Veteran Sheahan fighting fit and relishing Thomond return

HE HAS been there for some of Munster’s greatest triumphs — the away wins at Stade Francais (2002) and Leicester Tigers (2003) or the Gloucester ‘Miracle Match’ (2003) form a neat highlights reel of Frank Sheahan’s career.

But as he edges nearer the 150-appearance mark for his province, the prospect of facing the All Blacks in Thomond Park would be a fitting trailer to a dyed-in-the-wool Red.

That’s he’s playing tonight will delight him having had to endure international exclusion last month. It’s often written that Mick Galwey returned to Shannon upon learning for the umpteenth time that he was dropped by another Ireland selection committee. And although Sheahan hasn’t suffered that level of heartbreak, he found refuge at Camp Munster and worked solidly towards his target of making the side to face the New Zealanders.