COACH Michael Cheika faces an anxious injury wait as he prepares Leinster for what could be his last game in charge before departing to France next season.

BRIAN O’DRISCOLL is battling to be fit for Leinster’s assault on another Heineken Cup title when they meet Clermont Auvergne in the quarter-final on April 9.

JONATHAN SEXTON and Shane Jennings are hoping for a dramatic improvement in weather conditions to allow tomorrow night’s Magners League clash against Glasgow Warriors at the RDS (8pm) to go ahead.

JAMES COUGHLAN is intent on helping Munster A enhance an unbeaten seasonal record when he captains the team in the opening clash of the new British and Irish Cup against English championship side Coventry at Butts Stadium, Coventry, tonight (7.45pm)

THREE points in the second period of extra time by Conor Lehane gave Midleton a thrilling victory over neighbours Carrigtwohill in a gripping Evening Echo SHC relegation semi-final replay at Castlemartyr last night.

LEINSTER coach Michael Cheika is a straight-talking Aussie who would evidently lose it if he suspected even a scintilla of complacency in the camp ahead of Saturday’s final of the Heineken Cup at Murrayfield.

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

THE disappointment of defeat at the Galway Sportsground earlier in the season was enough in itself for Leinster’s head coach Michael Cheika to vow the return fixture at the RDS on Friday would be a revenge mission.

THERE are reasons to believe that Castres might offer limited opposition in Friday’s return Heineken Cup clash at Stade Pierre-Antoine, but don’t say that within earshot of Leinster coach Michael Cheika.

THE BONFIRES were ablaze in Puckane last night as Kildangan celebrated its first North Tipperary senior hurling title since 1943, its third in all, a victory made all the sweeter in that it was achieved in the most unlikely of circumstances over neighbours and fierce rivals, Burgess.

Carrigtwohill 1-12 St Catherine’s 1-10

BALLINHASSIG maintained their senior hurling status as they had four points to spare over Carrigtwohill at Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday.

LEINSTER coach Michael Cheika was delighted with a crucial Magners League victory to keep his side top of the table, but perturbed at a flawed first quarter at the RDS on Saturday night.

LEINSTER coach Michael Cheika has a guilt complex about playing Shane Jennings at number six rather than open side flanker following the latter’s exclusion from Ireland’s Six Nations squad.

THE Leinster squad to face Edinburgh in the opening game of the Magners League season in the RDS on Saturday (5.30pm) has been named.

Michael Cheika has included new signings Juan Francisco Gomez, Chris Keane and Stephen Knoop in the Leinster squad to play Edinburgh in the opening game of the Magners League season in the RDS on Saturday.

STEPHEN KEOGH is battling to be fit for Saturday’s Heineken Cup quarter-final against London Wasps in Adams Park (5.45pm, Sky Sports).

LEINSTER coach Michael Cheika expressed relief after Saturday’s Magners League derby victory and acknowledged his side must improve drastically if they are to overcome Wasps in the Heineken Cup next weekend.

LEO CULLEN wants to make a meaningful return to international rugby after being named as replacement captain in Ireland A’s game against England Saxons at Ravenhill tonight (7.45pm).

THE padlocks on the gates of Lansdowne Road dictate that a ‘home’ Heineken Cup quarter-final draw is beyond their control but Leinster are adamant that their final Pool 2 game at Kingsholm next Friday is anything but a dead rubber.

“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.

THE strength in depth of Irish rugby will be put to the test at Thomond Park tonight (7.30) when Michael Bradley’s Ireland A squad go into action against Australia A.

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

Oulart-The-Ballagh 2-19 Monageer-Boolavogue 0-11

GUY EASTERBY will make an emotional return to Llanelli Scarlets at Stradey Park today (5.30pm), but faces a battering from his brother Simon.

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

IRELAND A coach Michael Bradley has made six changes to the Ireland A team to take on England Saxons in the Churchill Cup Plate final tomorrow at the Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Canada.

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.

Munster 36 Edinburgh 15

TOMÁS O'LEARY has been ruled out of the Munster team for tonight's Celtic League clash with Edinburgh Gunners at Thomond Park.

MICK O’DRISCOLL has put family tragedy behind him to answer Munster’s call in today’s Celtic League fixture against Llanelli at Stradey Park (5.30pm).

A MUNSTER team hell bent on making amends for one of their worst performances in the last ten years can be expected to retain their position as Celtic League leaders after this afternoon’s (3.30, Setanta Sports) clash with Glasgow Warriors at Thomond Park.

IRELAND A internationals Tomas O’Leary, Barry Murphy and Mick O’Driscoll, along with Anthony Foley and Donncha O’Callaghan, are all included in the Munster squad for Saturday’s Celtic League clash with Glasgow at Thomond Park (3.30pm).

MUNSTER coach Declan Kidney has applied for three new player licences for his Celtic League squad ahead of tomorrow’s clash with Newport Gwent Dragons at Musgrave Park (5.15pm).

WITH the exception of reserve Jeremy Manning, ruled out by a broken arm, and long-term injury victims Frankie Sheahan, Alan Quinlan and Mike Mullins, Munster expect to be at full-strength for tomorrow’s Heineken Cup clash against Sale Sharks at Thomond Park.

ANTHONY FOLEY is a veteran of 71 Heineken European Cup matches with Munster, he has scored a record 21 tries and enjoyed some of his happiest moments, as well as some of the most difficult, away to top French sides.

SHANNON pair Stephen Keogh and Ian Dowling are poised to come into Munster’s starting line-up for tomorrow night’s Celtic League clash with Edinburgh Gunners at Murrayfield (7.30, Setanta Sports).

MUNSTER’S preparations for tomorrow’s (1pm) Celtic League clash with Leinster at the RDS in Dublin have been disrupted by the death of coach Declan Kidney’s mother, Eileen, but they have still announced a 25-strong squad from which the starting side and seven replacements will be finalised today.

PAUL O’CONNELL makes his long awaited return when he leads Munster against Connacht in the Celtic League at Thomond Park this evening, kick-off 7.35pm.

Shannon 17 Cork Constitution 20

AFTER a six-week absence, Munster’s Shaun Payne may be set to return for Saturday’s Heineken Cup tie against the Newport Gwent Dragons at Thomond Park.

JEREMY Manning, Munster’s highly promising New Zealander, is handed an opportunity of establishing himself as a regular in the side with his selection at full-back for tonight’s (7.10pm) eagerly awaited Celtic League clash with Ulster at Musgrave Park.