Munster contest lacks lustre

Time was when the Munster Senior Cup ruled the roost during the end-of-season provincial cup fest, but now even it appears to be a victim of its clubs' AIL success.

Lagging a round behind its Leinster and Ulster equivalents, while Galwegians and Buccaneers meet in the Connacht decider at the Sportsground tomorrow, one wonders why the Munster Branch didn't utilise the five-week break between the penultimate and last rounds of the League.

After Garryowen's rancourous expulsion from last year's Munster Cup, the competition was further undermined yesterday when Bruff were obliged to give Dolphin a quarter-final walkover after the junior club played an ineligible player in the previous round.

A brief, curiously worded statement issued by the branch yesterday read: "On becoming aware of playing a schoolboy, who was ineligible under Munster branch Bye Bye (sic) Laws, Bruff RFC have withdrawn from the Heineken Munster Senior Cup. Dolphin, accordingly, advance to the semifinals of the competition, the draw for which takes place following the quarter-final match between Cork Constitution and Shannon at Temple Hill, Cork, on Saturday, May 15th, at 3 p.m."

And even that huge collision has seemingly lost some of its lustre judging by Shannon's absentee list: Mark McDermott, Mick Galwey, Eddie Halvey, Anthony Foley, Frank McNamara, Jim Galvin, Colm McMahon, Rhys Ellison, Paul McMahon and John Lacey, while Andrew Thompson and Marcus Horan face late fitness tests.

By comparison, though, Constitution will be missing John Kelly, Brian O'Meara, David Corkery and Ultan O'Callaghan, they retain eight of the side which accounted for Shannon a month ago while some of the replacements - Anthony Horgan, Philip Soden, Donnacha O'Callaghan and John Fogarty - are also proven firstteamers.

DLSP, seeking to reach their first Leinster Senior Cup final on the eve of next season's centenary year, and Skerries, trying to emulate last year's first appearance in the final, kick off the Leinster double-header in Lakelands Park.

DLSP welcome back Brian Hogan at scrum-half while Skerries will again be without Dermot O'Sullivan and Jim Dempsey. A cruel run of injuries contributed to Skerries's less than flattering relegation while DLSP were gaining promotion, though in their Division Two clash the Kilternan outfit only won by 8-7.

The holders, Lansdowne, will be without Shane Horgan, Gordon D'Arcy, Barry Everitt and David O'Mahony when they play Clontarf, but still name a strong side containing 10 of the team which beat Clontarf 15-3 in the League. Clontarf have yet to finalise their team, but Richie Murphy is expected to continue at scrumhalf with Mark Woods at out-half.

Even played in a car park with a melon and watched by two men and a dog, a game between Galwegians and Buccaneers would always have a grudge factor to it. Although without the retired pair of Brian Rigney and Noel Mannion, as well as Martyn Steffert (back in his native New Zealand), Buccaneers are liable to have the same scrum pressure which laid the platform for their 21-14 AIL opening day win over Galwegians if Jimmy Screene is passed fit.

Galwegians, by comparison, will be without three props in Pat Leahy, Des Dobson and Peter Kay, as well as Willie Ruane and Eric Elwood (the 18-year-old Niall Beatty again deputises) but they are hopeful about Mick Finlay. This marks George Hook's final game in charge. A pity therefore, that Buccaneers coach Eddie O'Sullivan, Hook's long-time friend and protege, is in the United States.

Former Dungannon players Tyrone Howe and Paddy Johns could be on their way back to Stevenson Park to spearhead the club's AIL Division One challenge next season. Willie Anderson, the club's director of rugby, confirmed Johns and Howe's interest and also said he has had discussions with former Ireland out-half Niall Malone.

But Anderson scotched speculation that Irish internationals Andy Ward and Kieron Dawson are set to join Dungannon.