Quinlan faces D-Day

Alan Quinlan will know in the middle of next week whether he can play in Munster’s remaining Heineken Cup Pool 4 games against Bourgoin and Leicester in January.

His appeal against the six-week suspension arising from a citing in the last European game against Cardiff will be heard in Dublin on Wednesday.

Munster are hoping for a reduction in the ban for stamping and help ease the champions’ back-row problems ahead of the make-or-break qualification games.

Quinlan, who admitted the offence, is suspended until the end of January and is due to miss tomorrow’s Magners League game against Connacht in Galway and the tie against the Dragons in Wales on Friday next as well as the two Heineken Cup games, having sat out the win over Leinster on Wednesday, too.

Munster's difficulties are compounded by a shoulder injury to last season’s victorious captain Anthony Foley, who hasn’t played since the opening group game in Leicester in October.

Quinlan’s fate will be handled by an independent appeal committee, chaired by Rod McKenzie of Scotland and consisting of English pair, Matthew Lohn and Robert Horner.

Meanwhile, coach Declan Kidney has added Christian Cullen, prop Tony Buckley and second-row/back-row Donnacha Ryan to the 22 who featured against Leinster for the visit to Galway.

Cullen’s last start was against Connacht earlier in the month when he capped his return to the side after injury by scoring the only try in Munster’s 13-0 victory.

He is expected to replace Shaun Payne at full-back with Lifeimi Mafi tipped to take over from Trevor Halstead at inside centre.

In the pack John Hayes is also likely to be rested with Federico Pucciariello switching to tight head prop and Darragh Hurley starting at loose-head, while Chris Wyatt is due to begin in the second-row.

David Wallace will probably sit out this game as well, resulting in a back-row of James Coughlan, Denis Leamy and John O’Sullivan.

Supporters are advised that the Connacht Branch have already put up the sold out signs and there will be no tickets available nor will there be any cash turnstiles.

Munster dropped a place to eighth in the table following Glasgow’s 20-19 win over the Borders last night.

Glasgow are two points clear of Munster who have played one game less.

Bottom club Borders appeared to be heading for only their second win in the competition, when leading 19-13 deep into stoppage time.

But Glasgow, who are bidding to regain their place in next season’s Heineken Cup, having failed to qualify this season, fought back to force a match winning try and conversion at the death.

Colin Gregor touched down in the corner to make it a one-point game and Dan Parks landed the touchline conversion to complete victory.

SQUADS:

MUNSTER: C Cullen, S Payne, J Kelly, B Murphy, L Mafi, T Halstead, I Dowling, J Manning, R O’Gara, T O’Leary, P Stringer; D Hurley, T Buckley, F Pucciariello, F Sheahan, A Kyriacou, J Hayes, C Wyatt, D Ryan, D O’Callaghan, P O’Connell, captain, J O’Sullivan, J Coughlan, D Wallace, D Leamy.

CONNACHT: M Diffley, A Farley, A Flavin, J Fogarty, D Gannon, J Hearty, C Keane, S Knoop, M Lacey, K Matthews, M McHugh, C McPhillips, J Muldoon, R Ofisa, C O’Loughlin, C Rigney, D Riordan, T Robinson, B Sturgess, M Swift, P Warwick, B Wilkinson, G Williams, D Yapp.

Article courtesy of the Evening Echo newspaper.