Con injury woes for Shannon game

CORK CONSTITUTION have been hit with injury woes in advance of tomorrow's crucial AIB League clash with Shannon at Temple Hill.

Kevin Coughlan has been ruled out and both captain Jerry Murray and centre Cian Mahony are doubtful starters.

David Pusey, Munster’s back up second row, will almost certainly be unavailable and the odds appear to be against Con overtaking Shannon at the top of the first division.

With Shannon having their free day in the AIL on the last day of the league, they travel to Temple hill with a real chance of finishing their 14 game programme as table toppers.

After beating Buccaneers, Shannon gained the upper hand over their opponents on Saturday and now lead the table by three points.

Constitution are the only team that stand in their way and in a straight two-horse race, the Cork outfit are the only other side who can top the league phase of the AIL.

Shannon will certainly not be focused on mathematical equations tomorrow, and Geoff Moylan's side will be highly motivated to beat Con for the second time this season.

Shannon's third consecutive Munster Senior league win came in mid-December when they came out on top by 21-9, but Moylan has put that result on the back burner.

In one of the few permanent fixtures in the first division, these two greats of Irish rugby have clashed on 15 occasions, and as one would expect from two sides who have half of the AIL titles between them, only a single game separates them, with Shannon edging ahead after last season's 21 -15 victory in Thomond Park.

As it has been for most of the season, Moylan will have to wait until after Munster's outing this evening before he can name his side.

Shannon do have injury worries, with several of their backs assessing their fitness as the week progresses.

The half back pairing of Fiach O'Loughlin and Andrew Thompson have orchestrated a back line that have score 22 tries and it would seem that this partnership will continue.

Tom Cregan is the league's top points scorer and his place on the wing would seem a certainty. Mossy Lalwor's availability is uncertain, but if included, it would add an extra dimension to the back division.

John Lacey will have to wait until the last possible moment to see if he had recovered sufficiently from a hamstring injury which has kept him out of his side's victory against Buccaneers.

After the hard-fought victory over Thomond in the last outing, UL Bohemians face another tough task when they meet Young Munster at Greenfields in a highly important division two game.

The home side need the points to remain clear of the relegation threat, while UL Bohs must win to keep their promotion prospects alive.

Coach Mike Tewkesbury has a number of injury problems. Martin McPhail, try-scorer for Munster in their away victory over Glasgow last Friday, is definitely out with a groin injury, while other star centre Keith Matthews is extremely doubtful with the same problem. Scrum-half Aidan Rees is also receiving treatment, so former UL Bohs star Liam O'Connell has been added to the squad. The coach can also call on Barry Murphy, like McPhail a try-scorer for Munster last Friday, and Breffni O'Donnell, try-scorer for Ireland U-21 in the victory over Scotland at the weekend, so the backline still carries a potent look.

UL Bohs Squad (from): C. Garvey, B. Murphy, C. Finn, K. Matthews, B. O'Donnell, M. Tuohy, P. Treacy, I. Costello, A. Rees, B. Leahy, L. O'Connell, M. Harty, J. Danaher, K. Flanagan, G. Ryan, B. Murphy, B. Madigan, A. Hartigan, R. Hartigan, S. Ryan, A. O'Gorman (captain), J. O'Neill, J. E. O'Connor, P. van Esbeck.

As a mark of respect to the late John McCall, who died as a consequence of heart failure while playing for Ireland in the IRB under 19s championship in Durban, South Africa on Saturday last, the Irish Rugby Football Union requests that a minute’s silence be observed prior to all matches this coming weekend.