Rugby - Team News:Although yesterday's scans on Ian Dowling and Doug Howlett came back "positive" neither of the Munster duo will be considered for Sunday's Magners League fixture against Connacht at the Sportsground.
Dowling and Howlett picked up respective hamstring and knee injuries during their Heineken Cup quarter-final win against Northampton last weekend.
Though they won’t be considered for the trip to Galway, Munster team manager Shaun Payne is “confident about their availability for the crucial games against Ospreys and Biarritz”.
Munster, second in the Magners League, take on fourth-placed Ospreys at Thomond Park on April 24th before a daunting Heineken Cup semi-final encounter against Biarritz, deep in the Basque region at Estadoio Anoeta on May 2nd.
Payne confirmed that Keith Earls (groin) came through the Northampton game without any ill effect, but both he and Paul O'Connell (groin) will continue to be monitored by the Munster medical team.
Earls will not be considered for Sunday’s game while O’Connell is “unlikely to take any part”.
The Munster squad is expected to be announced tomorrow evening.
With the British Irish Cup semi-final less than two weeks away, Anthony Foley will take a youthful Munster squad to London tomorrow to play Esher RFC.
The game will be played at Esher’s Molesey Road ground with a provisional 5.45pm kick-off.