New year — same old Leinster?

Jack O’Donoughe’s first-half try and a perfect kicking performance from JJ Hanrahan gave Munster the honours in this feisty inter-pro, which saw them stretch their lead at the top of the PRO14 Conference B standings.

Dave Kilcoyne makes his return from a calf injury to start for Munster against Connacht in tomorrow's PRO14 clash.

Shane Daly knows the damage that his good friend Conor Fitzgerald can inflict on teams — he has never forgiven him for landing a near-impossible penalty to break their hearts in a Munster Schools Senior Cup semi-final.

Connacht coach Andy Friend has told Jack Carty not to panic over his surprise omission from the Irish squad and he’s confident the 27-year old can play his way back on to the international stage.

Robin Copeland’s last-gasp try rescued a 27-24 win from the jaws of defeat as Connacht pipped Gloucester in a dramatic Heineken Champions Cup clash at the Sportsground.

Saracens have named an almost totally different side to face Munster at Allianz Park tomorrow, while the Reds make one change from their 10-3 home win.

Conor Fitzgerald says he is eager to repay the faith that Andy Friend has shown in him as Connacht seek a return to winning ways against Gloucester in the Heineken Champions Cup (Saturday, 12.45pm, Sportsgrounds).

Pool 5 looks bleak for Connacht now.

Connacht's Heineken Champions Cup challenge hangs by the thinnest of threads after a convincing four-try defeat to Gloucester at Kingsholm on Sunday afternoon.

Andy Friend’s Connacht can knock down another barrier in Gloucester tomorrow and in the process take a big step towards a new milestone as they continue to grow impressively under the Australian.

Conor Fitzgerald says he hasn’t looked back since resurrecting his career with Connacht after being let go from the Munster academy 18 months ago.

Bundee Aki celebrated his three-year IRFU contract extension with the opening try in Connacht’s 24-12 Guinness PRO14 win over the Isuzu Southern Kings at the Sportsground.

It’s amazing how quickly something can turn for a player and when Conor Fitzgerald was let go from the Munster academy 18 months ago the last thing on his mind would have been lighting up the home of Toulouse with an awesome display in the Heineken Champions Cup.

There are three changes to the team that defeated Ospreys.

A nerveless Conor Fitzgerald penalty 13 minutes from time clinched European victory for Connacht as Andy Friend’s side battled bravely to launch their Champions Cup campaign with an impressive Sportsground win.

Cork Constitution came good during the final 10 minutes to overcome Terenure College 13-10 at Lakelands Park and move top of Energia All-Ireland League Division 1A.

Five-try Connacht picked up their second bonus-point victory in a week as Andy Friend’s side overwhelmed Dragons at Rodney Parade.

After a terrific encounter, Midleton claimed their second consecutive Rebel Óg Premier 1 MHC title at Páirc Uí Rinn tonight, while also gaining revenge for the 2017 decider which went the way of Glen Rovers.

Ultan Dillane and Kieran Marmion remain as replacement options.

Ultan Dillane, Caolin Blade, Jack Carty and Tom Farrell will line-out for Connacht after their Ireland call-ups.

Andy Friend believes his players let themselves down after they missed a golden opportunity to move into the PRO14 play-off places by slipping to a narrow defeat against the Cardiff Blues in Wales.

Connacht have given themselves a good chance of reaching the knockout stages of the Challenge Cup for the 11th time after securing a bonus point win at Stade Aime Giral.

Chris Ashton boosted his England chances with a debut hat-trick as Sale thumped Connacht 34-13 in the Challenge Cup.

Connacht supporters won’t get to see Bordeaux-Begles’s world stars Semi Radradra, Brock James, Seta Tamanivalu, or Jean-Baptiste Serin today, as once again the Challenge Cup has failed to ignite French passions.

Shannon, the All-Ireland League’s most successful club, have regained their place in the top tier of club rugby.

Lansdowne continue to look the team to beat in Ulster Bank League Division 1A after winning at Tom Clifford Park for the first time since 2011, while defending champions Cork Constitution have leapfrogged Terenure College in pursuit of the second home semi-final berth.

A 19-year-old man sustained catastrophic head injuries after falling six metres through a roof onto a concrete surface.

Glenstal Abbey 30 Crescent Comprehensive 10

After scoring two first-class tries in the opening quarter hour, Crescent looked set for a comfortable win over Rockwell in yesterday’s quarter-final of the Clayton Hotels Munster Schools Senior Cup at Rosbrien.

Cork Constitution 26 Buccaneers 0: Gerry Hurley was thrilled to have participated in one of Cork Constitution’s most impressive Ulster Bank League performances of the season at Temple Hill on Saturday.

Joe Schmidt’s young son Tim scored the bonus point try for Terenure College as they won their Dublin 6W derby with St. Mary’s College to continue their excellent start.

Cork Constitution advanced from a tough Bank of Ireland Munster Senior Cup tie against Shannon with a late rally at Coonagh on Saturday.

The mother of a teenager who died tragically after falling through a roof described her son as a wonderful boy who was "loved by everyone".

Five of Ireland's U20 rugby squad have suffered injuries which will prevent them from playing any further part in the World Championships in Georgia.

The New Zealand Under-20s avenged last year's World Rugby U-20 Championship defeat to Ireland in emphatic style by romping to an eleven-try 69-3 victory in sweltering Kutaisi.

Fears that Munster fly-half Johnny Holland’s career was in jeopardy were confirmed yesterday when the province announced the 25-year-old had been forced to retire with immediate effect.

Former Leinster centre Collie O’Shea will partner Cian Bohane in Munster’s midfield tomorrow night as Rassie Erasmus begins his search for willing alternatives to the injured Francis Saili.

Rassie Erasmus has given Munster’s young midfield hopefuls two pre-season games to stake their claim to a starting place for the new campaign before looking to bring in a more experienced replacement for long-term injury victim Francis Saili.

Crescent CC Limerick 17 CBC Cork 7: Three years of disappointment ended for patient Crescent College Comprehensive when they finally garnered a seventh Clayton Hotels Munster Schools Junior Cup title in yesterday’s final replay over battling Christian Brothers College, Cork, at Thomond Park.