Haley, O'Donoghue and O'Connor extend Munster stays

STAYING PUT: Mike Haley of Munster during the Investec Champions Cup Pool 3 match between Northampton Saints and Munster. Pic: Matt Impey/Sportsfile

Munster's Mike Haley, Jack O'Donoghue and Ben O'Connor have put pen-to-paper on new contracts with the province. 

Full-back Haley has penned a two-year deal, while back-row forward O'Donoghue has extended his stay until at least 2026.

O'Connor will remain with the academy next season before moving to development and senior contracts on a two-year deal. 

Haley has spent the past seven years at Munster and scored 25 tries in 119 appearances since joining from English Premiership outfit Sale Sharks, where he made over 100 appearances.

The 30-year-old made his Munster debut against Cheetahs in September 2018 and immediately established himself as the first-choice full-back, making 26 appearances in his debut campaign and earning a first international cap for Ireland against Italy in August 2019.

He was a fixture in the starting XV over the following seasons and made 18 starts in the 2022/23 campaign as Munster won the URC title.

After missing the first half of the 2023/24 season as he recovered from hip surgery, Haley returned to action in February 2024 and made his 100th appearance against Ospreys in March.

Haley has scored five tries in 13 starts this season before sustaining an ankle injury away to Northampton in January.

Two-cap Ireland international O'Donoghue has scored 28 tries in 217 appearances since making his debut in 2014.

GREAT SERVANT: Jack O'Donoghue of Munster takes possession in a lineout during the United Rugby Championship match between Leinster and Munster. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

In 2018, O’Donoghue became the first Waterford player to captain Munster in the professional era away.

He was named provincial player of the year in 2021/22 after another standout campaign that saw him feature in 23 of the 26 games, and he added another 23 appearances the following season in the aforementioned URC-winning Munster side.

The 31-year-old has made 14 appearances so far this season but is currently sidelined due to an ankle injury sustained against Scarlets last month.

20-year-old O'Connor - having scored two tries in 10 appearances since joining the academy in 2023 - has signed a development contract for 2026/27 and will progress to a senior deal for the 2027/28 campaign.

YOUNG GUN: Ben O'Connor of Munster on his way to scoring his side's third try during the United Rugby Championship match between Munster and Edinburgh. Pic: Tyler Miller/Sportsfile

The former St Finbarr's hurler and footballer won two All-Ireland medals with the Cork hurlers – at minor level in 2021 and under-20 level in 2023 prior to joining Munster.

Having flourished at Cork school PBC as they won the 2023 Munster Schools Senior Cup, he made his Munster debut within months of joining the academy against Dragons in November 2023 and made his Champions Cup debut against Bayonne a month later.

O’Connor started all five of Ireland’s matches during their unbeaten U20s Six Nations campaign in 2024, and progressed to the Emerging Ireland squad earlier this season. 

The athletic full-back has scored two tries in five appearances for his home province this season.

Meanwhile, Munster have issued a squad update ahead of Friday’s mid-season fixture away to Leicester Tigers and Friday week’s URC clash with Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun.

On the injury front, Alex Nankivell made his return from a hamstring injury against Edinburgh and came through the game with no issues, while Patrick Campbell has returned to training this week following a shoulder injury sustained in September.

Continuing to rehab: Shane Daly (hamstring), Jack O’Donoghue (ankle), Diarmuid Kilgallen (thigh), Mike Haley (ankle), Dave Kilcoyne (thigh), Thaakir Abrahams (shoulder), Craig Casey (knee), Jean Kleyn (thigh), Liam Coombes (chest), Edwin Edogbo (Achilles), Roman Salanoa (knee).