Horan targets Ireland return

Munster's Marcus Horan has set his sights on forcing his way back into Declan Kidney's Ireland squad as he continues his comeback from a career-threatening irregular heartbeat.

The 32-year-old had been troubled for the past four seasons with the condition and at one point was told that he would have to quit playing.

But Horan refused to give up and has forced his way back into the Munster squad, and now has his sights set on an international return after missing out on a place in Kidney’s Six Nations squad.

The loose-head prop, capped 66 times by Ireland said: “I didn’t have enough opportunities before the Six Nations to put my name in the hat and that was hugely disappointing.

“You see other guys that were out for a while and they got in so that was pretty hard to take. It’s difficult. You’re trying to do as best you can but just the opportunity wasn’t there. I didn’t have much control over it.

“But now I do. There are big shop windows there to play over the next couple of weeks.

“It’s a great goal and a great challenge to have at this stage of your career. When you’re winning things it’s always great but this is a new challenge for me. It’s an experience I haven’t had before.

“There’s a perception out there that I’ve missed a huge amount of rugby but I haven’t. We’re in the business end of the season now and Munster are in contention for things so I’m going to really give it a go.

“Each game that I’ve played, I feel I’m getting stronger and stronger. They are getting more and more serious and more and more competitive.

“So that will benefit me hugely and hopefully with the break that I did have I will be that bit stronger come the latter stages of the season.”

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Sexton rediscovers his kicking boots

Ireland international Jonathan Sexton held his nerve to kick a late drop goal and give Leinster a 17-14 win over Connacht in the Magners League.

Sexton came in for some criticism for his kicking in Ireland’s Six Nations campaign but he put those troubles behind him against Connacht.

Fionn Carr scored two tries inside the opening 22 minutes, with Miah Nikora converting both but Ireland full-back Rob Kearney responded with a score of his own as Leinster trailed 14-8 at the interval.

Sexton had kicked one penalty in the first half and was successful with two more attempts after the break to level the scores in the 69th minute.

And the 24-year-old knocked over the drop goal with a minute left to secure the win and send Leinster four points clear at the top, while Connacht remain rock bottom.

In the only other Magners League fixture of the day Newport-Gwent Dragons won the all-Welsh affair with Ospreys 28-20.

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Byrne: Lions tour took its toll on Ireland

Former Ireland hooker Shane Byrne believes Declan Kidney's side suffered a Lions hangover after a mixed Six Nations campaign.

The defending champions saw their bid to make it back-to-back Grand Slams derailed by France’s 33-10 victory before a last-minute Dan Parks penalty for Scotland denied them the Triple Crown.

And with the 2011 World Cup on the horizon, Byrne – who won 45 caps for Ireland – maintains the effects of the brutal Lions series defeat to South Africa have taken their toll on key individuals.

He said: “If you look at Ireland’s Six Nations as a whole you would have to say it has been a disappointing campaign in a far from vintage Championship.

“Keith Earls stepped up to the plate, Tomas O’Leary demonstrated what a talented player he is and Brian O’Driscoll is Brian O’Driscoll.

“But other players have been a shadow of the guys they were in 2009 and I think that is an after effect of the Lions tour.

“Certain key areas – the line-out and the scrum – were not functioning as well as they were last season – and that will need to be addressed before the summer tour and ahead of that the World Cup.”

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Kidney: We let people down in Scottish defeat

Ireland coach Declan Kidney has defended his side's tactics after they fell to a 23-20 Six Nations loss against Scotland that ended their bid for the Triple Crown.

Although it seemed as if Ireland would enjoy the perfect farewell to Croke Park thanks to Brian O’Driscoll’s early try Scotland soon hit back through Johnnie Beattie’s score.

And Scotland capitalised on their superiority at the set-piece and Irish handling errors to establish a 17-7 lead early in the second half before Dan Parks landed the winning penalty a minute from time.

“You'll never improve as a side unless you try things, but we weren't trying things for the sake of it,” said Kidney.

“We knew we had to go after Scotland to try and beat them and it's vital that we keep trying these things because we won't beat anybody unless we do.

“First and foremost it was about winning and trying to get a result, but we tried things that didn't come off. The error count went against us.”

It was a bitter conclusion to a Six Nations that Ireland started with such high hopes following their Grand Slam success last year.

And Kidney admits Ireland let down their fans following the hype and expectation that greeted their final outing at Croke Park.

“We feel like we've let a lot of people down and that's not a nice feeling,” he added.

“It's hugely disappointing. I can't put into words the way we feel. Like everyone else we wanted to leave Croke Park on a good note.

“You want to win trophies but we didn't. These things happen in life.

“There were so many people depending on us - supporters and the whole country.

“It's a very disappointing place to be at the moment but these fellas are very resilient.

“We made mistakes, but we made mistakes trying things. Now we have to work on not making mistakes when the pressure is on.”

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Kidney: We're desperate to claim the Triple Crown

Ireland coach Declan Kidney has warned against complacency as his side battle to win the Triple Crown in their final Six Nations game against Scotland at Croke Park.

Kidney’s men have already pulled off victories against England (20-16) and Wales (27-17) but must now overcome a Scotland side battling to avoid the wooden spoon.

And while disappointed to not be challenging for the title the 2009 IRB coach of the year insists his team is desperate to end the campaign on a high.

"This team isn't blasé about the enormity of winning silverware in any way, shape or form," says Kidney.

"It's a common goal to win silverware whenever we can, to be blasé would be disrespectful to those Irish players who spilt a lot of blood over the years but failed to win a Triple Crown.

"I recognised the importance of the Triple Crown when we won the first one in 2004 because of the long time since we'd won one before then.

"You always set your targets as high as you can in trying to achieve the ultimate, which is the Grand Slam. When you can't achieve that, the next best thing is the championship or the Triple Crown.

"Sometimes goals have to be reassessed mid-season and after we lost to France, we had to do that."

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O'Driscoll determined to land fifth Triple Crown in seven years

Brian O'Driscoll insists Ireland can't forget the importance of landing the Six Nations Triple Crown when they face Scotland on Saturday.

Victory over Scotland, in Ireland’s final outing at Croke Park before they return to Lansdowne Road, will give Declan Kidney's side their fifth clean sweep over the home unions in seven years.

And while it may not make up for surrendering the championship to champions-elect France, O’Driscoll is adamant his teammates will treat the game like a cup final.

“Declan Kidney mentioned he’s gone through a couple of decades when Ireland haven’t experienced a Triple Crown,” said O’Driscoll.

“This team isn’t blasé about the enormity of winning silverware in any way shape or form. It’s a common goal to win silverware whenever we can. That opportunity presents itself this weekend.

“I recognised the enormity of the Triple Crown when we won the first won in 2004 because of the long time since we’d won one before then.”

Mathematically Ireland can still retain the championship, but would need England to beat France while overhauling a points difference of 50.

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Kidney unfazed by breakdown problems

Ireland coach Declan Kidney has refused to get drawn into the debate on the new laws governing the breakdown - insisting his side will concentrate their energies on adapting to the changes.

The Irish – most notably skipper Brian O’Driscoll against Wales last weekend – have been heavily penalised in their last two Six Nations encounters.

On both occasions a South African official has been in charge of the games and another - Jonathan Kaplan - is due to take charge of proceedings against Scotland on Saturday.

But Kidney, and Ireland back Tommy Bowe, have called on the squad to get used to the amendments sooner rather than later.

“There’s no point going on about something you have no control over,” said Kidney.

“We have a fair idea of what the emphasis and interpretation of certain sections (of the law) are going to be so we have worked on that.”

Bowe added: “It’s just another thing that we have to work on. For every match that we play there are different work-outs for different teams.

“While this is more on the law side of things, it’s just part and parcel of what we do weekly.

“It has been working in the Southern Hemisphere so obviously it’s just a matter of us getting used to it.”

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