Lansdowne rue loss of players

Lansdowne could easily be forgiven for wishing that their players were not required for international duty given the spate of injuries that has befallen them.

They lost full back Gordon D'Arcy (hamstring) and Reggie Corrigan (knee ligaments) while playing in the A international against Wales and there was further bad news last Friday night against England when prop Angus McKeen tore a calf muscle.

As a result he is sidelined for Lansdowne's crucial AIB League Division One clash with Ballymena at Lansdowne Road on Saturday. Ollie Ennis moves from hooker to loosehead with Cormac Egan coming into the front row. Better news is that Marcus Dillon and Kurt McQuilkin return after injury.

Ballymena coach Andre Bester is aware of what it is like to be blighted by injury. He is still without James Topping and Jan Cunningham and must await fitness reports on Derek McAleese, Andy Matchett and Andy Graham. All three, however, are expected to play.

Divisional pacesetters Garryowen have not yet finalised their line-up but there are no injury concerns. Opponents Blackrock College, who need a victory to ease relegation concerns, have prop Tom Stapleton as their only concern.

Buccaneers suffered a serious blow with the news that centre Eamon Molloy will be out for the rest of the season with a broken ankle. Wing Russell Southam will miss Saturday's game against Young Munster with a shoulder problem. Coach Eddie O'Sullivan must decided between two Rigney brothers, Colm and Donal, to establish who will partner their elder brother Brian in the second row.

Young Munster await medical advice on Peter Boland, Derek Tobin and Mike Prendergast. Neither Shannon nor Galwegians have selected nor are they likely to do so before tomorrow, a predicament in which Clontarf and Cork Constitution also find themselves.

St Mary's College, thrashed in their last outing against Cork Constitution with a severely depleted team expect to be at full strength as they host near neighbours and arch rivals Terenure. St Mary's main injury concern centres on John McWeeney. Kevin Nowlan, Fergal Campion, Trevor Brennan, Victor Costello and Mark Cuddihy should all return.

Emmet Byrne, Peter Coyle and John Maher vie for the two prop places while Dan Bourke and Ian Bloomer fight for a spot alongside Steve Jameson in the second row. Terenure, who have not lost to St Mary's for eight years in any senior competition, will decide on Niall Hogan or Derek Hegarty at scrumhalf.

Leicester yesterday expressed their disappointment at the eight-week ban handed out to their England international Austin Healey on Monday night. However, the English Premiership leaders may yet appeal on Healey's behalf. - they have not reached a decision on whether to do so. London Irish, meanwhile, who cited Healey for stamping on their South African scrum-half Kevin Putt during a league match last month, have declared the matter closed.