Dave O’Callaghan making most of Munster opportunity

Dave O’Callaghan may no longer be the new kid on the Munster block but after a career in and out of the treatment room, the versatile forward has all the energy and enthusiasm of a player fresh out of the academy.

Given the amount of time O’Callaghan’s spent on the treatment table the past few seasons, it is easy to forget he made his senior debut for the province as long ago as October 2011, saw his first European action four years ago in January and finished that campaign the Munster Academy player of the year.

The Dolphin clubman, from Youghal, will turn 26 this New Year but it took until last weekend for O’Callaghan to notch his 50th Munster cap. Yet now he is injury-free having overcome his latest setback, a torn medial cruciate ligament in his left knee suffered last May, the back-rower has wasted little time making the impact many within the provincial camp have long believed he had the capability to achieve.