Munster bank on fringe players

ON this very day twelve months ago, Munster and Connacht clashed in Athlone in what is now regarded as one of Celtic League’s worst ever games.

A particularly awful post-Christmas day worsened when Munster emerged victorious thanks to a single Ronan O’Gara penalty kick to nil.

The two teams meet again this afternoon at the Galway Sportsground. Munster go into the game tied for the lead at the top of the table with the Neath-Swansea Ospreys, but are without several key men, most notably international half-backs O’Gara and Peter Stringer and first choice centres, Rob Henderson and Mike Mullins. All four have been rested by coach Alan Gaffney, who has also decided to put Frankie Sheahan, Alan Quinlan and Shaun Payne on the reserves bench.