Munster must pull out all the stops

HOOKER Jerry Flannery says Munster must ‘pull out all the stops’ if they are to maintain their hopes of completing a big Magners League and Heineken Cup double this season - Munster currently enjoy a three-point lead over great rivals Leinster at the top of the Magners League with five series of games remaining.
The Irish provinces meet in a crucial League tie at Thomond Park on this Saturday night (7.30pm).
Eight days later Munster are due to host the Ospreys in a mouth-watering Heineken Cup quarter-final tie in Limerick as the season reaches a critical point.
Hooker Flannery said Saturday night’s big Magners League tie at Thomond Park has been in the back of Munster players’ minds throughout the RBS six Nations Championship.


“The Leinster game has been in the back of everyone’s mind through the Six Nations.
“It has been on the minds of the Munster boys and I am sure the Leinster guys have been thinking about it as well,” Flannery said.
“It is going to be a big test.
“We had a review meeting in Cork recently and we have almost 80 per cent of our season complete.
“Things are within our control. That means we have to crank things up a bit more.
“We are in contention for the Magners League and for the Heineken Cup.
“It is important that we pull out all the stops.
“The good thing is that we have snapped straight back into work mode coming away from the Grand Slam victory.”
Munster maintained top spot in the Magners League thanks to an impressive 26-13 bonus-point away victory over the Glasgow Warriors at Firhill on Friday night.
Holders Leinster remained within three points of the Heineken Cup champions when four second half tries saw Michael Cheika’s side secure a bonus-point victory over Ulster at the RDS on Sunday evening.
Meanwhile a leading bookmaker has closed the betting on who will become Lions captain for this summer’s tour to South Africa after strong support was reported for Munster skipper Paul O’Connell.
Paddy Power has shut up shop on betting for the role after a sustained splurge on the Munster lock.
Last week Irish skipper Brian O’Driscoll had been an odds-on shot at 1/2 to be named as Lions captain by head coach Ian McGeechan
Paul O’Connell was next best in the market at 13/8 with Paddy Power while Wales skipper Ryan Jones had been available at 6/1.
Ian McGeechan is set to announce his 35 or 36-man squad and confirm his choice of captain at a Heathrow Hotel, London on April 21.
Meanwhile in the AIL, Garryowen moved to top of the pile with a six-try bonus-point victory over Ballymena at Dooradoyle.
It was the ‘light blues’ 10th successive league victory.
Fifth-placed Shannon maintained their top four play-off hopes with a narrow victory over Old Belvedere while UL-Bohemian are closing in on a spot in next season’s new Top 8 section of the league after registering a bonus-point win over UCD. Young Munster’s prospects of retaining their Division One status for next season were severly dented following a last-gasp defeat to Dolphin at Clifford Park.
In Division Two Thomond have given themselves a fighting chance of avoiding relegation after recording a 19-9 win over Wanderers.
Fourth-placed Old Crescent lost 13-20 to DLSP while Bruff went down 20-22 against Ballynahinch.

Colm Kinsella