Ciaran Kennedy

Dublin

Sports Journalist at Freelance

Writer at The42

Sportswriter @the42_ie | email: [email protected] | Author of Richie Bennis: A Game That Smiles | All views mine

Articles

Leinster 'win ugly' as pain of Northampton lingers into URC title tilt

6 days ago | the42.ie | Ciaran Kennedy

LEINSTER ARE TRYING to keep their focus on the immediate future but the recent past appears to be weighing on their minds. Yesterday’s URC quarter-final win against Scarlets contained many things you don’t want to see from a team who had their mental temperament questioned after suffering a devastating home Champions Cup semi-final loss to Northampton Saints four weeks ago.
Details confirmed for Leinster's URC semi-final clash with Glasgow

1 week ago | the42.ie | Ciaran Kennedy

LEINSTER’S URC SEMI-FINAL meeting with Glasgow Warriors will be played at 2.45pm at the Aviva Stadium next Saturday. The game will be live on RTÉ and Premier Sports.
Munster crash out of URC after penalty shootout loss to Sharks

1 week ago | the42.ie | Ciaran Kennedy

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'It shouldn’t be a drudge' - Cullen urges Leinster supporters to turn out for semi-final

1 week ago | the42.ie | Ciaran Kennedy

RELIEF SEEMED TO be the overriding emotion for Leo Cullen after he watched his Leinster team overcome Scarlets 33-21 in their URC quarter-final today. It was far from a convincing performance at the Aviva Stadium, with the province looking nervy as their attack struggled for cohesion and their defence was breached three times by a spirited Scarlets side. After starting strong, moving into a 12-0 lead in the opening 10 minutes, Leinster’s play became increasingly scrappy.
Leinster take their time to see off Scarlets in scrappy quarter-final

1 week ago | the42.ie | Ciaran Kennedy

AS KICK-OFF APPROACHED at Aviva Stadium this URC quarter-final was struggling to generate a big-match feel. By the time full time arrived, Leinster were simply happy to have come through what threatened to become an uncomfortable afternoon. Leinster are back in the URC semi-finals thanks to a four-try win – the Leinster tries coming from James Lowe, Jamison Gibson-Park, Jamie Osborne and Hugo Keenan – but Scarlets had their say in this strange, often scrappy last eight clash.
Players must make most of minutes in the Leinster machine

1 week ago | the42.ie | Ciaran Kennedy

OPPORTUNITIES CAN BE limited in a squad as deep and competitive as Leinster’s. This is something assistant coach Robin McBryde warned about earlier in the season, admitting the Leinster coaches had discussed the issue of getting enough minutes into their promising young players. “It is tough,” McBryde said. “I feel for them sometimes because it does stunt their development.
Munster unchanged for quarter-final against Springbok-loaded Sharks

1 week ago | the42.ie | Ciaran Kennedy

MUNSTER HAVE AGAIN named an unchanged team for tomorrow’s URC quarter-final meeting with the Sharks in Durban [KO 5.30pm, TG4/Premier Sports]. It marks the third game in a row the province have selected the same starting XV. Thaaakir Abrahams, Calvin Nash and Diarmuid Kilgallen start in the Munster back three. Alex Nankivell is alongside Tom Farrell in the centre positions, with former Connacht man Farrell continuing his run of starting every game this season.
Sharks have improved but remain URC's most perplexing team

1 week ago | the42.ie | Ciaran Kennedy

THE SHARKS CONTINUE to be the most perplexing team in the URC. Packed with Test-level talent, the South African side are a more balanced outfit than they were last season yet they remain prone to swings of inconsistency. This weekend they take on Munster in the URC quarter-finals, and the province will be well aware of the threat posed by the Sharks given their ill-fated trip to Durban earlier this season. That 41-24 loss in October proved to be Graham Rowntree’s final game in charge.
Torment, tickets, motorways and magic: Another summer following the Déise

1 week ago | the42.ie | Ciaran Kennedy

MY FATHER IS an absolute divil. This is the main thought in my head as the two of us stand with a pint in Blackrock GAA club, keeping an eye on the Dublin-Galway game. Earlier that morning he picked me up for the long drive from Dublin to see Waterford take on Cork at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. I have only just found out he doesn’t have a ticket. By half-time, we’ll be sitting beside each other in the South Stand Lower. ********It’s been a summer like no other.
No general ticket sale for Munster hurling final

1 week ago | the42.ie | Ciaran Kennedy

MUNSTER GAA HAVE confirmed that tickets for this year’s Munster Senior Hurling Championship final will only be distributed through participating county boards. Limerick play Cork in the Munster decider at the Gaelic Grounds at 6pm on 7 June. It has been confirmed that due to high demand, there will be no public sale of tickets via Ticketmaster, Centra or Supervalu outlets. Season ticket holders from Limerick and Cork will receive their tickets through the normal channels.