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Ireland's Will Smallbone dejected after the game. Ryan Byrne/INPHO

Will Smallbone 'embarrassed' to win man-of-the-match award

The announcement prompted boos from fans in the stadium.

BOOS COULD be heard at the Aviva Stadium as Will Smallbone was announced as man of the match.

The negative crowd reaction was not necessarily a reflection on the Southampton star — as the accolade suggests, he was one of Ireland’s better performers, certainly in the first half when the hosts were on top.

But it was ostensibly more frustration at the strange tradition of awarding an Irish footballer player of the match at every international game at the Aviva Stadium, irrespective of the outcome.

The mood was already bad as it became clear Ireland — excluding matches versus Gibraltar — were set to lose their 11th game from the last 14 competitive fixtures.

And now, the man-of-the-match announcement has almost come to feel akin to a blackly comic insult as yet another disappointment comes to its conclusion.

For sponsorship reasons, there is a pre-arranged obligation to award it to an Irish player. Still, as long as Ireland keep losing, that fact is unlikely to quell supporters’ unrest.

Smallbone said he understood the fans’ frustration afterwards.

“For sure. I’m probably as embarrassed as anyone, receiving a man of the match award when we’ve lost a game. I’m not sure why it’s done, but it is and I can’t control it. It’s not my decision. But we understand the fans’ reaction and we are working as hard as we can to turn it around, and I believe we will.”

Asked if he had a message for exasperated Irish supporters, the 24-year-old added: “I don’t need to tell them to stick with us because they give us unwavering support every time we turn up to the Aviva.

“And in the away games, they are always loud, they are singing, they are fully supporting us. It hurts us every time that we can’t give them a result and something back for their unwavering support to us. But I believe that we will in the near future.”

On Saturday, Smallbone struggled in a midfield overrun by a talented English outfit whereas he looked more comfortable in an advanced role on Tuesday evening.

The Premier League player said Ireland’s change to a 4-5-1 formation “benefited” him but emphasised the need for the team to be more “clinical” in attack.

He also backed new manager Heimir Hallgrímsson to turn things around after a difficult start.

“I think for sure that the more time you work with a manager the more you understand his ways, his philosophy, his ideas, and we can gel as a group together into being the team that he wants.

“I think in an ideal world it probably would have been done when we had the friendlies to work on that, but that’s not the way it’s turned out.

“We are coming together and we are trying our best, we are trying to do what the manager is asking of us and we will continue to do so.”

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    Mute Damian O'keeffe
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    Oct 21st 2012, 12:37 PM

    Stand up and fight!

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    Mute tomas o'connor
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    Oct 21st 2012, 2:12 PM

    WE ARE MUNSTER AND WE CAN SING WHAT WE LIKE!!!

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    Mute Elrat
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    Oct 21st 2012, 2:26 PM

    3 tries so far – 1 to go !!!

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    Mute Elrat
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    Oct 21st 2012, 1:34 PM

    I played for Munster !

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    Mute Owen Crudge
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    Oct 21st 2012, 2:36 PM

    Neil you don’t know what your talking about man. Munster has had a famously huge following long before they became one of the biggest clubs in the northern hemisphere, probably started way back when we beat the all blacks. The score line must be making you bitter. Scottish rugby is nothing to brag about you absolute langer.

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    Mute Neil McAuley
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    Oct 21st 2012, 2:43 PM

    Crudge – I know what level of support Munster had before, so don’t start telling porkies. My earlier posts were long before Half time, so u saying I’m bitter is ludicrous – especially as I don’t support Leinster or any other province/team. Finally,cheers for ur parting compliment and go fu** urself.

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    Mute Jimmy Finn
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    Oct 21st 2012, 2:51 PM

    Classy yourself there Neil

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    Mute Neil McAuley
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    Oct 21st 2012, 2:57 PM

    Jimmy – I’m not usually in favor of personal attacks, but seeing that none of ye were able to articulate a response and instead decided to use base, vile language I decided to reply in kind. U got a problem with that ?

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    Mute sparky
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    Oct 21st 2012, 2:57 PM

    Neil seriously we need to get you a hammer and chisel so you can make a start on that chip on your shoulder

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    Mute Stephen McMahon
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    Oct 21st 2012, 12:48 PM

    Feel good about the game today. Good weather for the backs, expecting a bonus point win tbh

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    Mute tomas o'connor
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    Oct 21st 2012, 2:36 PM

    Massive win for Munster today and got the bonus point. Come on Munster!

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    Mute Dermot Mc
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    Oct 21st 2012, 2:45 PM

    Sweet way to end a game, well done

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    Mute Diarmaid Twomey
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    Oct 21st 2012, 3:09 PM

    We got the win and bonus point but the first 60 minutes were far from impressive. Edinburgh were cat, a serious improvement required for Sars!

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    Mute Neil McAuley
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    Oct 21st 2012, 1:11 PM

    No doubt Munster fans singing that song about a town in Connacht. Truly awful. Like Cameron in UK who says ‘we’re all in together’ – it just rings hollow. Community my ars*. Up Edinburgh.

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    Mute Diarmaid Twomey
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    Oct 21st 2012, 1:18 PM

    Hey, at least we don’t don our jerseys in pretentious stars in competitions they don’t have relevance in!

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    Mute Jimmy Finn
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    Oct 21st 2012, 1:23 PM

    Idiot

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    Mute Elrat
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    Oct 21st 2012, 1:23 PM

    Wank#r !

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    Mute Elrat
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    Oct 21st 2012, 1:24 PM

    Better than trying to sing about a 2 bob hooker – Molly !

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    Mute Neil McAuley
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    Oct 21st 2012, 1:27 PM

    That’s it Elrat & Jimmy Finn. Ye disagree strongly with my post so resort to abuse. Class ! How many of the so called ‘fans’ supported Munster before the professional era??? Mmm I wonder.

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    Mute sparky
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    Oct 21st 2012, 2:24 PM

    Neil you could say that about any rugby side in Ireland.

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    Mute Patrick Kennedy
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    Oct 21st 2012, 5:19 PM

    Also.thought o connell was,immense he was my man of match over murray

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    Mute Patrick Kennedy
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    Oct 21st 2012, 4:25 PM

    Munster didnt deserve that bonus point but will take it and badly needed as well , we were awful for first 60 minutes simon zebo was only munster player that tried to break the line,.edinburgh were dreadful for a team.that got to the semis last year its.a terrible comedown

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    Mute Dave Lawlor
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    Oct 21st 2012, 4:03 PM

    Sarries won’t be cacking themselves looking at that, Munster will need at least 9 points from the back to back matches to have any hope of making the Q-final which I honestly can’t see them getting. Go take out a mortgage and stick it on Clermont to win it…..

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    Mute Diarmaid Twomey
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    Oct 21st 2012, 4:06 PM

    Its hard to see past Clermont given yesterdays performance. It is finally their year I think too looking at Leinster as well.

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