Munster 36 Ulster 8

To those who argue that game time is the primary requirement for the country’s up-and-coming props, meet your poster boy.

Ballymena 6 Garrowen 24

Clontarf 47 Garryowen 18

Garryowen 22 Old Belvedere 23

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.

Garryowen 20 Shannon 20

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.

Shannon 17 Garryown 29

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.

Young Munster 21 Garryowen 15, Tom Clifford Park

Garryowen 38 Lansdowne 11

Willie Staunton has made his name as Young Munster’s match-winner on numerous occasions in the Ulster Bank League this season, and he was at it again on Saturday, steering his side to a 9-7 win over Cork Constitution.

St Mary's College 13 Garryowen 12, Templeville Road

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.

Garryowen 19 Dolphin 13, Dooradoyle

All those who were rested as part of the national player welfare policy, for the Christmas/New Year local derbies against Connacht and Ulster have all been named in Munster's extended squad for the visit of Benetton Treviso to Limerick on Saturday.

MUNSTER will ring the changes for tonight’s clash with Ulster, with only skipper Mick O’Driscoll, fly-half Ian Keatley and right-wing Luke O’Dea remaining from the side which defeated Connacht.

Just three of those who started against Connacht last weekend remain in the Munster side for the trip to Belfast and the RaboDirect PRO12 encounter with Ulster in Ravenhill tomorrow evening (6.45pm).

Garryowen 20 Blackrock College 13

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

Ulster Bank League Division 1A: Dolphin 9 Garryowen 14

CORK CONSTITUTION 9 GARRYOWEN 13

GARRYOWEN gained vengeance for last year’s final defeat as they beat Bruff 19-9 in a keenly contested ODM Financial Munster Senior Cup decider at Thomond Park last night.

HOLDERS Bruff take on Garryowen in the final of the ODM Munster Senior Cup at Thomond Park tonight, kick-off 7.30pm.

Garryowen 6 Clontarf 9

Old Belvedere 25 Garryowen 30

GARRYOWEN 9 ST. MARY’S COLLEGE 13

HURLING yourself off a ledge on the side of a mountain makes for an exhilarating descent, as long as you’re attached to a bungee cord, but for a young scrum-half thrown into a World Cup campaign, the ascents tend to be just as thrilling.

Tomas O’Leary and John Hayes will have to settle for a place on the substitute’s bench for Munster’s opening RaboDirectPRO12 match against the Newport Gwent Dragons at Musgrave Park on Saturday night.

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.

IRISH squad member Mike McCarthy returns to Connacht for today’s final pre-season fixture with English premiership side Saracens in London (6.45pm).

CONOR MURRAY’S reaction to his inclusion in Ireland’s Rugby World Cup squad surprised many, not least his housemates.

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

La Rochelle 19 Munster 14

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).

With several players unavailable due to international commitment, Munster coach Tony McGahan has picked a youthful Munster side to play La Rochelle in the Stade Marcel Deflandre tonight.

MUNSTER’S backroom reshuffle for next season continued yesterday with the appointment of Ian Costello as both skills and A team coach.

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.

JEAN DE VILLIERS is interested in returning to Munster after this year’s World Cup.

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.

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.

Young Munster 23 Garryowen 18