McGahan says pressure is on for a home win

THOMOND PARK cannot help but stir memories and while Ospreys at least have a good one to recall, the sight of Paul O’Connell warming up for action tomorrow may well remind the Welshmen of a darker hour in Limerick.

Heineken Cup action returns to Limerick tomorrow (1pm) when Munster will bid to extend their lead atop Pool Three against an Ospreys side buoyed by a 15-11 Magners League win at the stadium last season. That can be easily offset by a 43-9 humiliation by Munster when the Welsh region were dismissed from Europe at the quarter-final stage in 2009. O’Connell got on the scoresheet that day and after nine months out through injury, the Munster captain returns to the European arena.

There are four Munster changes, one of them positional, from the side that defeated Toulon in a barnstorming performance in round two. Johne Murphy switches from inside centre to the wing berth held by Denis Hurley that day as Sam Tuitupou, who was suspended, returns at No.12.