Gaffney offers Murphy big chance to impress

MUNSTER coach, Alan Gaffney has handed Frank Murphy his first start for Friday night’s Celtic League clash with Ulster at Musgrave Park (7pm).

The UCC scrum-half has a wonderful opportunity to become Peter Stringer’s deputy for the Heineken Cup quarter-final clash against Biarritz and will make up a new half-back pairing with Ireland A international Paul Burke.

Murphy was added to the Heineken Cup squad for the knock-out stages, but Samoan, Brian Lima was not considered for Friday’s game due to his commitments in the Hong Kong Sevens tournament.

Alan Quinlan teams up with David Wallace in the back-row alongside Jim Williams, who will win his 72nd cap.

The Celtic League could be decided this weekend. Should the Neath-Swansea Ospreys win and Munster fail to get a point, then the Ospreys will be crowned champions. However, if Munster can keep their unbeaten home record this season alive, then the title fight will go on.

MUNSTER: S Payne; J Kelly, M Mullins, R Henderson, A Horgan; P Burke, F Murphy; F Roche, J Flannery, G McIlwham; T Hogan, T Bowman; A Quinlan, D Wallace, J Williams (c).

Replacements: J Blaney, E McGovern, T Hayes, S Keogh, M Prendergast, J Holland, P Devlin.