MUNSTER HAVE BEEN dealt a blow with confirmation that Donncha Ryan will miss Sunday’s Heineken Cup semi-final against Toulon.
Ryan, who was racing to recover from a foot injury, returned to light training this week but has not made the matchday 23 for the game at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille (3.30pm Irish time).
With Peter O’Mahony also injured it leaves coach Rob Penney with a back row of CJ Stander, Sean Dougall and James Coughlan. Tommy O’Donnell is the man to miss out and has to make do with a place on the bench.
There was better news concerning Casey Laulala who has recovered from a hand fracture to take his place alongside James Downey in midfield, while out-half JJ Hanrahan is named among the replacements after making good progress following a groin tear.
Elsewhere Penney has named the same front five that started the quarter-final win against Toulouse, with Damien Varley captaining the side on his first start in a Heineken Cup semi.
Toulon: Delon Armitage; Drew Mitchell, Mathieu Bastareaud, Matt Giteau, Bryan Habana; Jonny Wilkinson (c), Sebastien Tillous-Borde; Xavier Chiocci, Craig Burden, Carl Hayman, Danie Rossouw, Jocelino Suta, Juan Smith, Juan Fernandez Lobbe, Steffon ArmitageReplacements: Jean-Charles Orioli, Alexandre Menini, Martin Castrogiovanni, Virgile Bruni, David Smith, Maxime Mermoz, Michael Claassens, Konstantine Mikautadze
Munster: Felix Jones; Keith Earls, Casey Laulala, James Downey, Simon Zebo; Ian Keatley, Conor Murray; Dave Kilcoyne, Damien Varley, BJ Botha; Dave Foley, Paul O’Connell; CJ Stander, Sean Dougall, James Coughlan.Replacements: Duncan Casey, James Cronin, John Ryan, Donncha O’Callaghan, Tommy O’Donnell, Duncan Williams, JJ Hanrahan, Denis Hurley.
Galway?
@Rory Murphy: Wexford?
@Rory Murphy: yeah, and he could hook up with Eamonn O’Shea whose son is on the fringes of the Galway senior squad. Speedy could fill a gap of a year or two until Geoffrey Lynskey is ready to step up.
Sheedy will only manage a Tipp team,I didn’t like the idea of him coming back a second time, but I will admit when I’m wrong, The best thing that happened to Tipperery hurling, so Liam enjoy your time off ,thanks for everything you gave us, I’d love to see you in the future involved as a manager with Tipperery, Again thank you as a Tipperery supplier,
Hes a top man, owes nothing to no one in this great sport
As a Tipperary supporter I wish to thank Liam for all the good days he gave us. Best of luck to him . He owes us absolutely nothing.
@Eileen Hennessy: well said,and he’d be welcome across the Shannon,twouldnt be too far of a spin .
Won only 2 championship matches since 2019
@Tony Mcgrath: interesting that you’ve gone with “since 2019″. Just out of curiosity, how did they do in 2019?
@Tony Mcgrath ape
@Miguel Sanchez: why is it not true
Waterford swap deal
@Aido: I like it yeah. Sheedy….and one of the Mahers to sweeten the deal maybe?!
Have a feeling sheedy might end up in either waterford or wexford next!!
@arthur fleck: Wexford need a manager now. Don’t think Sheedy is going to jump straight from Tipp to Wexford sounds like he’s taking a break for a year