Darren Sweetnam’s rise from inter-county hurler to professional rugby player reached another milestone yesterday with his call-up to the Ireland U20 squad, but coach Mike Ruddock has warned the Cork tyro has a lot of hard work ahead.

THE silver trophy is in the shape of rugby ball, but, contrary to the instincts of a scrum-half, this was one oval sphere Conor Murray was not keen to let go of.

THE gap at the bottom of AIB Division 1A widened and Garryowen took another step closer to hitting the panic button when they slumped to their fourth defeat of the campaign at Dooradoyle on Saturday.

GARRYOWEN joint coach, Greg Oliver reckons scrum-half Conor Murray possesses all the attributes to don the Munster senior No 9 jersey.

THE JOY and pride that swept through the O’Leary household in Glounthaune, Co Cork shortly after lunch time yesterday when they learned of the selection of Tomás on the Irish team to play the New Zealand All Blacks at Croke Park on Saturday next can be well imagined.