O'Connell unlikely to make final push

RUGBY: MAGNERS LEAGUE:PAUL O'CONNELL is due for another assessment on his ankle ligaments injury this week but is unlikely to play if Munster make it through to the Amlin Challenge Cup final on May 20th or the Magners League Grand Final a week later.

The Irish lock injured himself on April 2nd, coming down after a lineout while playing against Leinster in the Magners League and was expected to be out for at least six weeks.

The May 20th date for the Amlin Challenge would be less than seven weeks and the Magners League eight weeks from the time of the injury.

Given what is at stake later this year at the RWC in New Zealand and the tight time constraints of the rehabilitation and training required prior to playing in a final, it is thought that O’Connell’s availability, which would be decided by Munster in consultation with the IRFU, is unlikely.

While the charismatic secondrow is now walking without crutches, this week’s review will give a more accurate time frame for his availability to possibly take part in a fully competitive match at those levels.

Ireland have four international games in August prior to departing for the World Cup.

Munster are just one match away from claiming a home semifinal in the Magners League this weekend.

A win against Llanelli Scarlets, who also need a win to keep their hopes of a top-four place alive, would secure another seasonal semi-final for Tony McGahan and his side.

Although the match is in Parc y Scarlets, Munster will travel holding a strong tradition against the Welsh team and arrive having won the last 10 clashes in all competitions stretching back to March 2007.

Munster are 12 points ahead of second-placed Ulster on the table and after a weekend of European rugby in Brive all players have reported back with the normal bumps and bruises but essentially fit for selection.

There are currently seven teams that, mathematically, have a chance of making the top four but with Munster in poll position at the top of the table on 71 points and Ulster in second on 59 points and Leinster in fourth on 56 points, three Irish teams have reasonable chances of making the last four.

With Leinster and Ulster clashing in the RDS, one of those two sides may fall back depending on other results.

Munster continue to try to price their games competitively and following an announcement earlier this year that Magners League prices would fall for this season, the province yesterday reduced the tickets prices for the Amlin Challenge Cup semi-final against Harlequins in Thomond Park at the end of this month.

Connacht will host Cardiff Blues at the Sportsground on Friday night in their final home match of the season.

Michael Swift continues to be ruled out with a hand injury but is making good enough progress to expect to play against Ulster the following weekend.

Centre Niva Ta’auso is available for selection following a shoulder injury against Aironi, while winger Eoin Griffen is available after a sustained period out.

His last match was back in mid-January in Connacht’s away match against Bayonne but has since featured for Galway Corinthians in the All-Ireland League Division Two.

Flanker Johnny O’Connor will again captain the side. Winger Fionn Carr is hoping to add to his try tally after breaking Conor McPhillip’s long-standing try record of 32 for Connacht.

Carr now has 34 after his brace during Connacht’s bonus-point victory over Edinburgh.

On a more domestic note the two All-Ireland League Division One semi-finals take place this weekend in Dublin on Saturday and Cork on Sunday.

Old Belvedere host Clontarf in the Dublin derby in Anglesea Road on Saturday before an all-Munster affair between Cork Constitution and Young Munster at Temple Hill on Sunday.

Constitution won a six-try thriller in October by 32-19 but Young Munster turned the tables in February and inflicted one of only two defeats on Brian Walsh’s men in this season’s league.