Dempsey is confident he’ll face Swansea

LEINSTER full-back Girvan Dempsey is confident he can overcome injury to play in his side’s Heineken Cup tie against Swansea at Donnybrook on Friday night.

The Ireland international is one of three doubts clouding Leinster coach Matt Williams' team selection, having suffered a groin injury during last Friday night's friendly against Connacht in Athlone. Wing Denis Hickie and front row Emmet Byrne are the others. Of Dempsey, a Leinster spokesman said: "We initially thought it was a hip injury, but it's actually a problem in the groin. He tweaked a groin muscle going up for a high ball just after the interval on Friday night in Athlone. Shortly afterwards he and Shane Horgan were two on two and Shane chipped the ball on and if Girvan had gone full belt he said it would have gone. So he stopped in his tracks and came off, which was a good call, I suppose. I spoke to him today as he was on the physio's table and he's very confident that he'll be okay."

Leinster's flying winger Hickie sat out last Friday's victory over the westerners as a precaution having picked up an ankle strain in Lanzarote during Ireland's pre-Christmas training camp while prop Emmet Byrne also missed the 25-3 win due to a bout of gastroenteritis. But the spokesman last night said: "Denis should be okay and Emmet was back training today so we're hopeful that we'll be at fairly full strength." Meanwhile, Munster coach Alan Gaffney fears a former student could wreck his plans for a Heineken Cup quarter final place as he prepares for the meeting with Perpignan.