Quinlan’s quick return to Munster squad

LESS than 24 hours after returning from the Rugby World Cup, Alan Quinlan has been drafted into Munster’s 25-man squad for Friday’s Magners League tie with Cardiff Blues at Musgrave Park.

The Tipperary man was excluded from all four match-day 22-man squads in France, but is included here by coach Declan Kidney to bolster Munster’s forward unit and provide back-up to academy players, Mark Melbourne (second row) and Tommy O’Donnell (back row).

Frankie Sheahan is also included as back-up hooker to Denis Fogarty and another academy recruit Sean Cronin. Brian Carney, who like Quinlan watched all four of Ireland’s pool games from the stands, is not included, but a Munster spokesman said last night that the need at the moment is for forwards rather than backs.

He said: “When you have two experienced players like Alan and Frankie back, their need was identified because of the number of young academy players we have in the forwards.”

Also included is Tony Buckley who had been selected to face the Dragons last weekend but withdrew and flew out to join the Irish squad in France on foot of the injury to Simon Best.

The remainder of Munster’s Ireland contingent will enjoy a 14-day rest period following a horror World Cup campaign before reporting back to provincial duty.

A Magners League tie away to Glasgow Warriors in Firhill on Friday, October 26 is when the likes of Paul O’Connell and Ronan O’Gara will return to Munster colours for the first time this season.

That game will mark the countdown to the Heineken Cup, which kicks off on the weekend beginning November 9.

Perhaps O’Connell and O’Gara will not want to hear the words ‘pool of death’ again following a forgettable three and half weeks in France when they were well beaten by les bleus and Argentina and dumped out after the pool stages.

Munster are lumped into another group of sharks for this season’s Heineken Cup alongside Wasps, Llanelli Scarlets and Clermont Auvergne.

2006 champions Munster face current holders Wasps in their opening pool five fixture at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry on November 10.

Munster Squad (25): Backs - S Payne; I Dowling, K Lewis, L Mafi, R Tipoki, A Horgan, P Warwick, J Manning, T O'Leary, G Hurley.

Forwards - Darragh Hurley, T Ryan, T Buckley, D Fogarty, S Cronin, F Sheahan, F Pucciariello, M Melbourne, M O'Driscoll, B Holland, N Ronan, T O'Donnell, J Coughlan, A Quinlan, A Foley (capt).