MUNSTER are hopeful Paul Warwick will be available to take his place at out-half when they begin their defence of the Magners League against Glasgow at Firhill on Friday night, (8pm Setanta Sport).

IF Clontarf win a first AIB League title this season, they cannot be accused of taking the easy route.

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.

RONAN O’GARA has been omitted from the Munster squad for tomorrow night’s top-of-the-table Magners League game against the Ospreys as a precautionary measure.

CORK CONSTITUTION and Old Crescent demonstrated at Clifford Park yesterday that the ODM Munster Senior Cup is still very much alive.

A COUPLE of converted tries in the dying minutes enabled Cork Constitution to come from 19-11 behind with time running out to overtake UL Bohs in an exciting AIB League clash at Annacotty yesterday.

MUNSTER’S desire to win the Magners League will only be partially compromised by the decision to rest captain Paul O’Connell, John Hayes and Doug Howlett for the clash with Ulster at Ravenhill on Saturday.

ALAN QUINLAN is back in the Munster squad for Saturday’s Magners League clash with Cardiff Blues at Musgrave Park (7.30pm).

PAUL O’CONNELL, Alan Quinlan, Tony Buckley and Peter Stringer return to strengthen Munster’s Magners League challenge this weekend, but the search for Ronan O’Gara’s back-up seems set to continue after Jeremy Manning’s announcement that he is to return to New Zealand at the end of the season.

UCD coach Killian Keane conceded AIB League defeat to Constitution long before the finish of this tie at Temple Hill on Saturday, and then boldly predicted that the Cork side would win the title.

SHANNON’S renowned spirit has rarely been seen to greater effect than at Clifford Park yesterday when they overcame a strong Cork Constitution side and the handicap of playing the last 20 minutes with 14 men to advance to the ODM Munster Senior Cup final.

CORK CONSTITUTION’S director of rugby, Paul Derham, makes no apologies for his club’s insistence in successfully seeking a postponement of the ODM Munster Cup semi-final against Shannon.

A BRIDGE too far for Munster to win a third Magners League game in succession against leaders Cardiff Blues, despite their best efforts at Musgrave Park last night.

THERE will be a reunion of sorts for Munster centre Rua Tipoki at Musgrave Park tonight.

DESPITE the inclement weather, a huge crowd turned out for day one of the Ballabuidhe Racing festival yesterday.

IT won’t have pleased Munster that they finished third of the four Irish teams in the Magners League, but there were some positives to take from Saturday’s comprehensive win over bogey side Glasgow Warriors.

DENIS HURLEY makes his home Magners League debut for Munster against Glasgow Warriors at Musgrave Park this evening (5.30pm).

EDINBURGH are boosted by the return of veteran Scott Murray and Munster by Paul O’Connell for the Magners League game at Murrayfield tonight.

OUTGOING Heineken Cup champions Munster are resigned to the fact there will be no silverware in the trophy cabinet this season, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be fired-up for tonight’s Magners League clash against their Cup conquerors, Llanelli Scarlets, at Musgrave Park (7.30).

NEITHER David Wallace nor Denis Leamy will be considered for selection on the Munster team to play the Ospreys in Wales tomorrow night.

MUNSTER second-row forwards Chris Wyatt and Donnacha Ryan are auditioning tonight for a starting place in the Heineken Cup quarter-final against Llanelli.

FORMER Rugby League star Brian Carney looks set to make his Munster debut against Ulster at Ravenhill tomorrow night, but it will be on side shorn of virtually all its international stars.

ALAN QUINLAN’s return will be a major boost for Munster when they take on Border Reivers at Netherdale tonight.

MUNSTER coach Declan Kidney has named a squad of 28 in advance of Sunday’s historic Heineken Cup clash with Bourgoin in Geneva.

“YOU don’t beat Munster twice in the same season,” has long been a mantra of the European champions and it’s one that will be put to a severe test at Thomond Park this afternoon (3pm, Setanta Sports) when Leinster make their first visit in nine years to the famous Limerick venue for an eagerly-awaited Magners League tie.

MUNSTER coach Declan Kidney hasn’t given up on his side winning the Magners League.

WALES lock Ian Gough has dubbed New Zealand “honest cheaters” just four days before the two countries clash at the Millennium Stadium.

Munster 41 Bourgoin 23

MUNSTER hope to head to Welford Road for their first defence of the Heineken Cup with a clean bill of health.

CHRISTIAN CULLEN and Anthony Horgan are definitely ruled out of the early games in Munster’s Heineken Cup campaign, but medical bulletins indicate both should be back in a month.

THE big boys are back for Leinster and Munster — most of them at least.

CHRISTIAN CULLEN may yet manage to see out his extended contract with Munster.

MUNSTER captain Anthony Foley is back at the helm for tonight’s Magners League encounter with Glasgow at Hughenden, 7.30pm.

IT wasn’t pretty but Munster coach Declan Kidney was delighted after his side sneaked to the narrowest of Magners League wins over Border Reivers at Thomond Park on Saturday night.

JOHN KELLY has no fears of leading inexperienced troops into battle against Cardiff Blues at the Arms Park tonight (7.10).

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.

FRANKIE SHEAHAN is delighted to be back in the front row at Musgrave Park tonight (7pm) as Munster take on Leicester Tigers in a pre-season friendly.

FRANKIE SHEAHAN is set to resurrect his representative rugby career in a friendly game against Leicester Tigers at Musgrave Park on Friday night (7pm).

ALAN QUINLAN’S amazing recovery from injury should be complete tonight, when his name is added to the Irish squad for the tour to New Zealand and Australia.

CHRISTIAN CULLEN, ruled out for the Heineken Cup final, may have his contract renewed for another season.

PAUL O’CONNELL looks set to be fit for Munster’s Heineken Cup Final against Biarritz on May 20.

ALAN QUINLAN could return to bolster Munster’s Celtic League bid, a month ahead of his expected return from injury.

CHRISTIAN CULLEN’S injury jinx has struck again and he is out of Munster’s squad for tonight’s Celtic League clash with Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade (7.10pm).