Leinster loom large for McGahan’s men

MUNSTER’S ticket allocation for Saturday’s glamour Magners League semi-final showdown with Leinster at the RDS is likely to be in the region of 4,500 - Munster are entitled to a ticket allocation of 25 per cent of the ground capacity at the RDS which is 18,000.


Munster Rugby have indicated that the province’s ticket allocation for Saturday’s game which begins at 8pm will be distributed through the clubs in the province as well as the Munster Rugby Supporters Club.
Holders Munster secured their place in the inaugural Magners League play-offs after securing a vital losing bonus point in a 13-12 defeat to the Cardiff Blues at the Cardiff City Stadium last night. Munster had victory snatched from their grasp in injury time by a 52-metre penalty from Leigh Halfpenny.
Afterwards Munster coach Tony McGahan agreed Leinster deserved to finish top of the table at the end of the Magners League regular season, but he promised their fierce Irish rivals a mighty challenge in Saturday night’s shoot-out: “It’s always a tight clash between Munster and Leinster. They won by a point the last time we played and we are eager to go up there and get the result that means we can continue in this competition.
“Leinster have been the most consistent side this season, finishing on top, but we are defending a trophy. It was always our goal to get into the last four and now we have to go on from here.
“It comes down to one-off matches from here on in and both Leinster and ourselves will want to ensure we reach the final two weeks later. We are in a difficult place at this time with injuries. We lost three or four players going into this game, but we hope to have a few players back for what promises to be a great game in Dublin.
“Our first priority in Cardiff was to win the game, but at 13-12 we got the bonus point we needed. I am delighted for the players.”
Leinster secured the double over Munster in the Magners League this season and also beat them in the semi-finals of the Heineken Cup last year.
Munster captain Paul O’Connell is due to undergo an operation in Cork today to solve his on-going groin injury. It seems unlikely that O’Connell play any further part this season.
Meanwhile Munster have confirmed that Worcester Warriors centre Sam Tuitupou will join them - subject to the usual medical and fitness examinations - at the start of the next season along with the Leicester Tigers’ Johne Murphy. Tuitupou played nine times for the All Blacks between 2004 and 2006 and was a regular for Auckland Blues in the Super 14 before moving to English side Worcester in 2007.
Back-row Tommy O’Donnell, prop Dave Ryan and scrum-half Duncan Williams have moved up from development contracts to senior contracts as Munster finalise their squad for next season. O’Donnell, Ryan and Williams have all featured for Munster in the Magners League this season.
Academy players Ian Nagle, Dave Foley, Stephen Archer, Scott Deasy, Peter O’Mahony and Danny Barnes have been promoted to full development contracts with the province.
Training-contracted player Declan Cusack, of Thomond, who is Munster’s top scorer in the British & Irish Cup, has also been impressing the province’s management. The exciting out-half has been bumped up to a full development contract.
Meanwhile Young Munster were chosen as Senior Club of the Year in the Munster Rugby’s annual awards which took place last night.
Munsters’ scooped the award on the back of an excellent season which saw the Clifford Park club gain promotion to Division 1A of the AIL, as well as claiming the ODM Munster Senior Cup and Limerick Charity Cup.
Lock Mick O’Driscoll was selected as the Munster Player of the Year. O’Driscoll, who has played more than 160 matches for the province, beat off Keith Earls, David Wallace and Denis Fogarty for the award. O’Driscoll was selected as the award winner by readers of the Irish Examiner. Scott Deasy claimed the Academy Player of the Year Award while the Young Player of the Year accolade went to Billy Holland. The School of the Year went to Crescent College Comprehensive winners of this season’s Munster Schools Junior Cup. The Dooradoyle school also claimed the Kidney and McCarthy Cups. Thomond won the Club Mini Awards for the excellent work the club does with budding young players aged between six and 12. The club’s youth officer John Airey plays a key role in the development of Thomond’s under-age players.
On the club front Bruff suffered a 17-10 defeat to Lansdowne in the AIl Division 2 play-off final on Saturday.

COLM KINSELLA