Munster acknowledge they are underdogs going into Saturday’s Guinness PRO14 game against Leinster at the Aviva Stadium — but that doesn’t mean they are going to accept the tag.

One of the most admired and respected figures in Irish schools sports was honoured over the weekend at the official opening of the superb €1.25 million Fr Aidan Lehane CSSp. Pavilion at Rockwell College.

Munster 64 Ulster 7

‘Mixed’ would be a kind word to describe Munster’s early season form in the Guin

Munster and Irish rugby was reeling last night after it was revealed that Conor Murray, one of the game’s leading scrum-halves, was ruled out of the game for the immediate future with a recurrence of a neck injury that has troubled him at times over the past few seasons.

He will only be released to play in the Eisenhower Trophy or the Olympic Games - that’s the understanding between John Murphy’s college in Louisville, Kentucky and Kinsale Golf Club where the availability of this year’s St Andrews Links champion is concerned.

Even those with a great love and admiration for the club and the village believe that Lahinch has undertaken a mountainous challenge in agreeing to stage the 2019 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Championship.

Caolan Rafferty pushed aside disappointment and made a little piece of history with a 20th-green victory over Rowan Lester, in yesterday’s final of the 117th South of Ireland Championship, in Lahinch.

Six Nations Grand Slam hero Keith Earls has joined Munster’s ever-increasing injury list.

Jerry Flannery was a member of the Irish team which completed the Six Nations Grand Slam in 2009. An outstanding hooker who helped Munster to win the Heineken Cup in 2006 and 2008, he represented Ireland on 41 occasions. Ahead of Ireland’s bid for more Grand Slam glory on Saturday he spoke to Charlie Mulqueen

St Munchins 15, CBC 10: A magnificent try after a dazzling 45 metre run by out-half Alexander Wood, a son of former Ireland captain Keith, proved the match winner for St Munchins when they defeated the holders CBC in an outstanding final at Thomond Park this afternoon.

Australia-based South African Dave Wessels is being strongly touted as a potential replacement for Rassie Erasmus at Munster.

Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com today

In more than 30 years as a caddie to pros such as Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, Colin Byrne has seen more than his fair share of the world’s top courses but now the Irishman is lending his expertise to help guide golfers around them from a new vantage point.

The death yesterday of Christy O’Connor Junior, one our most beloved golfers, brought to mind the shot heard round the world — but the Galway man was about much more than a two-iron at The Belfry. Junior carried his talents lightly and charmed everyone he met, writes Charlie Mulqueen.

Thomond Park has played host to many chapters in Munster’s storied rugby journey but pride of place remains the game against the otherwise unbeaten New Zealanders on October 31, 1978, an occasion that understandably claims pride of place in a new book ‘Where Miracles Happen - The Story of Thomond Park’, by Charlie Mulqueen and Brendan O’Dowd.

Almost exactly two years ago, Paul Dunne was making a name for himself at Lee Valley Golf Club during the second day’s play in the Interprovincial Championship.

Scrap the academy and give power and resources back to the clubs and you will help to solve some of the problems besetting Munster Rugby, writes Charlie Mulqueen

Munster target their 100th European Cup victory at Allianz Park, the home of Saracens, tomorrow — and do so as underdogs: writes Charlie Mulqueen.

Following Munster's heartbreaking defeat CHARLIE MULQUEEN picks 10 Munster matches that stand out most during the history of the competition.

Charlie Mulqueen rates the Munster men's performance on the day.

Michael Moynihan asked Donal Lenihan and Charlie Mulqueen for the history of the Six Nations in 20 objects.

Ronan O’Gara has poured cold water on the prospect of Munster, Ireland and Lions scrum-half Conor Murray joining him at Racing Metro.

Escaping the bubble of his home city and Munster rugby has helped Ronan O’Gara move on with his career as a coach and his new life in Paris, according to the rugby legend.

He has kicked a Grand Slam-winning drop goal and piloted Munster to a pair of memorable Heineken Cup successes. He has been to World Cups and on three Lions tours to Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

I read Charlie Mulqueen’s article on Mahony’s Point Killarney with interest, especially when he talked about the original 18 holes before they were broken up into the two courses we know today.

Rory McIlroy will be keeping a close eye on the Lions tour and is keen to watch the second Test.

Rory McIlroy is hoping the old racing adage about horses for courses holds true this week when he returns to action in the Wells Fargo Championship on the PGA US Tour in Charlotte, North Carolina.

A class act.

JUST when the 77th Masters was in danger of being regarded as one of the flattest for years, it was saved by the dramatic birdie-fest over the closing holes that saw Adam Scott pip Angel Cabrera.

THE 1997 Masters was the eighth — and most memorable — of my 20 visits to Augusta.

While the world’s media will focus almost exclusively over the next few days on Rory McIlroy and his attempts to explain his walk out during the Honda Classic, this week’s WGC Cadillac World Championship will also be of considerable significance for Pádraig Harrington.

Five days before he celebrates his 36th birthday, Ronan O’Gara last night received the kind of early ‘present’ he must have been dreading.

Excuses abounded to try and explain away the failure of the Irish golfers in the Accenture World Match Play Championship but none were convincing.

Only a couple of years after winning the first of his two Irish caps, Damien Varley finds himself down the pecking order of Ireland’s hookers.

Pádraig Harrington this week samples the incredible atmosphere surrounding the par-three 16th hole at the TPC Stadium course in Scottsdale, Arizona as he makes his debut at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

THE new “Nike Chums” Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods remain the top two players in the world golf rankings in spite of missing the cut in last week’s Abu Dhabi Championship.

Never do things in a hurry.