Local priest backs Leinster

Devout Munster rugby fan Fr Martin Mulvaney put aside his devoted allegiance to the Reds for one day to support Leinster in Saturday's Heineken Cup final at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff in a game he described as "extraordinary." The parish priest of Johnstown/Walterstown travelled to Cardiff to shout on Joe Schmidt's teams even though he has been a loyal Munster supporter for many seasons. The popular clergyman, who has close family connections in Tipperary, had booked his match ticket last June to ensure that he had a seat for this year's final hoping that Ronan O'Gara and Co would be involved. When Leinster instead secured their place in the decider Fr Mulvaney decided to go to the game anyway. He was glad he did as he got a ringside seat to one of the most miraculous comebacks in the history of European club rugby with two Meath players, Shane Horgan and Devin Toner, playing their part in the sensational revival. At half-time Brian O'Driscoll and his colleagues trailed Northamption 6-22, but at the final whistle Irish eyes were smiling as Leinster won 32-22 with the help of tries from Jonny Sexton and one from Nathan Hines. "I would say most Leinster fans at half-time were ready to get up and go," Fr Mulvaney told the Meath Chronicle on Monday. "And yet you know that they were going to start playing at some stage because they were one of the best teams all season it was just for the first 40 minutes they hadn't arrived at the Millennium Stadium. Whatever they said in the dressing room changed everything. "It was a fantastic sporting occasion, a great atmosphere and there were more Leinster supporters there than from Northampton which was incredible. It was an incredible atmosphere in Cardiff." To make sure he will have a seat in next year's Heineken Cup final Fr Mulvaney, who is also an enthusiastic follower of horseracing, has already booked tickets for the 2012 final at Twickenham again with the hope that Munster will be involved although he accepts it may take some divine intervention for that to happen, considering the difficulties the Reds have endured in recent times. Fr Mulvaney attended the 2008 Heineken Cup final when Munster defeated Toulouse also at the Millennium Stadium and while he enjoyed that occasion Leinster's win on Saturday was special. "I think this game will go down in history as one of the great Heineken Cup finals, definitely in the second-half," he said. "It was great and what I was amazed at was the amount of people from all over Ireland who were at the final. Even talking to a few Northampton fans they were saying that while the English would be great at following their own team you wouldn't get fans of London Wasps following Northampton whereas if there's an Irish team in it, regardless of where you are from, they always get the numbers." Fr Mulvaney showed that he, at least, could put aside his undoubted Munster allegiance for one day and follow the blue of Leinster.