Dempsey, Horgan make squad

ALTHOUGH both players missed last week’s game against Italy, Girvan Dempsey and Shane Horgan have been included in a 24-strong panel from which the Irish team to play France next Saturday will be finalised on Tuesday.

Neither Dempsey nor Horgan figure among the list of players made available for their clubs’ AIB League matches this afternoon. Marcus Horan and Alan Quinlan will line out for Shannon against Blackrock College at Stradbrook with Leo Cullen in the opposing line-up; Ronan O’Gara and Frankie Sheahan play their first matches of the season for Cork Constitution against UL Bohs at Thomond Park; Rob Henderson lines out for Young Munster in the Division 2 tie with Old Belvedere while across channel Guy Easterby and Paul Burke will be in action for Llanelli and Harlequins respectively.

On the other hand, Dempsey won’t play for Terenure against Belfast Harlequins nor will Shane Horgan appear for Lansdowne against Garryowen. It appears that Eddie O’Sullivan is prepared to consider both players against France in spite of their recent inactivity. A couple of vacancies have been left among the backs for the A game at Ravenhill on Friday night and these could conceivably be filled by those rated surplus to requirement for the full Irish side.

O’Sullivan and his backroom team will closely monitor developments over the week-end before finalising the side on Tuesday.

All going well, one assumes that Shane Horgan and any one of Girvan Dempsey, Rob Henderson and John Kelly will drop out of the 24 strong panel named yesterday. Team manager Brian O’Brien revealed last night that Dempsey’s groin injury has been responding to treatment and the signals are that he will be recalled if that progress is maintained. That would leave Horgan, Murphy and Kelly in a straight battle for the number 14 jersey. Should Dempsey miss out, then Murphy will be at full-back with Kelly a good bet to retain his place ahead of Horgan on the right wing.

There is a certain irony for the clubs that their AIL activity should now be coming to the aid of the Irish management after so many key players had been rendered unavailable for most of the season so far. It is good, after all, that the clubs are still seen to have some role to play in the scheme of things.

Clontarf owe their eight point lead at the top of the table to the fact that they can field a settled side every week with little or no calls on their players by the national or provincial set-ups. They can finally clinch a guaranteed top four finish by disposing of lowly Co Carlow today when Lansdowne will hope to maintain their challenge against Garryowen at Dooradoyle.

Third placed Ballymena, who have a game against Cork Constitution in hand, are a point behind Lansdowne and face a tricky home assignment against Galwegians.

There’s also a Connacht-Ulster clash at Athlone between Buccaneers, currently in fourth spot with 31 pts, and Dungannon. Match of the day, though, could be that at Stradbrook between Blackrock, 5th with 29 pts., Shannon, who have 27 pts but have by no means given up hope of retaining the title.

The situation at the other end of the table is fraught with anxiety for at least four sides. Terenure College, with a miserable six points to their credit, are almost certain goners if they lose at home to Harlequins. UL/Bohemians (13 pts) would be delighted to take something from the visit of Cork Constitution to Thomond Park but few would fancy the chances of Co Carlow (14 pts) against Clontarf, even at Oak Park. UCD (16 pts) take on St Marys (27 pts), who still have a chance of reaching the knock-out stages, at Belfield.