Rugby Celtic League Munster 17 Connacht 0Munster's John Kelly bowed out of representative rugby by captaining Munster to a Magners League win over Connacht in Musgrave Park last night. The 33-year-old centre/wing will continue to play for his club, Cork Constitution, but brought the curtain down on his Munster career after 154 appearances.
Kelly is Munster's second-most-capped player (behind Anthony Foley) having won the first of his 154 competitive caps in the Heineken European Cup game against Cardiff in Musgrave Park in September 1997. He also remains their joint-second top try scorer in the tournament with 14 tries. In addition his 15 tries in 61 Magners League games leave him Munster's second-highest try scorer in that competition.
Kelly appeared in three European Cup finals.
"It has been a privilege to represent Munster for the last 10 years," he said last night. "I have enjoyed my time in the squad on both a professional and personal level, and I will look back on my career with great satisfaction and fond memories."
Munster coach Declan Kidney commented: "Over the past 10 years John Kelly epitomised everything that is good about Munster rugby. He is exceptionally hard-working, extremely talented, and always a team player. It is always sad when a player comes to the end of his rugby career and he will be missed."
As for the match, as a spectacle it was awful.
With driving rain spoiling the fare it was a game for the forwards and in this department Munster know a thing or two about playing in the wet and cold and they didn't disappoint.
Setting the tone early, the Munster pack kept the ball to themselves for the most part as they rolled forward relentlessly, and with Connacht continually coughing up penalties outhalf Paul Warwick was in the mood to accept any gifts that came his way.
Revelling in a rare start these days for Munster, the former Connacht player, in his first appearance against his old team-mates, dictated play as best he could, and after just 10 minutes he and Munster were rewarded.
Lining up his first penalty the Australian-born player showed unerring accuracy in unforgiving circumstances as he kicked straight and through and Munster were off the mark.
To their credit Connacht tried hard to open up a running game against the wind and rain and in this venture Gavin Duffy and outhalf Andy Dunne were to the fore, but aside from a couple of meaningful breaks they were getting no joy.
Munster were in unrelenting form and with their forwards camped in the Connacht half for most of the first period it was always going to be a matter of time before more opportunities were gifted to Warwick.
Sure enough, three further successful kicks before the break saw Munster turn over with a 12-0 advantage.
After the interval it was more of the same from Munster as they battered the Connacht line, and their reward came inside the last quarter with a great try that truly took the sting out of any Connacht hopes of a comeback.
First Warwick made great inroads when spotting a gap in the Connacht defensive line and after he had made yardage Tony Buckley was on hand to make more ground. Freddie Pucciariello then took it on and played in Denis Leamy, who went over for the game-killing score.
There was time for Kelly to receiving a standing ovation as he was substituted near the end, bringing a marvellous career to a winning conclusion.
MUNSTER: Denis Hurley; J Kelly, K Lewis, L Mafi, I Dowling; P Warwick, P Stringer; F Pucciariello, F Sheahan, T Buckley; D O'Callaghan, D Ryan; D Leamy, N Ronan, A Foley. Replacements: M Horan for Pucciariello (73 mins), B Murphy for Dowling (75 mins), J Coughlan for Ronan, Gerry Hurley for Kelly (both 80 mins).
CONNACHT: G Duffy; D Yapp, D Riordan, A Wynne, O Treviranus; A Dunne, C O'Loughlin; B Wilkinson, A Flavin, R Loughney; M Swift, D Gannon; M McCarthy, J O'Connor, J Muldoon. Replacements: C McPhillips for Treviranus (26 mins), C Rigney for Muldoon (40 mins), A Farley for Gannon (44 mins), A Browne for Swift (58 mins), B McGovern for Loughney (71 mins).
Referee: C Stanley (IRFU).
