Munster clubs left to decide

Tomorrow's AIB League Division One programme is set to go ahead as scheduled. There was speculation yesterday that the Munster team management would request of the IRFU that the provincial squad players who will be involved in the Heineken European Cup semi-final on Saturday week, be withdrawn from tomorrow's club fixtures.

IRFU official George Spotswood pointed out that he had received no official communique from the interprovincial champions. Munster coach Declan Kidney later confirmed that no formal request had been made on behalf of the players.

The upshot of the protracted posturing is that the relevant clubs must decide whether to include their provincial players in tomorrow's teams. Cork Constitution coach Packie Derham was hoping that the IRFU would grant a postponement with regard to their clash with St Mary's College at Templeville Road.

He was under the impression that the Munster team management would be requesting the release of the players. He is resigned to being without his players. "We don't want to jeopardise the position of our Munster players by asking them to go against the wishes of the Munster team management.

"They would prefer that the players do not play tomorrow and we don't want to jeopardise our players' chances of playing in the European Cup semi-final. At the same time we can not be expected to play St Mary's with a backline that would largely be drawn from our Under 20's.

"Cian Mahony (ankle), Conor Mahony (fractured sinus), Tom Kiernan (torn calf muscle) and Adam Sherrard (torn ankle ligaments) will miss the game. Then we are being asked to do without Ronan O'Gara, John Kelly and Anthony Horgan, against what is essentially an international backline.

"We would like the match deferred to the Tuesday after the European Cup semi-final with the AIB semi-final pushed back to the Sunday." Con, and that applies also to Garryowen will not be facilitated by the IRFU.

In the interest of fair play the union demand that the final round of matches all take place on the same day, thereby negating any unfair advantage that could be gleaned from knowing what exactly was required going into the match.

Derham believes that although none of his Munster triumvirate will be officially withdrawn, they won't be available for selection. Garryowen have yet to decide on the composition of their team and it will be interesting to see if fullback Dominic Crotty and centre Killian Keane take the field for their crucial match against Ballymena.

The St Mary's College/Cork Constitution match at Templeville Road will be shown live on Network 2, transmission begins at 2.25.

Meanwhile, Clontarf are hoping to welcome back hooker Bernard Jackman for Saturday's game against Shannon at Thomond Park. He has been sidelined for nine weeks after undergoing a groin operation and will have to pass a late fitness test before confirming his place.

Daragh McElligott moves to the centre with Craig Bewley on the wing while Richie Murphy is reinstated at outhalf ahead of Pat Noble. Young Munster will make a last-minute decision on the fitness of wing Denis O'Dowd who picked up an ankle injury on Wednesday night for tomorrow's game against Lansdowne.

Ken Casey stands by. Coach Packo Fitzgerald awaits the outcome of a disciplinary hearing with regard to Ian Dillon before filling the blindside flank vacancy. Buccaneers give late fitness tests to prop John Maher and centre Eamon Molloy for the game against Dungannon.

Young Munster: T Cregan; D O'Dowd/K Casey, L Doyle, S McCahill, F Hogan; M Lynch, M Prendergast; E Hann, M Hayes, M Fitzgerald; M O'Halloran, P O'Connell; A N Other, M te Pou, D McDonagh.

Clontarf: O Winchester; A Reddan, D McElligott, D O'Brien, C Bewley; R Murphy, R O'Reilly; W O'Kelly, B Jackman, A Clarke; C Power, D Moore; P Ward, C Brownlie, D Walsh.