Hurley out of Dragons clash

DENIS HURLEY has been ruled out of the Munster team to play the Newport Dragons in Saturday night’s Magners League game at Musgrave Park although the seriousness of the knee injury he sustained against Aironi on Sunday has yet to be diagnosed.

The Munster party stretched their lead at the top of the Magners table to nine points in spite of a distinctly patchy performance against a team still seeking their first win in the competition.

The versatile Hurley has become an increasingly important player for Munster because of his capacity to figure in either wing position as well as full-back.

Yesterday’s statement by Munster indicated that it would be this morning at the earliest before the extent of the damage to Hurley’s knee is ascertained.

Although another wing, Ian Dowling, remains a long term injury victim and there is no sign as to when Barry Murphy will be available, the picture is brightened considerably in that Felix Jones should be fit to resume within the next couple of weeks.

Dubliner Jones arrived in Munster with a reputation as a wing or full-back of considerable promise but a serious neck injury suffered at the beginning of last season and an equally troublesome knock to his knee have restricted his appearances to a mere handful.

Munster currently top the table with 58 points with six matches still to play. Ospreys are currently in 2nd place on 49 points with Leinster (47), Scarlets (46) and Blues (45) hot on their heels while Ulster (43 with a game in hand) still in contention for one of the four spots in the knock-out stages.