’Perfect 7’ Dougall gives inspirational Munster show

It was long past his normal bedtime when Sean Dougall got to sleep in the early hours of Saturday morning. However, the disruption didn’t prevent him from producing an outstanding performance that led to him being hailed as the unsung hero of Munster’s Heineken Cup victory over Gloucester.

The 24-year-old Dougall wasn’t part of Rob Penney’s original plans for the European game – he had been chosen to play for Munster A in the B&I Cup tie (Munster won 17-6) away to English championship team Nottingham – but was added to the senior squad when Niall Ronan damaged an ankle on Friday morning. Dougall spent Friday night on the bench in Nottingham having being replaced in the A team by Barry O’Mahony, and then endured a pre dawn start in an effort to be back in Limerick come kick-off time.

But the onerous pre match preparation did little to dent Dougal’s tenacity.