Munster buoyed by return to action of Kelly and Halstead

MUNSTER have been given a huge boost with the news that John Kelly and Trevor Halstead have been restored to full fitness.

Accordingly, both are named in the team to take on Cardiff Blues in the Magners League clash at Musgrave Park tonight (7.40). Kelly has been appointed captain.

Munster coach Declan Kidney has made four changes from the side that started against Border Reivers a fortnight ago.

Three of the changes come from the return of Halstead, John O’Sullivan and Kelly, who has recovered from a rib cartilage injury sustained in Munster’s Heineken Cup defeat by Leicester Tigers six weeks ago.

Eoghan Hickey is the fourth change, getting to start at out-half in place of Jeremy Manning.

Hickey was particularly impressive when he came on as a 46th-minute replacement for Manning in that win over Borders. He landed three superb conversions, threw a beautiful cut-out pass that put Jerry Flannery in for a try and executed several long range touch finds.

Flannery is missing from the match day 22 after he picked up a slight leg strain at training in Limerick on Wednesday. His absence brings Denis Fogarty onto the bench for the first time this season following a shoulder operation.

Halstead’s return means Lifeimi Mafi slips to the bench while Ian Dowling makes way for Kelly, who will captain Munster for the fourth time this season, having led them in a friendly against Leicester and two Magners League clashes against Cardiff and Borders.

He well recalls that first clash with the Blues early in the season when Munster conceded late scores to lose the game.

That match marked a debut for prop Darragh Hurley, who made a huge impression.

Kelly believes this semi-second-string Munster team will be better prepared tonight.

“The young guys in the squad have built up a lot of experience in the last few months; they’re better players for the experiences they have had. This is a stronger team than the one that lined out against Cardiff earlier on,” he said.

“We have Christian Cullen, Trevor Halstead, Barry Murphy and Mick O’Driscoll back in action and the younger guys have become better players.”

Kelly hopes to lead Munster in a push up the table from seventh position.

Cardiff are fifth but just two points ahead of the Irish side, who could, depending on their own and other results, move into the top four from an amazingly low position just a few short weeks ago.

The captain is determined to put Munster in a challenging position, even if the title looks well beyond them — leaders Leinster are 15 points ahead.

It promises to be an exciting occasion on Munster’s return to Cork after several weeks.

The game has attracted huge interest. Ticket sales ceased from mid-afternoon yesterday. That means the game will be an 8,000-plus sellout.

But Kelly doesn’t believe that the huge local support guarantees victory. “Some of the guys coming back will be on a high and anxious to prove themselves, but Cardiff have been steadily improving and pushed us very close in two Heineken Cup encounters. It won’t be easy and we will have to be at our best to grind out a win.”

MUNSTER: C Cullen; S Payne, B Murphy, T Halstead, J Kelly capt; E Hickey, T O’Leary; D Hurley, F Sheahan, F Pucciariello; C Wyatt, M O’Driscoll; A Quinlan, T McGann, J O’Sullivan.

Replacements: T Buckley, D Fogarty, D Ryan, M Melbourne, B O’Meara, J Manning, J O’Sullivan.

CARDIFF BLUES: B Blair; T James, J Robinson, M Stcherbina, C Czekaj; N Robinson, M Phillips; T Filise, R Thomas, G Powell, D Jones, R Sidoli, S Morgan, X Rush (capt), R Shellard.

Replacements: S Roberts, G Williams, B White, M Lewis, W Evans, M Luveitasau, N Macleod.