connacht this year, I think, Andrew. Yeah, I think so. You can definitely notice in the first two games. It's something they've concentrated on for pre-season as well. They had a really good pre-season so we're fully integrated with the academy. We're at every single senior training session so you could see the work they put in from that side of things, the mental side of the game, but also in defence and being really difficult to play against. I think they've shown that in the first two games. I think they were unlucky against Munster. Worked really hard, probably just got a little bit loose defensively in the last quarter of the game. And then, as you mentioned the Sharks, it was looking a bit dodgy there at half-time. But to come out then in the second half and get those couple of scores, I thought the emotional energy was through the roof. You probably know yourself and Connacht teams in the past and even Connacht teams that I've played with, it would be very hard to make up that deficit. I mean, it was 27-7 at half-time, 20 points at the last. To make up that deficit was really hard. Yes, indeed. I know I was inclined to turn the television off but I didn't and I was so delighted I didn't. But it didn't look good at all, as you said. A deficit of 20 points at half-time and to make that up, especially against the likes of the Sharks, because they're a team of heavies and they play a hard game. That's for sure. They're very South African so they'll go hard at you in the centre. So they'll fly off. They're big bodies, as you said, so they can be very direct. I know they were missing a few of their South African internationals because they were playing the Rugby Championship but they're still quality players there. I mean, if you saw their centre, Andre Esterházen, he's just a mad mountain. He scored one easy try carrying about two lads over the tri-line with them. So there's no shortage of size there. So when you consider that, traditionally, and we're not the biggest team in the world by any means, but I think we held our own in the physicality side of things. And yeah, paid off in the end. It was a great win. Yeah, the new faces in there are proving themselves to be something special, I think. So you have a few really nice players coming in this year, like Joshua Ania 10. Now he's not playing tonight but he's been brilliant since he's come in and he's come in late. So he came in very late in pre-season, had to get up to speed really quickly but he's just a real natural footballer. He's been great. He's not a new signing but he's like a new signing coming back this year. There's Josh Murphy in the back row. He's been unbelievable in the first two games. Oh yes, indeed. Yeah, like if you speak about that physicality and that doggedness, like he's that all over. Like he's been like 180 minutes, being really physical. You have Piers O'Connor who came from Bristol. He's been really good, playing 13, playing on the wing tonight. He can also play full-back. So he's got utility back but he's really comfortable in all those positions as well. And then to have someone like Mack back as well. So like I know he's not new either but all these lads nearly like new signings because they've been either away or they've been gone away so long or through injury. To have them back was brilliant. So it's a real strong squad. It's the strongest squad that's been here in a few years and the competition is through the roof in terms of lads trying to get into different positions. And that's only a good thing. So that only breeds like positive energy and hopefully success. It's looking like that. But as you say, the pre-season kind of gave us a hint of the approach that Connacht were making this year. Because as you mentioned earlier, they did have a very good pre-season. They did. It was a good win against Sale and I guess like going back to the Sharks, going back to South Africa, Sale are very much in that mould. You know they're an English team. Of course. They're direct. They have a lot of South Africans anyway. Had a good hit out against Bristol as well. And then had a good game against Glasgow. So a win over in Glasgow was no mean feat. And the game against Bristol, albeit it was behind closed doors, was another really positive game. Some really good rugby. So there were definitely hints. And you saw it in pre-season training as well. Now what I will say, I don't want to get too much ahead of ourselves either. Tonight would be a really good test because it's very easy to get, and this was mentioned during the week to the team, it's very easy to get up from Munster away in the first game of the season in Tottenham Park. It's very easy to get up for your first home game of the season against the Sharks at home. It's hardest to get up for your first game against Wales on a Friday night. It just doesn't have that emotional high as the other games. So tonight would be a really good test to see if they can reach those physicality and emotional levels against the Scarlets, who haven't been going well either. So they wouldn't be seen as up there with Munster or the Sharks at the minute. So I'm looking forward to seeing how tonight goes. I'm hopeful, but it's also a bit of a banana skin. Well indeed, yeah. But you know, as you touched on there, Welsh rugby is not in a good place and hasn't been for a while. No, it's not. And Scarlets are probably a team in particular that have really struggled. I mean, they struggled last year. They've lost their first two games of the season this year, which again, you know, you don't want to underestimate them. But I'd be expecting tonight, I'd be hopeful, but I'm still a little bit on edge about how things will go. And then, as you say, Welsh rugby in general, they still get great attendances for their games in the Millennium Stadium or the municipality. But club rugby, like the Dragons, have traditionally struggled. Cardiff haven't been the force that they have been. Osprey is the same, haven't been the force that they have been of old. So it wouldn't be in the best place compared to Irish rugby in the provinces. But they're still like, as everyone says, and everyone knows, they're proud rugby nations. You know, they're really passionate. So that's why you can't underestimate them. Of course, yeah. You know, looking back at Connacht, there's a good PR in the last couple of years with regard to Connacht. A good place to live for a family growing up, you know, space out there and the beautiful Connemara, of course, at the backcourt. And all that goes with it. And Bundy and the likes of him have played a big part in that, haven't they? He has. He's a great story, isn't he? Coming over from New Zealand, 2014 now, so I think it's 10 years ago. But as a young fella, probably not knowing what to expect. He played for the Chiefs, but I suppose we didn't know what to expect of him as well. And the success story that he's made of himself since being here and just the positive influence he's had on Connacht, that he's had on Ireland, that he's had on the area. And I think probably the biggest testament to Bundy, you know, like Bundy could easily go to France and chase a big payday. But I think he's so settled here. His family love it. He has such a profile here as well. Like, you know, it's great to be able to show off Galway, show off Connacht, for, like you said, the great place that it is. So, in fairness to him, he's done a lot for not just Connacht or Galway, but the West of Ireland, a showtastement, like you said. And vice versa, Connacht has done wonderful things for him and given him that platform to go on and achieve everything he has done in rugby. But, you know, he's a real energiser around the place. I had to laugh, like I was slagging him a little bit during the week about, like, his appearance on the Late Late Show. I mean, that was the most subdued Bundy Aki that I think that I've ever seen. But yeah, it's just naturally, I'm a little bit of nerve going on national TV. But he's so much, he's so bubbly. He's such a big presence around the place as well that I don't think you saw that on the Late Late Show. But he's been brilliant, as you said. Oh, he has. You know, he's just one of these great guys in the world of sport today. He stands out. And I think hard done by, in the World Cup, not getting the men of the series. Yeah, definitely. But I think he was probably just a victim of Ireland going out to the quarterfinal stage. I think if Ireland had got to the semi-final stage, Bundy would have got it. He had an amazing World Cup. I think it was clear to see that he probably was the player of this tournament, even though Ireland only got to the quarterfinals. But you know with these things, it's like when a team, the man of the match always comes from a winning team, you know, even though some players from the losing team could have had the best game that we've ever seen. It's just the way things go. It's the same with these kind of things in the World Cup, like Bundy would have got player of the tournament if Ireland had progressed further. But because they went out to the quarterfinal stage, they didn't give it to him. But I think, yeah, probably a little bit hard done by then. But he can still hold his head high with the quarterfinals. Absolutely. Kean Prendergast, not wanted by his home country and moved west. Really, it's great because I think he's been one of the outstanding players in the last couple of years for Conor. Definitely. Prendo, he's a great success story as well. He didn't make Irish Under-18s. He didn't make Irish Under-19s. He was on the periphery of Irish Under-20s. He didn't get offered a Leinster contract. Conor had offered him a contract down here. He jumped at the chance. And I remember I wasn't with Conor at the time between retiring and coming back, but I heard that he was tearing it up for Conor in pre-season training as an academy player. I actually met him because I was coaching Norwegian at the time. I signed him to Norwegian, but he never actually played because he went straight into the Conor team from a very young age, from when he got in early. He's been brilliant. The Prendo team is probably the most professional player I've ever seen come through Conor. Either me, even when I was a player and playing with other lads, or since I've been a coach, he is the most professional. He, one of the great things I'll say about him, he just loves rugby. He is into the game. He wants to know everything about everything. He's first in, he's last out. He does amazing work. And I was delighted that he got captain this year because he speaks really well, which you've actually seen in the first two games, even talking to the ref. He's not shy. He's quite forthright in his thoughts around rugby as well. But he'll be a great person because he's a standard bearer. He demonstrates all the behaviours that you want from other players. So I'm delighted that he got that nod as captain, even though he's still relatively young age, but I think he's experienced enough now to get that and he's happy he got it. Well done to him. Before I let you go, I think that there is a lady at the desk back at Colmar, Community Radio. We'd better mention the ladies and what they have achieved. This thing was, would you say, unexpected against the All Blacks? Oh, it was definitely. I mean, if you consider... You have to be careful down here. No, no, no, no. But it was like, and I think they'll even admit that themselves, or maybe from the observer looking from the outside in, they don't expect this. Maybe internally, what they've done in terms of their training and the strides they've made, they've had probably a better impression of where they were and they may feel then internally that it was expected. But I think from us looking in from the outside, we can say it was unexpected without insulting them too much or anything like that. I think when you consider whatever we're taking into account, the results over the last 12 months that they were in the women's 15 third division, like 12 months ago where they were in Dubai and they played for like the Columbia, they were in that bracket and I know they won that. But in the space of 12 months to say that you're going to go and beat New Zealand, I hear it like that. That would have been... Yeah, I don't think they even would have expected that. So no, going back to the game itself, it was a brilliant win. I mean, there's a new coaching team put in place there that's really experienced. I mean, when I first saw the coaching team now, I mean, you've Scott Beam's head coach, you have Alec Codling, who was a former forward coach, former Ulster EPBO. He was also Newcastle Falcons head coach last year, albeit it was a really difficult year. He has a wealth of experience as a forward coach. You've Gareth Steenson gone in there as well. You've Dennis Fogarty still there. You've Hugh Hogan gone in there, who's the former contact coach with Leinster, former defence coach with Scarlett. So there's no lack of resources. There's no lack of quality coaching gone into it. And it just shows when you put those resources and you put those good people in from a coaching perspective, the result you can get. My hope is now that they just push on and continue on that form and they can replicate those results. Absolutely. Yes, it's fantastic. But you know, the whole scene within Ireland, coming back from the World Cup, we were unlucky. You know, I happened to be over there for a couple of games myself. We were unlucky. But that being said, the high profile of Ireland on the B1 stage at the moment is very, very good. And I suppose that helps, like the women's side and with yourself in the under-20s coming along, that'll help to motivate everyone. I will, yes. I mean, there is a good pathway in place at the minute, even within each province. There's a good structure in the IRFU from an under-80s, under-90s, under-20s perspective in the men's game. It's similar in the women's game as well. They have a really good under-80s and under-20s structure put in place now. They've got seven structures. They've got women's first 15 structures. They've obviously got men's structures as well. So there's good things put in place. But with that, you're always trying to advance because you just know all the other UGIs are trying to advance as well. So you can see how well France have gotten so much better from an under-age perspective. England won the World Cup under-20s, just the season just gone. So they've put so much more resources into their under-age programs as well. And all that pays off. So it's just about nearly keeping pace with everyone else. So you can kind of rest on your laurels in any bit of it. But right now I'd say Irish rugby is in a decent place, but there's always room for improvement. Of course. Andrew, it's been a pleasure. And a big thank you for joining us on Connemara Community Radio for injury time this Friday. And again, on behalf of everyone, be it radio and the community out here, to wish you well in your new venture as assistant coach on the Ireland stage. And that would be just lovely. Let that progresses and we see you on a little bit bigger stage as time goes on. But for now, as ever, thank you. Thank you, Eamonn. Cheers. It's always a pleasure. Thanks for having me back on. Indeed. Thank you very much. Andrew Brown joining us injury time this Friday. And we'll be right back with you. It's my pleasure to welcome back. And it's been a little while, I think, Barton. Martin Canavan joining us here on Connemara Community Radio. How are you? Good, Eamonn. Good, good. Everything's fine. Weather's not great. Oh, gee, today now is... But it's like we've been lucky enough, I suppose, in the last couple of weeks. You know, when we look at what's happening in the rest of the world, you know, we can't really complain. Martin, there's a big event in town this weekend for guys that are looking at horse racing. And that's over in Paris, the Prix de l'Arc. One race that you and I enjoy very much. I know that over the years. And I see there's a field of, I think, 16. That's kind of big, Barton, isn't it? Yeah, it's a big event, but I'm a little unconcentrated this year, Eamonn. Look, De Vega was a horse with balance. And as I said to you, he won the French Derby. His horse, he was all-armed, so to speak. He ran up against the horse in the Prix de l'Arc, which was one of the trials for the Arc. Saucy, I think, if they call him, is the French equivalent. Yes. Andre Fab, a man that's no stranger to success in Paris. If any man gets it right, he does. That's true, that's true. I wonder why did O'Brien pull Augusto Rodine? I could see him taking out Luxembourg, but I thought he'd leave Augusto Rodine. Well, I mean, I think that big plan was to have Augusto Rodine run for the Japan Cup. He had to settle for a position in the Champions League, so, you know what I mean? Maybe the FLC's doing a bit too much, but he was all right. Some people say he was a great horse. He was in and out of form, and the latter form, the former horse, he hasn't been great. It's all about race. I mean, everybody is... Joseph is in the overall horse too, isn't he? Al Ritha. He put up to City of Troy in the Colour Clips, and he was going to pull out all the stops. Colour Clips wasn't a great race for City of Troy, but I mean, they can't come good all the time. So, the horse that I like is Shin Empire. He's the Japan horse. He's a full-blown horse. He's a full-blown horse. He's a full-blown horse. He's a full-blown horse. He's by the right way, but so is Ambrose Arthouse. He'd be feet of stairs. We remember him, myself as well. Oh, yes, indeed. Yeah, yeah. No doubt about it. He's tailor-made for the job. I mean, as I said to you, it would be a great race. Blue Stock is the horse that's going to go to Burma. So, I will set you, just the last race, I had the pleasure of watching myself on the TV, because I will set you an offset day, and they are going to dig you away from my challenger. Oh, yeah, George, yeah. And, of course, the other big one, Martin, I know it's a month away, and we'll get to that in a month's time, the Breeders' Cup. Now, that's when we're talking about City of Troy. He's going to show up there, isn't he? He's going to show up there, Raymond, and as I said to you, I've seen him, he's a little bit outside in England. He got the stairs from the American guys, stairs and gates, and the horse walks and jumps and everything. I think, myself, the process is different. I think, myself, he's quite my black early taste, and really, he needs to get his confidence up. He might suffer from the kickback, because they go at a ferocious pace, and if I was to pick any horse, myself, I like fierceness. He was very impressive in the summer stage, which is all a good indicator for coming into Bournemouth at that time of the year. And, as I said to you, you couldn't go out and see the hero of the year, or what he was, or what his deal was all about, but he leaves all his work last, and he ends up coming up by the Twisco Sharks all the time. I don't know why they don't chuck him close to the pace, but, I mean, he seems to leave all his work until they come on to the final straight, like, and he comes, he comes, he stays, he's a runner on the course, he comes and he stays, but he's always beaten by a nick of a shorthead, or whatever you want to call it. Okay, okay. I was just looking through the list there of the Pre-Delac runners, and I see Sussy is a daughter of Cesar Starris. Oh, yeah, yeah, Cesar Starris. Second favourite. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. What did you think of the two-year-olds out there this year, Martington? What's a two-year-old silly thing to say, man? Like Victoria, she's a horse, you have to store yourself for a while, but she came up, there was a blanket finish in the middle there, and there was, they're all there abouts, I mean, the choice of Simmering, I don't know the one that Portugal has, I forget the name again, but I mean, she was good to me as well, and as I said to you at that time story, there was only a blanket finish, a whisker between the whole lot of them, like, but a two-year-old, Eamon, I have a big like into his Shadow of Light, he's running for his race in the middle deck. I like to see a half day like between the opposition and the last part, and he, Crystal Jack now was a good artist, they were going to do group runs, races for Aiden O'Brien, and Shadow of Light came out of the pack and really annihilates the opposition, just the same as, just the same as, what do you call them, that's the one with the Sussex Stakes, that was an over-speech, Sussex Stakes there, and he just, like, I mean, the way they can just come out of that, that's what I really look forward to in races, and as I said to you, I like all these horses, I can do that kind of stuff like, you know? I know, but do you see any, do you see anything, like, we're talking about City of Troy, do you see anything that would match what we were looking at last year? Not really, not really, not really, no, no, not really, no, no, as I said to you, you know, the real come to the good piece of Eamon Bush, as I said to you, you know, the form, the last question marks to me, Roslyn Eno was a horse that won the Irish 2000 Guineas, he's out for the season, so, I mean, you know, there's a lot of horses that didn't run, that's not running, so, I mean, it'd be hard to get a good picture of everything, like, even in America, which horse will they pick for the, well, the part of the year, like, but, I mean, as I said to you, there's a lot of question marks over laughing at something like that, getting across to you and all that, you know? Very, very true, very, very true indeed, yeah. Anything else that we should look at, Merton, with the couple of minutes we've left? You know, as I said, the Daly, the Jew horse to be coming up shortly, and a few more bits and pieces, Eamon, and, you know, there's a lot of, you know, there's a lot of aces and boasts about it this year, I was often surprised when I said that in Robespichu in France, in the Prignac-les-Morats, and he was laughed at. I was expecting more from him, like, after the job he did in Sussex in the Guineas, wasn't he? So, you know, there's a lot of horses that isn't really running up to form, or even after it's, I was questioned before, the three-year-old this year, like, well, I just see that I'm the form, so, like, I mean, yeah, it could be an interesting one, like, I mean, I'm delighted I'm off to have a look at it, but as I said to you, have a good picture of it after that. Just on a quick note, the O'Brien, Aidan O'Brien had a great year. Aidan O'Brien had a great year. He had a great year when he was two-year-old, and he had a great year with City, so I went to see him in a half-time bed in the Guineas, sixth in the Guineas, and it was going on a reverse gear from when he hit the second follow, going backwards, everyone had high expectations, either they were going to see a sober, and maybe he had him hyped up too much, but he really delivered a good job in the derby. He came from sixth attack in the corner for sixth, to win the race comprehensively, and, as I said, not really out of the Toria home, but it's probably a chip, but, you know, he, you see these hearts, they tell you that retirement, and the hearts that can go anywhere, but, I mean, who more has been trying to win the British Cup in the last 25 years? They found us, which caused a lot of precautions. Galileo was sixth, and I remember Galileo, and it's not an easy race to win. You're playing their game their way, you're going against their game their way, and that's not easy to win. We won't say any more of the angst, though. All right, listen, no talking to you. Lovely, all right. All right, many thanks, Martin. Many thanks, indeed. That's Martin Canavan joining us this Friday on Injury Time, and a big thank you to technicians this weekend on Injury Time, James Mongan and Lynn Domeli, and to our guests, I should say, on the programme, that's James Callaghan, Andrew Brown, and Martin Canavan. Until Sunday morning, all be good. Take care. I'll be strong. This programme was kindly sponsored by Kylemore Abbey and Gardens 095 52 001