At one stage towards the end of April this year, Connacht rugby fans would have been quite contented with their lot and giddy with excitement about what lay ahead.
Toulon had to make the trip to the intimidating surrounds of the Sportsground for a glamorous Amlin Challenge Cup semi final and the prospect of Heineken Cup rugby next season remained a possibility on three fronts: winning the Challenge Cup outright, overtaking Ulster in the Magners League or relying on one of Leinster or Munster to repeat their Heineken Cup triumphs of recent seasons.
All three were attainable but all three were destroyed in the space of two devastating weeks for Michael Bradley’s men. Firstly, a second string Connacht outfit were humbled by the Scarlets in Wales on the same day that Ulster took Edinburgh’s scalp at Murrayfield and left clear daylight between the sides in the Magners League table.
Then, despite a brave effort against French giants Toulon in the Challenge Cup semi-final, the Westerners were undone by the boot of Jonny Wilkinson and dumped out of the competition. Over the following two days, first Leinster and then Munster lost to French outfits in the Heineken Creceup semi-finals and all of a sudden, all of Connacht’s hopes and dreams were cruelly crushed.
The disappointment was keenly felt by all within the province and none more so than by captain John Muldoon, who has been a dyed in the wool Connacht man since joining the squad as a callow 18-year old in 2001.
Selection for the summer tour
Muldoon’s disappointment at Connacht’s fortunes would have been eased somewhat by some welcome news from a personal point of view. After some outstanding performances at provincial level and for the Ireland ‘A’ side, he was selected as part of Declan Kidney’s extremely strong 33-man squad who will take on the might of Australia and New Zealand on their own patch later this month.
The 27 year-old may not have been a regular fixture under Declan Kidney and faces ferocious competition in the back row, but he’s not going out there to merely make up the numbers and will stake a claim for a starting berth when he starts at blindside flanker against the Barbarians on Friday night.
Muldoon in action for Ireland ‘A’ earlier this year
“I’m no different to anyone else in that I’m going to do my utmost to be picked for Ireland. Before we go on tour, I’m hoping I’m fortunate that some of the Leinster players won’t be involved against the Barbarians [at Thomond Park on Friday] so I’ll get a chance to impress during that game.
“Other than that, when I’m on tour all I can do is try and impress the coaches during training and when I get a chance in matches and hopefully it will increase my chances of selection. I’m conscious of the fact that the World Cup is around the corner and like anyone else, I want to be part of the squad heading to New Zealand next year.”
Muldoon will be joined on the summer tour by fellow Connacht man, Seán Cronin, who was fourth choice hooker for Munster when he decided to leave the province, but has improved in Galway to the extent that he is now probably second choice hooker in the Irish squad behind Jerry Flannery, a man that also enjoyed a career resurgence by relocating to Galway when he found himself starved of opportunities down south.
This may sound harsh, but there are lads out there who are happy to be number 34 for Leinster and number 27 for Munster and they just don’t want to move
Connacht as a development province
As a Galway man himself and somebody that’s been with the province for quite a while, Muldoon has seen many a blow-in breeze into the Connacht squad in search of some much needed game time. Connacht’s status as a development province may stick in the craw of some, but Muldoon has no problem with the high turnover of playing staff at the province – once it benefits Connacht.
“Obviously we’re seen as a development province but I have no problem with that as long as it keeps Connacht competitive. My feeling would be that we are not getting enough players, particularly Irish ones. The thing is and this may sound harsh, but there are lads out there in the other provinces who are happy to be number 34 for Leinster and number 27 for Munster and they just don’t want to move.
“Because of that, we’ve had to get foreigners in and while it’s not an ideal situation, the most important thing is that Connacht remain competitive and if it requires getting a foreigner in so be it. If there’s Irish players coming down here it’s great for us and it’s great for Irish rugby. Obviously, some lads have come down to Connacht and have done really well.
Muldoon in a typical all-action pose
“Seán Cronin came here as fourth choice for Munster and now he’s been picked for the summer tour. A lot of people are saying that Ireland are seriously lacking in front rows but Jamie Hagan came down to us and he had an outstanding season – he was named young player of the year this year.
“Ian Keatley and Fionn Carr weren’t getting much of a look in at Leinster but they’ve come down and shown what they can do. I’m not naive to think that these players are going to stay with Connacht for long, but I’ve absolutely no problem with recruiting these players if it’s going to benefit Connacht in the long run.”
Muldoon is well qualified to offer his views on the matter considering he made his senior debut for Connacht against the Border Reivers as far back as 2003. Connacht’s fortunes have been somewhat rollercoaster like since then, from the lows of that very season when supporters took to the streets in a campaign to keep its existence alive, to the highs of the following year when they went so close to reaching the Challenge Cup final but fell at the penultimate hurdle, a feat repeated in 2005 and again this year.
I have to admit I was very close to leaving last season. I had a couple of offers on the table and had a pen in my hand ready to sign
The all-action back rower has been through it all and lived to tell the tale, but was he ever tempted to seek pastures new?
“I have to admit I was very close to leaving last season. I had a couple of offers on the table and had a pen in my hand ready to sign but at the last minute I decided to leave it another week to think about it. Then, we just happened to beat Munster for the first time (in 13 years) and the desire to remain where I was came back.
“To be honest, especially being captain and being from Galway myself, if I had left, I would have found it very hard to be looking on when Connacht were doing well, but thankfully I stayed and I’m very glad I did. I’m very happy here in Galway and looking forward to the next few years with Connacht.”
Competition for back-row places
With his provincial future now settled upon, Muldoon can concentrate on establishing himself as a permanent part of the Ireland set-up, but it is just his luck that he plays in probably the most competitive line in the Irish team, with the current incumbents of numbers six, seven and eight all travelling on the Lions tour last summer. Competition in the back-row, however, is something that Muldoon is well acquainted with, particularly in Ireland.
Muldoon faces stiff competition in the Irish back row from the likes of Jamie Heaslip and David Wallace
“It’s the thing about being a back row in this country, there just seems to be an abundance of them. One of my first experiences as a rugby player was turning up for an under-16 trial and there were about eighteen back rows there and only about two hookers. It’s the way the Irish are built physically I suppose, we’ve a lot of fellahs round the 6’1, 6’2 mark.
“We’re obviously blessed with lads in that position, if you look at the lads in there at the moment, the likes of Stephen Ferris, David Wallace and Jamie Heaslip were all Lions last summer so they’ve set the standard.
“But injuries are part and parcel of the current game and if they happen to affect the lads in favour at the moment, you just have to be on your toes and ready to fill in, even if there’ll be about five others in the queue with me. I’ll certainly be doing my best to keep them on their toes and be ready to step in if required.â€
Hurling: Muldoon’s first love
Making an impression with Ireland will be Muldoon’s sole focus this summer, but the fortunes of another team playing with an entirely different ball won’t be far from his thoughts. Growing up in Portumna, a hurl was never far from his hand and he won an all-Ireland minor title with his county in 2000 before deciding to concentrate on rugby full time. He still follows the club and the county and has high hopes for John McIntyre’s men this year.
“Galway are in with a good chance this year, they’re due a win; it’s been a long time since the last one. Hurling is absolutely massive in Portumna. My father is a massive hurling fan. He was never really that interested in rugby. Still isn’t!”
Despite the grá he still holds for the puck and sliotar, it’s not something Muldoon can envisage returning to at the end of his rugby days. By that time, he reckons his body will be fit only for the scrapheap.
“I can’t see myself getting back into it (hurling) after rugby, I’ll need to lose a few pounds for a start and I was never any good in the first place. I don’t know about the likes of Alan Quinlan who keep going until they are 35, I don’t know if the body will be fit for it at that stage!”
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