Cardiff represent a ‘difficult opponent’ for Munster

MUNSTER coach Tony McGahan has warned of the difficult task facing his players when they take on the Cardiff Blues in their first home fixture of the new Magners League season at Thomond Park this Friday night (7.05pm).
Holders Munster suffered a frustrating defeat at the hands of the Glasgow Warriors in their opening League fixture of the new season at Firhill. Coach Tony McGahan is refusing to blame the absence of several front line players as the reason for the side’s early season setback.
Speaking in the wake of their defeat McGahan said he would be looking for a big response from the squad: “We need to regroup and we really need a response from the 22 who are selected for the Cardiff game on Friday night.
“We are playing our first game at home for the season at Thomond Park. There should be a tremendous crowd as usual, But we facing a very difficult opponent in Cardiff.
“The absence of a number of players is no excuse for us. We have a very strong squad and we expected coming to play Glasgow that if we played how we trained and how we had prepared, a victory would be in sight for us.”
Besides the unavailability of Munster’s Lions contingent, injury saw the likes of Darragh Hurley, Jerry Flannery, Nick Williams, Tomas O’Leary, Ian Dowling and Ciaran O’Boyle miss out on the Magners League opener against the Warriors.
Mick O’Driscoll also believes that Munster have a squad sufficiently strong enough to compete with the top sides in the Magners League:
“We believe we have a very strong squad now. No matter who is out injured for us or unavailable for us we believe we still have a strong enough squad to compete with any team in the Magners League.
“Unfortunately against Glasgow, for whatever reason, it just didn’t happen for us.”
Meanwhile the focus on the club scene moves to the ODM Munster Senior Cup this weekend.
There are two all-Limerick fixtures down for decision in the opening round of the Cup this Saturday.
UL Bohs will host Old Crescent while Bruff entertain an in-form Young Munster at Kilballyowen Park.
Elsewhere Shannon make the long trip to West Cork to face Clonakilty at The Vale while Garryowen host another AIL Division 1A side Dolphin.
Thomond will also enjoy home advantage against Highfield.

Colm Kinsella