THE BATTLE for the top-four places in the Magners League intensifies this weekend with Munster requiring four points from their visit to Wales this evening to maintain their challenge.

MUNSTER A coach Anthony Foley goes into new territory with an experimental team for tonight’s British and Irish Cup clash with Nottingham at the Regional Sports Centre in Waterford (7pm).

MUNSTER bid to maintain their winning ways in the British and Irish Cup when they face Nottingham at the Waterford Regional Sports Centre, tomorrow evening (7pm).

MUNSTER bid for their fourth successive victory in the A Interprovincial championship when they face Connacht this evening at Thomond Park (6.30pm).

MUNSTER have opted to give John Hayes another week off and he will sit out Sunday’s Magners League game against the Scarlets at Musgrave Park. Meanwhile, they are keeping their fingers crossed that Marcus Horan will take a full part in Shannon’s AIB League game against St Mary’s College on Saturday.

Brian O’Driscoll be unleashed by Leinster when they welcome Munster to the RDS on Saturday night (k.o: 6.30pm).

BARRING injuries to Barry Murphy (ankle) and long-term absentee Ciaran O’Boyle (hamstring), Munster hope to be able to select from what team manager Shaun Payne described yesterday as a full deck for the visit to the RDS on Saturday.

MUNSTER manager Shaun Payne says new recruit, Danny Riordan, will be given his chance to prove himself after being handed a short-term contract yesterday.

MUNSTER tyro Ciaran O’Boyle is facing eight weeks on the sidelines with a torn hamstring.

THE HEAVENS rained down on Rodney Parade and this Magners League dogfight, but the Newport Gwent Dragons failed to rain on Munster’s quest for a unique League and Heineken Cup double.

Dragons 9 Munster 20

MUNSTER are without their starting internationals for today’s Magners League clash against Newport Gwent Dragons.

MUNSTER’S youngsters, with a little help from some seasoned campaigners, turned in an impressive performance and secured a deserved win over Leinster in this A clash in Waterford yesterday.

Munster 28 Edinburgh 14

TONY BUCKLEY re-launches his representative career in Munster’s Magners League clash with Edinburgh at Musgrave Park tonight (7.30pm). Buckley hasn’t played for the province since the defeat by Connacht at the Sportsground at the end of December, illness ruling him out of the games against Ulster, Ospreys, Sale and Montauban.

THESE two great rivals have a habit of producing the unexpected.

CORK CONSTITUTION coach Brian Walsh won’t find it difficult to motivate his troops before today’s ODM Munster Senior Cup semi-final with old rivals Garryowen at Musgrave Park (2.30pm).

NEW ZEALAND signing Nick Williams made a low key debut while Duncan Williams, Munster’s scrum half in waiting, had a satisfactory outing in a rather lack-lustre A provincial game at Donnybrook yesterday.

MUNSTER coach Tony McGahan might have been excused for taking Sunday off after the nerve-wracking ending to the previous day’s Heineken Cup action.

IN A TIME of necessity, you do what has to be done to survive.

AGE-OLD rivals Shannon and Garryowen could give the AIB League a boost when they clash under lights at the revamped Thomond Park stadium tonight (7.30pm).

Garryowen 19 Dungannon 5

Cork Constitution 12 Garryowen 12

Garryowen got their AIB League Division One title defence off to a winning start with a four-try win over Ballymena at Eaton Park.

WASPS are seeking a move from Adams Stadium for November’s clash with Munster in the Heineken Cup.

Declan Kidney has named an extended 26-man Munster squad ahead of Friday night’s pre season game against Alan Gaffney’s Saracens at Musgrave Park (kick off 6.30pm).

MUNSTER coach Declan Kidney has finalised his squad for their pre-season tour to the United States.

MUNSTER have appointed recently retiring full-back Shaun Payne as their new team manager.

GARRYOWEN ended a 13 year drought without a national title with this AIB All-Ireland Cup final victory on Saturday.

SUGGEST to Garryowen coach Paul Cunningham that his team is having ‘an up and down kind of season’ and he will courteously but firmly put you in your place.

Garryowen 18 Cork Constitution 13

Garryowen 18 Cork Constitution 13

GARRYOWEN winger Ciaran O’Boyle left his calling card with Shannon and a gentle reminder for Munster coach Declan Kidney with a three-try tour de force at Thomond Park on Saturday.

Shannon 11 Garryowen 19

Dungannon 23 Garryowen 29

WITH new Australian signing Tim McGann making his debut, Declan Kidney is looking for a stronger effort from his Munster charges when they take on Border Reivers in the Magners Celtic League at Thomond Park tonight (7.30).

MUNSTER may be Heineken Cup champions but they won’t get anything soft in the Celtic League opener against Cardiff Blues at the Arms Park tomorrow night.

IT will take a while for the dust to settle on this one. After seven years of trying, it may seem almost churlish not to bask in the glory of Munster’s Heineken Cup triumph.

Garryowen 20 Shannon 21

Garryowen 37 UCD 24

Garryowen 54 County Carlow 7

Ireland 30 Scotland 13, Donnybrook

Garryowen 34 Shannon 8

A 38-man squad for the first AIB Club International between Ireland and Scotland in Donnybrook on Friday, March 10 was named today.