Fogarty goes under the knife as Munster plan without trio

MUNSTER confirmed a triple injury blow yesterday with Denis Fogarty, Felix Jones and Ian Dowling facing lay-offs after Saturday’s Magners League victory over the Ospreys.

Fogarty is the most serious of the trio with the shoulder damage he sustained on Saturday night ruling him out of the province’s Heineken Cup squad which was finalised yesterday. Garryowen hooker Mike Sherry is the man to benefit from his misfortune.

Fogarty, who underwent surgery yesterday, will be out of action until January while Jones (cruciate ligament) and Dowling (hip) are likely to be out for several weeks at least.

Munster’s Magners League squad of 44 has had to be cut to 38. New Zealand signing, prop forward Peter Borlase is one of those not included.

He is not due in Ireland until the end of next month and, in any event, if required, could be used as an additional player. Young players Paddy Butler, Declan Cusack (injured), Dave Foley, Ian Nagle and Barry Murphy (injured), as well as Borlase and Fogarty were the players culled from the Magners League squad.

Stan Wright has been ruled out of the Leinster squad but Joe Schmidt is hoping for a speedy return to fitness for Kevin McLaughlin.

LEINSTER: S. Berne, I. Boss, L. Cullen, G. D’Arcy, L. Fitzgerald, J. Fogarty, M. Galarza, J. Harris-Wright, C. Healy, J. Heaslip, N. Hines, S. Horgan, S. Jennings, D. Kearney, R. Kearney, S. Keogh, I. Madigan, R. McCormack, F. McFadden, J. McGrath, K. McLaughlin, I. Nacewa, S. O’Brien, E. O’Donoghue, P. O’Donohue, B. O’Driscoll, E. O’Malley, B. Prescott, E. Reddan, M. Ross, R. Ruddock, D. Ryan, J. Sexton, S. Shawe, E. Sheriff, R. Strauss, D. Toner, H. Van Der Merwe.

MUNSTER: S. Archer, D. Barnes, T. Buckley, J. Coughlan, S. Deasy, I. Dowling, W. du Preez, K. Earls, J. Flannery, T. Gleeson, J. Hayes, B. Holland, M. Horan, D. Howlett, Darragh Hurley, Denis. Hurley, F. Jones, D. Leamy, L. Mafi, J. Murphy, D. O’Callaghan, P. O’Connell, T. O’Donnell, M. O’Driscoll, R. O’Gara, T. O’Leary, P. O’Mahony, A. Quinlan, N. Ronan, Dave. Ryan, Donncha Ryan, M. Sherry, P. Stringer, S. Tuitupou D. Varley, D. Wallace, P. Warwick, D. Williams.