PETER O’Mahony updated fans on how his three kids each planted a sunflower in his famed garden – yet only ‘one has survived…’
Having played his last match for Munster at the weekend, he’s fast approaching becoming a stay-at-home dad, with the punchlines to go with it.
2
He will play one more match, an exhibition for the Barbarians on June 28, before fully hanging up his bootsCredit: @peteomahony
2
Peter, 35, quipped about how only one of the three sunflowers ‘has survived’Credit: @peteomahony
Over the past month he has spoken about how he feels it’s overdue that he spends more time at home with wife Jessica and their children.
Acknowledging it’s a primary reason for choosing this as the right time to end his rugby career, he said: “I’ve spent the last kind of 15, 16 years on the road a fair bit.
“I’m living in Cork, so I commute to Limerick. I spent a lot of time in Dublin with Ireland.
“So I need to spend a bit more time at home with young kids who are getting to the age now where they’re asking questions why I’m going out the door again.
“It’s time to give a bit back. They’ve sacrificed a lot for me.”
There is one thing he will not miss about rugby. He added: “The Cork to Limerick road is something I won’t miss.
“It’s a torturous b***ard road. The Government should really pull their thumb out and sort out that road.
“I can’t understand it, but it’s too late in my career for that to be sorted.
“I’d say anybody who has to travel that road would be in the same boat. It’s awful.”
Unfortunately, the curtain drew on his time in the red jersey in especially painful fashion as they were knocked out of the URC play-offs via a penalty shoot-out after an epic 100-minute battle in Durban.
‘Jack Crowley he’s coming for you’ jokes Peter O’Mahony’s wife Jess as son practices his rugby skills
After drawing 24-24, neither side could find a winning score in extra-time. The game boiled down to kicks from the 15- and 10-metre lines, where Rory Scannell missed his effort.
The Sharks kicked all six of their attempts. It was also Conor Murray and Stephen Archer’s last outing for the province.
Afterwards captain Tadhg Beirne conceded: “It’s going to be a weird place next season without the lads. They bleed Munster. It’s gutting to end it like this.”
EARLY BLOOM
Munster took the lead after nine minutes when Jack Crowley’s cross-field kick bounced up for Calvin Nash to dive over before the out-half added the extras.
The game burst into life after the break and Sharks’ Ethan Hooker cut in from the right, weaving around the Munster defence to score, with Hendrikse converting and then adding a penalty.
Fineen Wycherley squeezed through a gap to cross, with Crowley’s kick successful.
The Reds extended their lead when Sharks were unable to defend Mike Haley’s kick, allowing Diarmuid Kilgallen to pounce.
But Sharks pulled a try back when Aphelele Fassi crossed, with Hendrikse converting. Fez Mbatha then struck, as Hendrikse again added the extras.
Murray’s monster penalty levelled matters at 24-24 to send the game to extra time. Beirne added: “I’m massively proud of the boys. We fought to the bitter end.”