DAVID WALLACE has been around long enough to know that there are no easy matches these days. At the very least, top teams like Munster can expect to receive increasingly difficult physical challenges.

MUNSTER coach Tony McGahan sounded almost like Finance Minister Brian Lenihan when describing the selection of his squad for Sunday’s Heineken Cup clash with Ospreys as his toughest task of the year.

MUNSTER don’t expect a definitive report on the calf injury that forced Jerry Flannery out of last week’s Heineken Cup game against Toulon until later in the week.

THE availability of centre Sam Tuitupou hinges on the outcome of today’s ERC disciplinary meeting in Dublin, but Munster have been boosted by the availability of hooker Jerry Flannery for Saturday’s must-win Heineken Cup clash with Toulon at Thomond Park.

MUNSTER confirmed a triple injury blow yesterday with Denis Fogarty, Felix Jones and Ian Dowling facing lay-offs after Saturday’s Magners League victory over the Ospreys.

IT WAS a throwback to the old days when Munster bullied the opposition up front. At Musgrave Park last night, this was a pretty awesome performance from the twice Heineken Cup-winning club, who found strength in areas their critics would not have believed impossible a couple of months ago.

MUNSTER manager Shaun Payne has backed the province to bounce back from their Heineken Cup elimination in Sunday’s crucial Magners League clash with the Blues at Cardiff City Stadium.

ONE of Munster’s few consolations after their second successive Magners League defeat at their once impregnable Thomond Park fortress is that they rarely play well in the week prior to a crucial Heineken Cup game.

PAUL O’CONNELL and Keith Earls remain major injury concerns for Munster ahead of the Heineken Cup semi-final clash with Biarritz in San Sebastian on May 2nd.

MUNSTER chiefs are confident that Lions pair Paul O’Connell and Keith Earls will be fit for Saturday’s Heineken Cup quarter-final with Northampton Saints.

MUNSTER will pick from close to a full deck for Friday night’s Magners League clash with Leinster at Thomond Park.

DONNCHA O’CALLAGHAN is the only member of the Irish team that started Saturday’s Six Nations defeat to Scotland included in Munster’s squad for Friday’s Magners League game with Glasgow at Thomond Park (8pm).

MUNSTER manager Shaun Payne last night admitted the province face a ‘difficult’ task in finding a replacement for Jean de Villiers due to the looming Rugby World Cup.

THE return of Marcus Horan and Rory Best to international competition at the Recreation Ground, Bath, on Sunday (2pm) is a timely boost to Ireland’s hopes of another successful RBS Six Nations Championship.

MUNSTER have opted to give John Hayes another week off and he will sit out Sunday’s Magners League game against the Scarlets at Musgrave Park. Meanwhile, they are keeping their fingers crossed that Marcus Horan will take a full part in Shannon’s AIB League game against St Mary’s College on Saturday.

RONAN O’GARA is the only one of Munster’s senior internationals included in the squad of 27 announced yesterday ahead of Saturday’s Magners League game against Connacht at Thomond Park (7.30pm).

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).

MUNSTER, who roll out the big guns at Thomond Park tonight, will be led by Paul O’Connell as the champions wrap-up their Magners League programme against the Ospreys (7.45pm).

RORY BEST will lead Ireland’s tour to America as one of five Grand Slam winners included in the 25-man squad.

ALL of Munster’s eight British and Irish Lions stars are likely to be pressed into service as the Heineken Cup champions bid to edge closer to the Magners League crown at Musgrave Park tomorrow night (7.35pm).

ONE hundred Heineken Cup games later, yesterday’s quarter-final victory over the Ospreys at Thomond Park was an historic occasion for European champions Munster.

MUNSTER supporters needn’t worry. As the province trained at the University of Limerick yesterday afternoon for Sunday’s Heineken Cup quarter-final against the Ospreys, Ronan O’Gara, Paul O’Connell and Doug Howlett were missing, but the trio were subsequently included in the 26-man squad.

MUNSTER coach TonyMcGahan wasn’t in the mood to bask in the glory of this Magners League derby victory at Thomond Park on Saturday night.

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.

ANYONE in the crowd of more than 3,000 in Fermoy yesterday expecting fireworks was sorely disappointed.

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

CORK can thank Joe Deane for turning Saturday night’s All-Ireland hurling qualifier game against Dublin at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

THE Cork senior hurling selectors have wielded the axe, making five changes from the side that lost to Tipperary in the Munster championship semi-final for Saturday’s All-Ireland qualifier against Dublin at Páirc Uí Chaoimh (5pm).

Avondhu 2-12 Cork IT 0-17 (aet)

BALLINCOLLIG are back in the hunt for Evening Echo Cork Co Premier IHC glory.

A POINT from a Neil Ronan free three minutes into injury time earned Ballyhea a draw in a thrilling Premier IHC second round tie at Páirc Uí Chaoimh last night.

JOHN KELLY has finally returned to challenge for a place in Munster’s Heineken Cup squad after recovering from a knee injury.

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.

THE Cork senior hurling selectors have named the same starting 15 that took the field against Waterford in last weekend’s thrilling All-Ireland SHC quarter-final at Croke Park for Sunday’s replay at Headquarters.

THERE’S no place for last year’s captain, Pat Mulcahy, after the Cork hurling selectors yesterday trimmed the panel to 30 players.

Cork 0-16, Waterford 2-9

Cork 2-10 CIT 1-11

LIFIEMI MAFI makes his first start for Munster in tomorrow’s Magners League clash with Llanelli Scarlets in Stradey Park (Setanta Sports, 5.35pm).

DENIS HICKIE will make his first competitive start of the season in tonight’s Magners League against Cardiff Blues at Donnybrook.

CARDIFF BLUES are to deny Munster fans the potential for a big Heineken Cup show of strength at the Millennium Stadium.