Today at the Sportsground, Tiernan O'Halloran will make his 200th appearance for Connacht. The Galwayman has been a constant for Connacht for the last decade. While he has not been hugely decorated at international level, O'Halloran has enjoyed a sensational career with Connacht, and was prominent in their famous Pro 12 victory of 2017. This makes him the perfect subject for our series on cult Irish rugby players, The Terraces Won't Forget.
Tiernan O’Halloran is Galway through and through. Raised in Clifden, he was educated in Ballinasloe and later Roscrea. Gaelic football is in his blood. His father Aidan was on the Offaly football team that won the 1982 All-Ireland, and Tiernan himself was on the Galway minor panel for two years. O'Halloran first began drawing in fans during his days with Ireland U20s. He spent two years with the side and was part of the U20s Six Nations winning squad in 2010. He featured in teams alongside thrilling backs like Simon Zebo, Craig Gilroy and Andrew Conway.
After working his way up through Connacht ranks, he was handed his debut against Olympus Madrid in 2009, scoring a try in their 0-66 win.
O’Halloran excelled under the tutelage of Pat Lam and Nigel Carolan. He credited Lam for giving him the impetus to improve his game after the head coach dropped him before Connacht’s famous win against Toulouse in 2013.
“It was a tough enough time in terms of my career; I was struggling big time in form and had one or two small injuries – nothing that should’ve been affecting me too much – but it was.
“Pat was always pushing me to keep on improving and working hard and thankfully I copped myself on, worked hard and got back into the squad again.”
Like many Connacht players of the time, their Pro 12 winning season in 2016 was their finest hour. O’Halloran epitomised Connacht’s attacking brilliance with his dangerous ability to break from the back field, and his flashy style, sporting socks down to his ankles and taped up wrists.
No other player scored more vital tries for Connacht that season than O’Halloran. And it began with an individual score against Munster to send Connacht on their way to their first victory in Thomond Park in 29 years.
The game felt like a turning point for Connacht that season, it gave not only their fans a reason to believe, but their players as well. They showed that they could go to one of the most daunting fortresses in the league and come away with the win.
It is perhaps fitting that O'Halloran will earn his 200th Connacht cap against Glasgow. He's enjoyed some of his most memorable performances against the Scottish side. In the the last game of the 2017 regular season he made the difference in a knife-edge encounter with Glasgow. He produced a fine leap and catch in wet and windy conditions in the Sportsground when he caught a Shane O'Leary cross field kick in the 59th minute of their 14-7 win.
Glasgow were the reigning champions that year and O'Halloran's score secured not only a victory but a home semi-final against the same side.
In the final against Leinster he produced the goods once more scoring Connacht’s opening try. It put the fans at ease and reinforced the sense that this would be their day.
Connacht have yet to reach anything close to these heights since, but getting to the knockout stages of the Champions Cup would certainly come second in the list of the province's achievements. They have a settled and in form side guided by the uber popular Andy Friend, and O'Halloran will play a big part also if they are to achieve this milestone.
O’Halloran’s Ireland career left a little bit to be desired, but not through much fault of his own. He played during the Kearney era, and found it difficult to wrestle himself into Joe Schmidt’s plans, even when an entire country was screaming for him to be given a shot.
When he did get an opportunity with his first start against South Africa in 2016, it ended disastrously after ten minutes. After competing brilliantly with Willie Le Roux for a high ball, the collision sent him crashing down hard. Both players were forced to leave the pitch, Le Roux with a sin binning, and O’Halloran with an injury.
His stand out score in an Irish jersey was a brilliant score against Canada in 2016, which you can see in a highlight reel below at 1:47.
It shows off some of his best qualities and skills. His ability to turn up just at the right time off a teammate's shoulder then the change of direction at pace and a nose for the line.
While his days in an Irish jersey have probably ended, and his peak creeping away, he has plenty more memories to give.
And one thing is for certain, the terraces of the Sportsground will never forget Tiernan O’Halloran.
See Also: The Terraces Won't Forget: Ian Madigan At Leinster
