O'Gara to sit out league clash

Irish and Munster outhalf Ronan O'Gara will not line out for Munster in tomorrow's match against Celtic Warriors at Sardis Road but will be fit to play against Stade Francais the following weekend in Munster's Heineken European Cup quarter-final at Thomond Park.

O'Gara limped out of Munster training on Tuesday afternoon and left Musgrave Park on crutches.

He was immediately put in a cast as a precaution but yesterday morning the cast was taken off and a subsequent MRI scan revealed he had nothing more than a sprain.

"When it happened, he was in a lot of pain at 6 p.m. The pain had eased by 9 p.m., as had my own pain at the news," said a relieved Alan Gaffney.

Two other players not listed in the Munster team for tomorrow night are hooker Frankie Sheahan and prop Marcus Horan, but they too are expected to be fit for the European Cup match.

Sheahan has had a slight calf strain and Horan hurt a shoulder during tackle practice last week.

The good news for Gaffney is that four of the Triple Crown-winning Irish side are back in harness.

The Munster second row of Donncha O'Callaghan and Paul O'Connell take up their usual positions while David Wallace slots in at openside flanker and Anthony Foley resumes his residency at number eight alongside captain Jim Williams.

All Black Christian Cullen also returns after spraining his back last week, as does Mike Mullins. The outside centre, who had been in top form before injury, lines out for Munster for the first time in 10 weeks.

"I didn't feel it would be prudent to use them (Sheahan and Horan) on Friday night but I do expect them to be available for the Heineken Cup match," said Gaffney.

In Ulster, Alan Solomons has named his team to face Cardiff in their pivotal away match on Saturday. Ulster are four points clear of their closest rivals for the League title, Llanelli, who drew 33-33 against Connacht at Stradey Park last weekend.

Paddy Wallace starts at full back in place of Bryn Cunningham, who is out with an eye injury picked up last weekend against Edinburgh, while David Humphreys and Neil Doak return to form the half-back partnership.

In the pack, Simon Best returns, as does Gary Longwell, as part of Solomons' rotation policy, while Rowan Frost is named on the bench.

The match also marks the 100th Ulster cap for winger James Topping

ULSTER (v Cardiff): P Wallace; J Topping, S Stewart, P Steinmetz, T Howe; D Humphreys, N Doak; S Best, M Sexton, R Moore, Longwell, N McCullough N Best, N McMillan, A Ward (captain). Replacements: P Shields, R McCormack, R Frost, W Brosnihan, K Campbell, A Larkin, S Mallon.

MUNSTER (v Celtic Warriors): C Cullen; J Kelly, M Mullins, R Henderson, A Horgan; J Holland, E Reddan; F Roche, J Flannery, G McIlwham, D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell, J Williams (captain), D Wallace, A Foley. Replacements: M Cahill, R Callaghan, D Pusey, S Keogh, F Murphy, M Lawlor, S Payne.