Munster Rugby led the tributes last night to their former media manager Pat Geraghty, who has passed away following a long illness.

Munster's former media manager, Pat Geraghty, has passed away.

Last Saturday afternoon, I had occasion to go into a pub in the afternoon with somebody, and that person summed up my feelings in one sentence when the blare from the televisions hit us.

Whether he intended to or not, Anthony Foley publicly kick-started the great Munster coaching succession race yesterday as the province confirmed the departure of present incumbent Tony McGahan at the end of this season.

DENIS LEAMY is a doubtful starter for Munster’s return to RaboDirect Pro12 action this weekend when the province faces Edinburgh at Thomond Park on Saturday night (8.30pm).

SOME of Ireland’s top rugby stars wore black arm bands yesterday as they completed the Irish stage of the cross-channel fundraising cycle for Munster’s former fitness coach Paul Darbyshire, who died on Monday after a long battle with motor neurone disease.

MUNSTER’S walking wounded are all expected to be fit for Sunday’s must-win Heineken Cup tie in Toulon.

MUNSTER officials confirmed last night that they’re investigating alternative routes to San Sebastian for the Heineken Cup semi-final against Biarritz in the event of planes still being grounded by the Icelandic volcano.

THE weather continues to cause havoc with sporting fixtures in Ireland and England.

A WAR of words has erupted between Munster and London Irish over the future of fly-half Paul Warwick.

Munster have issued a hands-off warning to Guinness Premiership club London Irish, who have claimed to have signed Paul Warwick on a three-year deal starting in the summer.

For the last eight years Pat Geraghty has been a fly on the wall of the Munster dressing-room as the province’s communications officer. He and Michael Moynihan had a frank exchange of views, but no singing...

IT was wet, windy and miserable in Cork yesterday but the Munster squad, preparing for Saturday’s win or bust Heineken Cup clash with Llanelli Scarlets at Stradey Park, weren’t spared by coach Declan Kidney.

MUSGRAVE PARK in Cork is the only Irish venue being considered by Munster rugby bosses for a potential ‘home’ quarter-final in the Heineken Cup.

Munster rugby chiefs have vowed to launch a stout defence of back row forward Alan Quinlan, who appears before a Heineken Cup citing commission in Dublin this evening.

MUNSTER coach Declan Kidney will name his team to play their final Celtic League game of the season against the Cardiff Blues at lunchtime today, but may have to do without two international greats.

MUNSTER was awash in a sea of red yesterday as rugby fever gripped the province in preparation for tomorrow’s Heineken Cup semi -final clash against Leinster.

RUGBY fans are bidding sky high prices online for match tickets for this weekend’s Heineken Cup clash between Munster and Leinster.

MUNSTER rugby players crash-tackled a Limerick radio station over a song poking fun at their Heineken Cup opponents, Leinster.

Munster will get 20,000 tickets for the Heineken Cup semi-final with Leinster.

A DAY of mixed emotions for Eddie O’Sullivan and bitter ones for Munster.

The hunt was on today for two vandals who destroyed the playing surface of one of the world’s most famous rugby grounds, Thomond Park in Limerick, where Munster conquered the mighty All Blacks.

Munster have denied reports that coach Alan Gaffney had applied for a coaching position at a Super 12 side in Australia.

IT'S a weekend of giving on the sporting scene in Ireland.

TOYOTA have emerged as one of the front runners to become the new sponsors of the Munster rugby team following the withdrawal of O2 and current sponsors Bank of Ireland from negotiations with the Munster Branch.

IT WAS open day for the Munster rugby fans in Musgrave Park yesterday, and by 3.30pm it seemed like every kid in Cork had packed into the ground.

KEITH WOOD is expected to play for Munster for the first time in over two years when they take on Rotherham in a friendly at Thomond Park on Friday night next (7pm).

PERPIGNAN’S Mick O’Driscoll may face an early reunion with his exformer Munster colleagues in the Heineken Cup.

Munster have confirmed that Australia and Queensland Reds full-back Chris Latham has turned down a move to the side and he will now stay in Brisbane.

GETTING to Munster’s European Cup semi-final against Toulouse will be harder than getting a ticket, according to the IRFU’s Munster branch.

MUNSTER coach Alan Gaffney will have a full panel, apart from long-term injury personnel, to select from as he ponders the team to open this season’s Heineken Cup campaign against Gloucester on Saturday evening.

Munster's disastrous close season deteriorated even further as an MRBI scan confirmed that left wing Anthony Horgan will be out for the best part of six months with a shoulder injury.