Trimble out of Connacht clash as Wallace faces fitness battle

ANDREW TRIMBLE will miss Ulster’s Magners League clash with Connacht at the Sportsground (7pm) on Friday as Paddy Wallace fights for fitness.

Trimble is one of four front-line players not in the equation through injury, as Ulster seek to complete the double over Michael Bradley’s side.

Bryn Cunningham, Paul Steinmetz and Thomas Anderson are also sidelined and Ulster coach Matt Williams won’t make a decision about Wallace until tomorrow at the earliest.

Wallace received yet another bang on the head in the defeat by Cardiff two weeks ago, and had to leave the field in the eighth minute in a groggy state.

This is the fourth occasion the Ireland centre has sustained a head injury this season, and although Williams yesterday named him in a panel of 25, he is unlikely to start.

Ian Whitten may link up with Darren Cave in midfield, with Ian Humphreys earning a likely recall to fly-half. Ed O’Donoghue returns from injury and Rob Dewey is also back in the senior squad for a probable final run before he heads back to Scotland.

Williams was yesterday preaching caution, even though Ulster won the corresponding fixture in Belfast by 40 points five months ago. “We have a lot of respect for Connacht; they’re a good side that plays hard and will be difficult to beat in Galway,” he said.

“We’re anxious, after a really bad start to the campaign, to finish the season on a high, and to guarantee a mid-table placing which would, I figure, be a satisfactory outcome for us.”

It’s a big night for Connacht too – they will be seeking to complete a hat-trick of victories over Irish opposition this season, having already beaten both Leinster and Munster at the Sportsground.

Meanwhile, Munster will today announce a squad for the penultimate game against the Blues in Cardiff on Sunday, a match pushed back because the home side have a midweek fixture with Newport Gwent Dragons tonight.

It’s unlikely that Munster coach Tony McGahan will name many of the side feeling the pain of defeat in last weekend’s Heineken Cup semi-final.

Paul Warwick will most likely start at out-half, with Jeremy Manning on the bench. Mick O’Driscoll is set to skipper the side from the second row, with Freddie Pucciariello, Denis Fogarty, Tony Buckley, Donnacha Ryan, Niall Ronan, James Coughlan and Nick Williams or Denis Leamy set to complete the pack.

Peter Stringer will probably partner Warwick, while the centres look likely to be Barry Murphy and Lifeimi Mafi, with wings Doug Howlett and Ian Dowling as well as Denis Hurley forming the back three.

* AN RFU disciplinary panel last night cleared Bath’s Justin Harrison of making contact with the eyes or eye area of Saracens’ Steve Borthwick after the final whistle of the Guinness Premiership match at the Recreation Ground on April 25.

ULSTER squad (vs Connacht)

Forwards: R Best, B Botha, N Brady, R Caldwell, T Court, R Diack, E O’Donoghue, W Falloon, S Ferris, C Henry, M McCullough, D Pollock, D Roach, B Young.

Backs: I Boss, D Cave, S Danielli, R Dewey, I Humphreys, P Marshall, T Nagusa, N O’Connor, C Schifcofske, P Wallace, I Whitten.