TONY MCGAHAN LOOKS ready to bolster his starting XV greatly from the side which produced last week’s meek showing against Leinster.

The reds were comprehensively outplayed on home turf against their arch rivals on Saturday in a 9-18 defeat.

However, when Ulster take to the field eight days on, they are likely to meet a more keenly focused Munster group as they resume the chase in competion which defines them, the Heineken Cup.

Captain Paul O’Connell, Donnacha Ryan, David Wallace and Conor Murray were all absent for the RaboDirect Pro 12 fixture.

However, today McGahan has named a provisional 30 man squad for the weekend and all four are included.

Both O’Connell and Murray were serious doubts after they both sustained knee injuries in Ireland’s Six Nations draw with France in Paris. Should they be fit enough to start, it would be a major fillip to the province in positions where Ulster are at their strongest.

BJ Botha and Keith Earls both sustained minor rib injuries, but will shake them off in time for the Heineken Cup quarter-final.

Provisional Munster squad to face Ulster

Forwards: David Wallace, Donnacha O’Callaghan, Stephen Archer, Marcus Horan, Damien Varley, James Coughlan, Tommy O’Donnell, Peter O’Mahony, Paul O’Connell, Donnacha Ryan, BJ Botha, Mike Sherry, Wian Du Preez, Mick O’Driscoll, Billy Holland, John Ryan, Denis Fogarty.

Backs: Johne Murphy, Ian Keatley, Tomas O’Leary, Felix Jones, Denis Hurley, Keith Earls, Lifeimi Mafi, Simon Zebo, Ronan O’Gara, Conor Murray, Danny Barnes, Duncan Williams, Scott Deasy.

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