1998–99 Connacht Rugby season

1998–99 Connacht Rugby season

Ground(s)	The Sportsground, Galway
Coach(es)	Glen Ross
Top scorer	Simon Allnutt (88)
Most tries	Simon Allnutt (4) Russell Southam (4)
League(s)	Challenge Cup (5th of 7) IRFU Interprovincial Championship (4th)
← 1997–98 1999–2000 →

The 1998-99 season was Connacht's fourth season under professionalism. New Zealander Glenn Ross was head coach, ^[1] appointed to replace Warren Gatland, who had been appointed head coach of the Ireland national team. ^[2] They competed in the Challenge Cup, finishing fifth in their pool, and the IRFU Interprovincial Championship, finishing fourth. They hosted Morocco, defeating them 30-5.

Players selected

Connacht Rugby squad
Props Martin Cahill (Buccaneers) Michael Finlay (Galwegians) John Maher (St Mary's) Jimmy Screene (Buccaneers) Hookers Bernard Jackman (Clontarf) Billy Mulcahy (Skerries) Joe McVeigh (Buccaneers) Locks Jimmy Duffy (Galwegians) Graham Heaslip (Galwegians) Justin Cullen (unattached)	Back row John Casserly (Galwegians) Junior Charlie (Galwegians) Neil Culliton (Buccaneers) Ronnie Culliton (Wanderers) Ian Dillon (Bohemians) Barry Gavin (Galwegians) Shane McEntee (Lansdowne) Martyn Steffert (Buccaneers) Scrum-halves Conor McGuinness (St Mary's) Diarmuid Reddan (Galwegians) David Mescal (Ballina) Fly-halves Simon Allnutt (Buccaneers) Eric Elwood (Galwegians)	Centres Pat Duignan (Galwegians) Mervyn Murphy (Galwegians) Wings Nigel Carolan (Galwegians) Alan Reddan (Galwegians) Russell Southam (Buccaneers) Fullbacks Owen Cobbe (Wanderers) Willie Ruane (Galwegians)
(c) denotes the team captain, Bold denotes internationally capped players. * denotes players qualified to play for Ireland on residency or dual nationality.

IRFU Interprovincial Championship

Main article: IRFU Interprovincial Championship

Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	BP	Pts	Status
Munster	6	4	0	2	125	92	2	18	Champions; qualified for 1999–2000 Heineken Cup
Ulster	6	3	0	3	137	119	3	15	Qualified for 1999–2000 Heineken Cup
Leinster	6	3	0	3	135	136	2	14	Qualified for 1999–2000 Heineken Cup
Connacht	6	2	0	4	95	145	3	11	Qualified for 1999–2000 European Challenge Cup

15 August 1998	Connacht	13–18	Munster	Galway Sportsgrounds
	Try: Ruane Con: Elwood Pen: Elwood (2)	Report [3]	Try: Lacey Keane Con: Keane Pen: Keane (2)
Connacht lineup: 1. Jimmy Screene, 2. Billy Mulcahy, 3. Martin Cahill, 4. Justin Cullen, 5. Jimmy Duffy, 6. Junior Charlie, 7. Shane McEntee, 8. Barry Gavin, 9. Diarmuid Reddan, 10. Eric Elwood, 11. Nigel Carolan, 12. Alan Reddan, 13. Mervyn Murphy, 14. Nigel Carolan, 15. Willie Ruane. Replacements: Bernard Jackman (for Mulcahy 46'), John Maher (for Screene 68').

22 August 1998	Connacht	21-18	Ulster	Galway Sportsgrounds
	Try: Duignan (2) Murphy Con: Elwood (3)	Report [4] [5]	Try: Cunningham Ward Con: Mason Pen: Mason (2)
Connacht lineup: 1. Jimmy Screene, 2. Billy Mulcahy, 3. Martin Cahill, 4. Justin Cullen, 5. Jimmy Duffy, 6. John Casserly, 7. Shane McEntee, 8. Barry Gavin, 9. Diarmuid Reddan, 10. Eric Elwood, 11. Alan Reddan, 12. Mervyn Murphy, 13. Pat Duignan, 14. Nigel Carolan, 15. Willie Ruane. Replacement: Ian Dillon (for Casserly 40')

28 August 1998	Leinster	29-24	Connacht	Donnybrook Stadium
	Try: Dempsey Costello Con: McGowan (2) Pen: McGowan (5)	Report [6]	Try: Gavin Murphy Duignan Screene Con: Allnutt (2)
Connacht lineup: 1. Jimmy Screene, 2. Billy Mulcahy, 3. Martin Cahill, 4. Justin Cullen, 5. Jimmy Duffy, 6. Shane McEntee, 7. Ian Dillon, 8. Barry Gavin, 9. Diarmuid Reddan, 10. Eric Elwood, 11. Alan Reddan, 12. Mervyn Murphy, 13. Pat Duignan, 14. Russell Southam, 15. Willie Ruane. Replacements: Bernard Jackman (for Mulcahy 5'), Simon Allnutt (for Elwood 39'), John Maher (for Cahill 47'), Graham Heaslip (for Duffy 57'), David Mescal (for D. Reddan 62'), Nigel Carolan (for A. Reddan 79').

12 September 1998	Munster	21–7	Connacht	Dooradoyle
	Try: Quinlan Lacey Con: Keane Pen: Keane (3)	Report [7]	Try: Heaslip Con: Allnutt
Connacht lineup: 1. John Maher, 2. Joe McVeigh, 3. Jimmy Screene, 4. Graham Heaslip, 5. Jimmy Duffy, 6. Ian Dillon, 7. Junior Charlie, 8. Shane MCEntee, 9. Conor McGuinness, 10. Simon Allnutt, 11. Nigel Carolan, 12. Mervyn Murphy, 13. Pat Duignan, 14. Alan Reddan, 15. Willie Ruane. Replacements: Bernard Jackman (for McVeigh 42'), Neil Culliton (for McEntee 79'), Diarmuid Reddan (for McGuinness 11-21)

3 October 1998	Connacht	24-23	Leinster	Galway Sportsgrounds
	Try: Mulcahy A. Reddan Allnutt Con: Allnut (3) Pen: Allnut	Report [8]	Try: Nowlan Dempsey Con: McGowan (2) Pen: McGowan (2)
Connacht lineup: 1. Jimmy Screene, 2. Billy Mulcahy, 3. Martin Cahill, 4. Graham Heaslip, 5. Jimmy Duffy, 6. Junior Charlie, 7. Shane McEntee, 8. Barry Gavin, 9. Conor McGuinness, 10. Simon Allnutt, 11. Alan Reddan, 12. Mervyn Murphy, 13. Pat Duignan, 14. Russell Southam, 15. Willie Ruane. Replacements: Michael Finlay (for Screene 5-8', 10-14'), Ian Dillon (for McEntee 43'), Nigel Carolan (for Southam 50')

23 October 1998	Ulster	36-6	Connacht	Ravenhill
	Try: Ward McKinty Topping Clarke Mason Con: Mason (4) Pen: Mason	Report [9]	Pen: Allnutt (2)	Referee: David McHugh
Connacht lineup: 1. Jimmy Screene, 2. Billy Mulcahy, 3. Martin Cahill, 4. Graham Heaslip, 5. Jimmy Duffy, 6. Junior Charlie, 7. Ian Dillon, 8. Barry Gavin, 9. Conor McGuinness, 10. Simon Allnutt, 11. Alan Reddan, 12. Mervyn Murphy, 13. Pat Duignan, 14. Nigel Carolan, 15. Willie Ruane. Replacements: John Maher (for Cahill 45'), John Casserly (for Charlie 67'), Neil Culliton (for Dillon 77').

European Challenge Cup

Main article: 1998–99 European Challenge Cup

Pool 1

Team	P	W	D	L	Tries for	Tries against	Try diff	Points for	Points against	Points diff	Pts
Narbonne	6	6	0	0	32	13	+19	228	98	+130	12
Caerphilly	6	4	0	2	16	19	−3	167	154	+13	8
Périgueux	6	3	0	3	23	13	+10	168	119	+49	6
Racing Club de France	6	3	0	3	17	23	−6	127	184	−57	6
Connacht	6	3	0	3	16	19	−3	129	156	−27	6
Newport	6	1	0	5	14	23	−9	123	183	−60	2
Rugby Rovigo	6	1	0	5	12	20	−8	108	156	−48	2

26 September 1998	Newport	12–31	Connacht	Rodney Parade
14:30	Pen: Connor (4)	Report [10]	Try: Dillon Mulcahy Allnutt Heaslip Southam Con: Allnutt (3)	Attendance: 655
Connacht lineup: 1. Jimmy Screene, 2. Billy Mulcahy, 3. Michael Finlay, 4. Graham Heaslip, 5. Jimmy Duffy, 6. Junior Charlie, 7. Ian Dillon, 8. Barry Gavin, 9. Conor McGuinness, 10. Simon Allnutt, 11. Alan Reddan, 12. Mervyn Murphy, 13. Pat Duignan, 14. Russell Southam, 15. Willie Ruane. Replacements: Owen Cobbe, Joe McVeigh, Martin Cahill.

7 October 1998	Connacht	29–28	Périgueux	The Sports Ground
14:30	Try: Duffy Carolan Ruane Con: Allnutt Pen: Allnutt (4)	Report [11]	Try: Cheyrou Blondy Nelson Miquel Con: Doussy (3) Miquel	Attendance: 1,000
Connacht lineup: 1. Jimmy Screene, 2. Billy Mulcahy, 3. Martin Cahill, 4. Graham Heaslip, 5. Jimmy Duffy, 6. Junior Charlie, 7. Ian Dillon, 8. Barry Gavin, 9. Conor McGuinness, 10. Simon Allnutt, 11. Nigel Carolan, 12. Mervyn Murphy, 13. Pat Duignan, 14. Alan Reddan, 15. Willie Ruane. Replacements: Shane McEntee, Joe McVeigh, John Maher.

11 October 1998	Rugby Rovigo	20–21	Connacht	Stadio Mario Battaglini
15:30	Try: Golfetti Gross Con: Scanavacca (2) Pen: Scanavacca (2)	Report [12]	Try: Allnutt (2) Con: Allnutt Pen: Allnutt (3)	Attendance: 1,200
Connacht lineup: 1. Jimmy Screene, 2. Billy Mulcahy, 3. Martin Cahill, 4. Graham Heaslip, 5. Jimmy Duffy, 6. Junior Charlie, 7. Shane McEntee, 8. Barry Gavin, 9. Conor McGuinness, 10. Simon Allnutt, 11. Nigel Carolan, 12. Mervyn Murphy, 13. Pat Duignan, 14. Alan Reddan, 15. Willie Ruane. Replacements: Joe McVeigh, John Maher.

17 October 1998	Connacht	26–38	Narbonne	The Sports Ground
14:30	Try: McEntee Maher Screene Con: Cobbe Pen: Allnutt (2) Cobbe	Report [13]	Try: Schisano Plataret Calvel Raynaud Tanir Stoica Con: Valls (4)	Attendance: 2,500
Connacht lineup: 1. Jimmy Screene, 2. Billy Mulcahy, 3. Martin Cahill, 4. Graham Heaslip, 5. Jimmy Duffy, 6. Junior Charlie, 7. Shane McEntee, 8. Barry Gavin, 9. Conor McGuinness, 10. Simon Allnutt, 11. Alan Reddan, 12. Mervyn Murphy, 13. Pat Duignan, 14. Russell Southam, 15. Willie Ruane. Replacements: Owen Cobbe, John Maher.

31 October 1998	Caerphilly	39–8	Connacht	Virginia Park
14:30	Try: Marshall Bidgood Davey John Con: Davey (4) Pen: Davey (2)	Report [14]	Try: Carolan Pen: Elwood	Attendance: 600
Connacht lineup: 1. John Maher, 2. Billy Mulcahy, 3. Jimmy Screene, 4. Graham Heaslip, 5. Jimmy Duffy, 6. Junior Charlie, 7. Shane McEntee, 8. Barry Gavin, 9. Conor McGuinness, 10. Eric Elwood, 11. Nigel Carolan, 12. Mervyn Murphy, 13. Pat Duignan, 14. Alan Reddan, 15. Willie Ruane. Replacements: John Casserly, Joe McVeigh, Ian Dillon, Martin Cahill.

7 November 1998	Connacht	14–19	Racing Club de France	The Sports Ground
14:30	Try: A. Reddan Screene Con: Elwood (2)	Report [15]	Try: Chevallier Goirand Terryn Con: Bentayou (2)	Attendance: 500
Connacht lineup: 1. John Maher, 2. Billy Mulcahy, 3. Jimmy Screene, 4. Graham Heaslip, 5. Jimmy Duffy, 6. John Casserly, 7. Shane McEntee, 8. Martyn Steffert, 9. Conor McGuinness, 10. Eric Elwood, 11. Nigel Carolan, 12. Mervyn Murphy, 13. Pat Duignan, 14. Alan Reddan, 15. Willie Ruane. Replacements: Bernard Jackman, Martin Cahill, Ronnie Culliton.

Representative

7 August 1998	Connacht	30-5	Morocco	The Sportsground, Galway
18:30	Try: Southam (3) Mescal Con: Cobbe (2) Pen: Cobbe (2)	Report [16]	Try: El Oula
Connacht lineup: 1. Jimmy Screene, 2. Bernard Jackman, 3. Martin Cahill, 4. Jimmy Duffy, 5. Graham Heaslip, 6. Junior Charlie, 7. Barry Gavin, 8. Shane McEntee, 9. Diarmuid Reddan, 10. Owen Cobbe, 11. Alan Reddan, 12. Mervyn Murphy (c), 13. Pat Duignan, 14. Nigel Carolan, 15. Russell Southam. Replacements: Billy Mulcahy (for Jackman 44'), John Maher (for Cahill 47'), David Mescal (for D. Reddan 49'), Willie Ruane (for Carolan 63'), John Casserly (for Duffy 65'), Allnutt (for Cobbe 52-58').

Friendly

4 September 1998	Gasgow Caledonians	28-13	Connacht	Stirling
	Try: Craig Stark Simpson Con: Hayes (2) Pen: Hayes (3)	Report [17]	Try: Carolan Con: Cobbe Pen: Cobbe (2)
Connacht lineup: 1. John Maher, 2. Joe McVeigh, 3. Michael Finlay, 4. Graham Heaslip, 5. Jimmy Duffy, 6. John Casserly, 7. Shane McEntee, 8. Ian Dillon, 9. Conor McGuinness, 10. Owen Cobbe, 11. Nigel Carolan, 12. Mervyn Murphy, 13. Pat Duignan, 14. Russell Southam, 15. Willie Ruane. Replacements: Diarmuid Reddan (for McGuinness 34'), Simon Allnutt (for Cobbe 40'), Neil Culliton (for McEntee 48'), Alan Reddan (for Southam 54'), Jimmy Screene (for Finlay 60')

References

1. John Fallon, "New Zealand influence will continue as Ross succeeds Gatland as Connacht coach", City Tribune, 15 May 1998
2. "Gatland takes over as Ireland coach". BBC Sport. 24 February 1998. Retrieved 5 May 2008.
3. "Connacht 13-18 Munster". Munster Rugby. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
4. "Duignan does it for the West", Sunday World, 23 August 1998
5. Micheal McGeary, "Chastened Shadows", Sunday Life, 23 August 1998
6. Kieran Rooney, "Elwood injury blow as Leinster go top", Sunday Independent, 29 August 1998
7. "Munster 21-7 Connacht". Munster Rugby. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
8. "Allnutt is alright for Connacht", Sunday Life, 4 October 1998
9. Jim Stokes, "Bell and Ward in top gear", Belfast Telegraph, 24 October 1998
10. "Five-try Connacht get back to basics", Sunday Independent, 27 September 1998
11. "Another Houdini act from spirited Connacht", Irish Examiner, 8 October 1998
12. "Allnutt is hero for Connacht", Irish Independent, 12 October 1998
13. "Allnutt is hero for Connacht", Irish Independent, 12 October 1998
14. "Connacht's Euro dream squelched in Welsh mud", Connacht Tribune, 6 November 1998
15. "Distribution of top players queries after Connacht's exit", Irish EXaminer, 9 November 1998
16. "Three tries of Southam against the Moroccans", Irish Examiner, 8 August 1998
17. David Kelso, "Craig lifts Reds but there's still room for improvement", The Scotsman, 5 September 1998