Garryowen captain Paul Neville paid tribute to his side’s defensive efforts after Saturday’s Bateman Cup final victory at Templeville Road.

Munster A secured a first British and Irish Cup victory with an accomplished all-round performance that overpowered brave Cross Keys at Musgrave Park last night.

Munster hooker Denis Fogarty has inked a deal with French second division club Aurillac coached by former Ulster, Ireland and Lions second row Jeremy Davidson.

Good Friday was upgraded to a great one as far as Munster rugby fans were concerned after the province’s A team fought their way to an extra-time victory over old enemy Leinster in this epic B&I Cup semi-final last night.

Shannon out-half Tadg Bennett held his nerve under fierce pressure at Dooradoyle last night to land an equalising penalty from 45 metres with the last kick of the game to force a 20-20 draw with Garryowen in the Ulster Bank League.

Shannon’s need may have been greater before kick-off, but that didn’t stop Garryowen from inflicting a 12-point defeat on their Limerick rivals in this All-Ireland League Division 1A clash at Thomond Park last night.

Having emerged successfully from some testing Limerick derbies in the space of eight days, Young Munster are all set to launch an all-out assault on the Ulster Bank All-Ireland League in their closing five matches.

They don’t look like title contenders, but Garryowen picked up four crucial Ulster Bank League points with this hard-earned win over Dolphin at Dooradoyle on Saturday.

DENIS LEAMY will have a troublesome hip injury assessed by a top London based specialist today.

MUNSTER took the last qualification spot in the British and Irish Cup courtesy of Leinster yesterday.

BRITISH and Irish Cup rugby heads to the Kingdom today with Tralee RFC hosting Munster’s clash with Ayr (2pm).

THE odd story of Garryowen’s season has been that they can’t win at home and can’t lose away.

The Munster squad assembled in Cork Institute of Technology today after Tony McGahan named an extended 29 strong squad for the opening Heineken Cup game against Northampton Saints in Thomond Park Stadium next Saturday (6pm).

A FIRST-HALF penalty try, supplemented by 14 points from the right boot of Scott Deasy, steered the Munster ‘A’ team to a workmanlike 19-3 victory over their Connacht counterparts at the Sportsground last night.

Tomas O’Leary and new signing Will Chambers have both been included in the match-day squad for Munster A’s clash against Connacht A in Galway on Friday (2pm).

MUNSTER A had to wait until the dying moments to secure a hard-earned victory over a youthful and inexperienced Connacht at Thomond Park yesterday.

TOMÁS O’Leary has been included in Munster’s squad for Friday’s Thomond Park Stadium clash with London Irish (7pm).

THE sight of new signing BJ Botha hobbling off with a calf muscle injury after 27 minutes and then limp from the ground with the aid of crutches was as much a disappointment and a worry to the Munster as this defeat at Musgrave Park last night

DROPPED by Ireland, Peter Stringer could be one of the key figures in Munster’s quest for victory over one of their greatest Heineken Cup rivals, London Wasps, in a pre-season friendly at Musgrave Park tomorrow night (7pm).

MUNSTER coach Tony McGahan promised to make full use of his resources as his side prepares for the new season at Stade Marcel Deflandre tonight (7pm).

IRELAND U20 coach Mike Ruddock described yesterday’s World Cup warm-up game at Musgrave Park as “a very useful exercise” as he finalises his preparations for next month’s tournament in Italy.

DENIS LEAMY has admitted Munster are determined to do the Magners League and Amlin Challenge Cup double after he led his side to a hard-fought triumph over the Scarlets in west Wales.

MUNSTER coach Tony McGahan handed the captain’s armband to seasoned international back-rower Denis Leamy, but named an experimental side to face Llanelli Scarlets in tonight’s Magners League clash in Wales.

Munster coach Tony McGahan has named his side for Saturday’s Magners League match against the Scarlets at the Parc Y Scarlets, kick-off 6.15pm.

Munster coach Tony McGahan has named a 34-man squad for Munster's Magners League match against the Scarlets at Parc Y Scarlets on Saturday, kick-off 6.15pm.

A SECOND-HALF comeback that embraced typical passion and skill helped Young Munster overcome arch rivals Garryowen on Saturday and set up an Ulster Bank League semi-final meeting with holders Cork Constitution.

Munster today named a 27-man squad for Munster's Saturday evening clash with Leinster in Thomond Park (kick-off 7.30pm).

Munster coach Tony McGahan has named young scrumhalf Conor Murray in the starting line-up for tomorrow evening’s game against Cardiff Blues at Cardiff City Stadium, kick-off 7.05pm.

DOWN the line, Munster’s Amlin Challenge Cup game against Brive might be regarded as the next highlight of the season. Except it’s not, and neither is the upcoming ‘battle of Ireland’ with Leinster. At least not for now, according to Tony McGahan.

FELIX JONES, Niall Ronan and Peter O’Mahony all made successful returns to action following injury at Shaws Bridge, Belfast, yesterday as Munster easily disposed of Ulster Ravens in an A Interprovincial.

MUNSTER strengthened their hand at the top of the Magners League with a bonus point win with an inexperienced side at Musgrave Park on Saturday night.

MUNSTER coach Tony McGahan will give youth its fling in tonight’s Magners League clash with Newport Gwent Dragons at Musgrave Park (7.30pm).

Munster coach Tony McGahan has named a youthful side for tomorrow evening’s Magners League clash with Newport Gwent Dragons at Musgrave Park, kick-off 7.30pm.

THE waiting game is always the worst and Denis Hurley is hoping against hope that a scan on an injured right knee will provide good news today.

MUNSTER maintained their stranglehold on top spot in the Magners League with a scrappy victory at the Stadio Luigi Zaffanella yesterday but the win was tainted by the loss of Denis Hurley to a knee injury.

MUNSTER yesterday confirmed the worst-kept secret in Irish rugby by announcing the signing of Ulster tight-head prop BJ Botha.

Munster coach Tony McGahan has named his side for Sunday’s Magners League match away to Aironi at the Stadio Zaffanella, kick-off 2.00pm.

A NECK injury to young centre Tom Gleeson capped a miserable night in the British & Irish Cup for Munster at Bristol.

MUNSTER A coach Anthony Foley hopes an early season home defeat to Llanelli doesn’t come back to haunt his side as they seek to wrap up a place in the semi-finals of the British and Irish Cup against Bristol at the Memorial Ground tonight (7.45pm).

MUNSTER’S Denis Hurley, Johne Murphy, Mick O’Driscoll and Donncha Ryan will rejoin the province after spending the week on international duty for a first ever Magners League assignment in Italy on Sunday.

GARRYOWEN swept Shannon aside in convincing fashion under the Dooradoyle lights last night to climb off the bottom of Division 1A of the Ulster Bank All-Ireland League and in the process gave their ailing season a massive boost.

Munster A 64 Esher 9

MUNSTER A coach Anthony Foley has entrusted the same forwards that battled past Nottingham last week to do a repeat job on Esher in tonight’s British and Irish Cup clash at Garryowen’s Dooradoyle (7.30pm).