Connacht captain John Muldoon and hooker Sean Cronin have been selected on Declan Kidney’s Irish squad for their summer tour to New Zealand.
The two Connacht players are part of Kidney’s 33-man squad that will take on the All Blacks, New Zealand Maori, and Australia next month.
It is a huge boost for both players, but particularly Muldoon, who, leading from the front, epitomised Connacht huge work ethic and passion throughout the season.
Muldoon also received a notable mention on rugby website scrum.com as this season’s ‘Unsung Hero’ for having “ the unenviable task of trying to keep morale high in Ireland's Cinderella province but continuing to be an admirable figurehead out west. A proud Galway man, Muldoon never gives less than his all and the bruising blindside flanker has played as well as he has led”.
The same website also named Connacht winger Fionn Carr as the Young Player of the Year, assuming “Luke Fitzgerald’s mantle as the most exciting attacker on Irish soil - despite his side province regularly being forced to operate on the back foot. Carr's return of 14 tries from 22 outings is a statistical demonstration of the former Leinster man's startling speed and powers of evasion”.
Unfortunately there was no room for Carr on the squad, or Gavin Duffy, who enjoyed an outstanding season in the No 15 shirt for Connacht.
