Carney switch to Munster confirmed

BRIAN CARNEY, the Cork-born rugby league star who made his name with Wigan before furthering his career in the 13-man game in Australia, was yesterday confirmed as Munster’s latest acquisition as they head into the closing stages of the Heineken European Cup campaign.

Carney played for Clongowes in his school days but subsequently attached himself to rugby league, a code in which he achieved many honours, most notably a place on the Great Britain Ashes squad.

More recently, he has been operating in Australia with considerable success before coming to his surprise decision to quit the game in mid-January.

However, his services have been coveted by Union teams back home for some time and overtures from Munster have now proved successful.

It remains to be seen how big a role he will be asked to play in the remaining weeks of the current season but, with Anthony Horgan and Shaun Payne on the injured list, he may well find himself involved in some way in the Heineken Cup quarter-final against Llanelli at Stradey Park on March 29.

He is on a two-year contract and may become of interest also to Eddie O’Sullivan, the Irish coach, as he prepares for a summer tour of the Argentine and then leading into the World Cup in France in September.

Two players to sign with Munster yesterday were Donncha Ryan, the Shannon second row, and Denis Fogarty, the Cork Constitution hooker, who has recovered from long-term injury.