GARRYOWEN ended a run of three defeats with victory over an understrength St Mary’s College in Saturday’s AIB All-Ireland Cup at Dooradoyle.

THE pace, skill and opportunism of winger Stephen Kelly and the quality of a pack who used the atrocious conditions to their advantage were crucial factors as Shannon qualified for another AIB League final at Coonagh on Saturday.

THESE two great rivals have a habit of producing the unexpected.

CORK CONSTITUTION coach Brian Walsh won’t find it difficult to motivate his troops before today’s ODM Munster Senior Cup semi-final with old rivals Garryowen at Musgrave Park (2.30pm).

Cork Constitution 12 Garryowen 12

SHANNON and Garryowen look in good shape ahead of the new AIB League season next weekend.

MUNSTER rugby giants, Cork Constitution and Garryowen, bring their provincial rivalry to the national stage in this afternoon’s AIB League final at Musgrave Park (2.30pm).

GARRYOWEN ended a 13 year drought without a national title with this AIB All-Ireland Cup final victory on Saturday.

RARELY has a scoreline offered a more distorted picture of 80 minutes of rugby.

Dolphin 14 Garryowen 34

Garryowen 18 Cork Constitution 13

Garryowen 14 St Mary’s College 23

Garryowen 12 Lansdowne 8

Munster 27, Connacht 27

MUNSTER will unveil latest signing Tom Bowman in tonight’s Celtic League clash with Connacht at Musgrave Park (8pm).

Connacht have made a number of changes from the side which played against Munster on Friday night with Mark McHugh, who goes into hospital on Friday for an operation, ruled out.

Munster 39 Connacht 10

LEICESTER yesterday appointed Pat Howard as their new backs coach – and the former Wallaby has vowed to help the Tigers reclaim the glory days.

Connacht have made a number of changes for their clash with title-chasing Gwent Dragons at the Sportsground on Saturday (2.30 pm).

The Connacht team to play Ulster in the Celtic League on Friday night at Ravenhill (K/O 7.35 pm), in a game which will be televised live by TG4, shows a number of changes from that which started against Harlequins in Sunday¹s Parker Pen Challenge Cup semi-final.

Connacht will be hoping for the perfect send-off for their Parker Pen Challenge Cup semi-final against Harlequins on Sunday week when they take on Neath/Swansea Ospreys in the Celtic league at the Sportsground on Saturday (2.30pm).

The Connacht team to play Llanelli at Stradey Park on Friday night In the Celtic League shows four changes from that which defeated Leinster last time out.

The Connacht team to play Leinster at the Sportsground on Saturday (2.30pm) shows four changes from that which played The Borders at the weekend.

Connacht 28 Glasgow 28

TOP Irish clubs could make a radical challenge to the Irish Rugby Football Union at a meeting in Dublin tomorrow.

Connacht coach Michael Bradley and his assistant John McKee have made eight changes to the side to play Glasgow at the Sportsground on Saturday (ko 2.30pm).

Connacht have been forced to make one change for Saturday's Celtic League clash against Celtic Warriors at the Brewery Field in Bridgend.

Connacht have made seven changes to the side which defeated Narbonne in the Parker Pen Challenge Cup quarter-final for Saturday's Celtic League clash with Celtic Warriors at Bridgend.

Connacht 0 Munster 3

Connacht have received a timely boost ahead of Friday night's Celtic League clash with Munster as a number of key players have been passed fit.

Connacht 11 Beziers 13 (Agg 29-23)

CONNACHT coach Michael Bradley has warned his forwards they must win more possession against Beziers at the Galway Sportsgrounds this afternoon (2pm).

Connacht coach Michael Bradley has warned his charges that the job is only half done as they prepare for their second leg Parker Pen European Challenge Cup tie against Beziers at the Sportsground on Saturday.

Connacht 25 Edinburgh 26

ERIC ELWOOD is back to lead the Connacht challenge for a place in the Celtic Cup final at the Sportsground, Galway, tomorrow (2.p.m.), but there is no place for captain Tim Allnutt.

CONNACHT coach Michael Bradley has been forced to name a 25-strong squad for Saturday’s Celtic Cup semi-final against Edinburgh at the Sportsground in Galway (2pm).

Connacht coach Michael Bradley has named a 25-man squad for Saturday¹s Celtic Cup semi-final showdown against Edinburgh at the Sportsground in Galway (kick-off 2pm).

The Connacht team to play Celtic League leaders Ulster at the Sportsground on Saturday (K/O 2.30pm) shows seven changes from that which overcame Neath-Swansea Ospreys at St Helens at the weekend.

Neath-Swansea Ospreys 22 Connacht 33

THE selection of the Munster team is no longer a straight forward matter. With players in World Cup action and others injured, coach Alan Gaffney said this week his job was never so difficult, and one of his star young players, Denis Leamy, endorsed that view.

GORDON D’Arcy is back in the Leinster fold after injury to help the former Celtic League champions against the Borders this weekend.

A SEASIDE walk on Tuesday ended in disaster for Leinster’s James Norton, when he fell and cracked his hip in Dun Laoire.

The Connacht team to play Leinster in the Celtic League at Donnybrook on Friday night (7.30 pm) shows five changes from that which defeated The Borders at the weekend.

Connacht have made four changes to the side that defeated Llanelli at the weekend for Saturday¹s Celtic League clash against The Borders at the Sportsground (kick-off 2.30 pm).