Simon Lewis Munster’s injury problems at fly-half look set to be replicated at loosehead prop after Jeremy Loughman joined Dave Kilcoyne on the casualty list during the draw with Racing 92.

It is not just Racing 92 who possess the talents to unlock opposition defences. Not if you are talking to Stephen Larkham at any rate.

Johann van Graan said from the outset that when it comes to European pool campaigns every minute of every game is crucial.

Munster head coach Johann Van Graan stressed the importance of his side’s last-minute try as it secured the province a 32-15 bonus-point win over Ospreys.

Peter O'Mahony praised Munster’s effort in securing a bonus-point victory on the road in Wales but was annoyed by his side’s ill-discipline as the province secured a 32-13 win over Ospreys on Saturday.

Leading 13-6 at half-time, Ireland wings Keith Earls and Andrew Conway put the game beyond Ospreys two tries in four minutes.

This may be a pool of death Munster are facing into as the 25th Heineken Champions Cup campaign gets underway this weekend but the fixture schedule has at least handed Johann van Graan’s side the most palatable of introductions, albeit away, with a trip to off-form Ospreys.

Jack O’Sullivan and Jed Holloway both made their debuts as part of the Munster pack, with the Waratahs import Holloway lining out in the second row alongside captain Billy Holland.

Johann van Graan’s Munster endured a first defeat of the season as Cheetahs doled out another heavy beating in this battle of the conference leaders in Bloemfontein.

Katie Quirke scored 1-7 as Cork were crowned All-Ireland Minor A champions with victory over Monaghan at Bord na Móna O’Connor Park in Tullamore.

Johann van Graan’s glass remained half-full as he argued Munster are still very much in Guinness PRO14 title contention despite defeat to the Scarlets in Llanelli.

Munster head coach Johann van Graan reserved special praise for his young players and the experience of scrum-half Alby Mathewson after his team survived a big scare in Newport.

Munster’s love affair with the B&I Cup came to an end yesterday when they bowed out to arch-rivals Leinster at the quarter-final stage of a competition that will cease to exist after this season.

Leinster A 17 Munster A 6: Munster A were stripped of their B&I Cup title by Irish rivals Leinster A at Energia Park, Donnybrook today in a tight match that was in doubt for much of the 80 minutes.

Munster A duly qualified for the quarter-finals of the B&I Cup with a comprehensive victory over Ospreys at Musgrave Park last night and jumped to the top of Pool 1 as they await the outcome of today’s clash between Bedford Blues and Nottingham.

Saturday’s farewell performance of The Dying Swan will see the curtain fall on Monica Loughman’s career as a dancer, writes Jo Kerrigan. 

It’s 25 years since Alan Foley created Cork City Ballet. Today it’s firmly established in the city’s cultural landscape, writes Ciara McDonnell.

Leo Cullen has played down fears of Johnny Sexton being forced to take an extended break from rugby, with the Leinster head coach suggesting the 31-year-old will be out of action for around three to four weeks.

Glasgow Warriors 12 Leinster 6: Connacht can sleep easily this weekend after Leinster failed to knock the Galway men off their top perch in the Guinness Pro12 last night at Scotstoun with defeat to Glasgow in a match that produced not a single try.

With most of the province’s established stars in the Ireland camp preparing for the Six Nations, a number of younger players are being given a chance to shine in tomorrow’s PRO12 game.

A High Court injunction, obtained by well-known Irish ballet dancer Monica Loughman against her former live-in lover and business partner, is to remain in place until a dispute between them is determined by the court.

Well-known Irish ballet dancer Monica Loughman has secured a temporary High Court injunction aimed at preventing her former partner from terminating her employment or winding up a ballet company in her name.

Ireland 18 Argentina 16: There is something familiar about a kicker from Cork Con having nerves of steel to land a last-gasp winning penalty, but Tomas Quinlan wrote a script all of his own to get Ireland’s World Rugby U20 Championship off to a winning start.

RBS U20 6 Nations

Under 20 RBS 6 Nations

Even with three British Rally Championship titles under his belt, Keith Cronin had not been able to progress his career due to a lack of funding.

Monica Loughman trained as a ballerina in Russia and is directing love story, La Sylphide, at the Cork Opera House.

THERE is nothing more that Jack L likes to do than to turn off his mobile phone and zone out.

ARTS

CORK CITY maintained their strong promotion challenge, thanks to a second-half goal from Shane Duggan which gave them a narrow victory over bottom side Salthill Devon at Turner’s Cross last night.

SIX teachers who claimed they were subjected to bullying and harassment by their school principal yesterday settled a High Court action for damages.

DLS Waterford 4-17Thurles CBS 3-19(after extra-time)

Michael Ellard

A Belfast solicitor claimed he could not give his client advice over his arrest for suspected membership of the IRA because he got “absolutely no disclosure of information” from gardaí at Monaghan, the Special Criminal Court heard today.