Criticism has been an all too regular companion for Conor O’Shea over the last two months.

Munster full back Felix Jones is keeping fingers and toes crossed in the hope that his astonishing run of injury woes are at an end.

The parlous state of Munster Rugby’s finances continues.

Keith Earls has reclaimed his place in the starting line-up for Munster’s Heineken Cup semi-final in Montpel0lier against Clermont Auvergne.

James Downey saw Sunday’s Heineken Cup clash at the Stoop as the mother and father of all physical battles and had the scars to prove it when Munster gathered yesterday to run off the pain at the University of Limerick.

Doug Howlett says it’s crucial that Munster put to bed the dismal Rabo Direct Pro 12 loss to Glasgow last weekend.

Munster coach Rob Penney yesterday declared that no coaching could compensate for some of the mistakes made by his charges in the build up to Sunday’s Heineken Cup quarter-final clash with Harlequins at the Stoop.

THE problem for Ugo Monye is that his career-defining moment has already been and gone.

Glasgow 51 Munster 24

James Downey will be back on a ground he knows better than most of his teammates when Munster tackle Harlequins in a mammoth Heineken Cup quarter-final at the Stoop on Sunday week.

Declan’s Kidney hopes of remaining Ireland coach suffered another devastating blow yesterday as the national slide slumped to their lowest ever position in the IRB World Rankings.

Harlequins 47 Connacht 8

With Dan Parks unavailable through injury Eric Elwood has selected 22-year-old Matthew Jarvis at flyhalf for Saturday's Heineken Cup round 5 game against Harlequins at the Stoop (1.35pm).

THERE are many reasons why the entire country will be shouting for Connacht at the Sportsgrounds tomorrow night; one being that minnows generally get the nod from the real neutral fans of sport.

Connacht Rugby have released a 26-man squad ahead of their first ever Heineken Cup clash away to Harlequins in the Stoop on Friday Night (8pm).

HEINEKEN CUP: Connacht have named a 26-man squad for their first Heineken Cup game — away to Harlequins at The Stoop tomorrow (8pm).

CONNACHT director of rugby Eric Elwood says his players are under no illusions about the size of the task ahead of them as they make their Heineken Cup debuts this weekend in London.

AT LONG last, Ireland is getting to grips with gastro pubs.

Connacht coach Eric Elwood has named his side to face Harlequins for Sunday’s Amlin Challenge Cup game at the Stoop in London. (kick-off 5.45pm)

HISTORY-MAKER Craig Gilroy, the first person to score a try at the new Aviva Stadium, gets a chance to put down a marker for Ulster when he faces London Harlequins at the Stoop tomorrow in the second of three pre-season friendlies.

THE LARGE number of people planning to travel to London to support Ireland in their Six Nations clash with England at Twickenham on Saturday, February 27 have an additional treat in store.

ALAIN ROLLAND will become just the second referee to take charge of 50 Heineken Cup matches when he oversees next month’s round two clash between Harlequins and Toulouse at The Stoop.

Connacht will kick-start their three-matche pre-season friendlies against Guinness Premiership club Harlequins at The Stoop on Friday, August 14.

Irishmen James Downey and Neil Best will start for Northampton Saints against Bourgoin in the European Challenge Cup final at the Stoop on Friday evening.

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.

FIRST off, fair play to Harlequins for shunning the extra few quid they would have made by taking this one down the road to Twickenham and staying put at the Stoop, population 12,638.

ENGLISHMAN Wayne Barnes will referee a Heineken Cup match involving Munster for the fourth time when the defending champions take on Welsh side Ospreys at Thomond Park on Easter Sunday next, April 12.

GUINNESS Premiership club Harlequins will help Munster in their build-up to the much awaited 30th anniversary clash with the All Blacks at Thomond Park on November 18.

Connacht have announced their side to take on Harlequins in the European Challenge Cup at the Stoop on Saturday.

Coach Michael Bradley has announced a 22-man squad ahead of Connacht's European Challenge Cup match with NEC Harlequins on Saturday at the Stoop, kick-off at 2.15pm

The 2007 Heineken Cup final will be staged at Twickenham, it was announced today.

SO, the party is over, the Connacht dream of Parker Pen Challenge Cup glory ended, with it the concurrent dream that would have come as reward, a place in next year’s Heineken Cup.

Harlequins boss Mark Evans expects a fierce challenge from Connacht tomorrow when the London club target their second European final appearance in four seasons.

LIFE can be difficult enough for any young Irish emigrant, what with trying to adapt to a new environment, new culture, new friends. Even for the most adventurous there will always be the tug of home, the yearning for the familiar, for old faces, old friends.

SPORTS fans in Galway are spoiled for choice this weekend.

NEC Harlequins have gone with Irish international Paul Burke, Roy Winters and George Harder as their three changes from the Zurich Premiership draw with London Irish to play Connacht in the first leg of the Parker Pen Challenge Cup semi-final at the Stoop on Sunday.

Barry Coughlan

Leicester’s Premiership play-off hopes remained on track at The Stoop after the Tigers headed into the break with a narrow lead over Harlequins.