O’Donnell, Manning set for Munster return

MUNSTER have the ideal opportunity to atone for their disappointing performance against the Newport Gwent Dragons when they face the Llanelli Scarlets in a postponed Magners League game at Musgrave Park on Thursday, (7.35pm).

Munster will be without all their Irish squad players but wing-forward Tommy O’Donnell, who was forced out of the game against Dragons through injury, is included in the squad announced yesterday.

Also back in contention is Jeremy Manning who has recovered from a long-term injury and has impressed in recent outings with the A team and his club Cork Constitution.

The team will be finalised tomorrow when coach Tony McGahan will be forced to juggle his resources in the absence of so many first-choice players. Young forwards like Ian Nagle, Billy Holland and Stephen Archer are likely to get game time up front alongside more seasoned campaigners like Mick O’Driscoll, Alan Quinlan and Denis Fogarty, who continues as first-choice hooker in the absence of suspended Jerry Flannery. Paul Warwick will probably move to out-half in place of Ronan O’Gara with Denis Hurley switching to full-back to allow for the return on the left wing of Ian Dowling. All tickets for the original match are still valid.

Meanwhile Isa Nacewa and CJ van der Linde are named in a strong panel which includes Ireland internationals Girvan Dempsey, Trevor Hogan, Shane Horgan, Bernard Jackman, Kevin McLaughlin, Malcolm O’Kelly and Mike Ross for Leinster’s re-fixed clash with Glasgow Warriors on Thursday night (RDS, 7.30pm).

Fergus McFadden, who scored 21 points in the recent away victory over the Cardiff Blues, joins the likes of Paul Ryan and Eoin Sheriff who are both rewarded for showing good form in the British & Irish Cup.

As with Munster, all tickets for the original fixture are valid.

MUNSTER (Squad v Scarlets): C O’Boyle, D Hurley, D Howlett, I Dowling, T Gleeson, J de Villiers, J Manning, S Deasy, P Warwick, D Williams, P Stringer, M Horan, D Ryan, S Archer, J Brugnaut, D Varley, D Fogarty, M O’Driscoll, I Nagle, B Holland, A Quinlan, N Ronan, N Williams, J Coughlan, T O’Donnell.

LEINSTER (Squad v Glasgow Warriors): J Fogarty, T Hogan, B Jackman, S Keogh, R McCormack, K McLaughlin, M O’Kelly, M Ross, P Ryan, E Sheriff, R Strauss, D Toner, CJ van der Linde, S Wright, S Berne, G Dempsey, S Horgan, C Keane, D Kearney, S Keogh, I Madigan, F McFadden, I Nacewa, P O’Donohoe, E O’Malley

CONNACHT (Squad v Dragons): L Bibo; K Campbell, F Carr, G Duffy, A Flavin, J Hagan, I Keatley, R Loughney, K Matthews, M McCarthy, M McComish, R Morris, J Muldoon, G Naoupu, M Nikora, R Ofisa, C O’Loughlin, M Swift, N Ta’auso, B Upton, B Wilkinson, A Wynne.