PERHAPS a place in the final was more than Nenagh Ormond anticipated a few weeks ago, but Saturday’s last gasp defeat by Queens University in the AIB Division Three final at Anglesea Road was a bitter pill to swallow nonetheless.

JEREMY Manning, a player whose season has been ravaged by injury, demonstrated his potential with two smashing tries in Munster’s British & Irish Cup semi-final victory at Thomond Park on Saturday.

HAVING defeated Ulster twice this season in the A Interprovincial Championship, Munster will be fancied to complete the hat-trick as they take on the Ravens in the semi-final of the inaugural British & Irish Cup at Thomond Park this afternoon.

CORK schoolboys Simon Hanbidge and David O’Mahony have been paired in the Irish U-19 second row for the PricewaterhouseCoopers sponsored international with Australia to be held at Cork IT under lights tomorrow (7.30 pm).