NIALL O'DONOVAN, the man who has coached Shannon to such success over the last three seasons, will next season be assistant Munster coach to the former Welsh and Lions international John Bevan.
O'Donovan and Bevan will be joined by Jerry Holland in the three man team who will select and run the Munster side. Holland has been coach to the Munster team for the past three seasons. Munster won the Interprovincial Championship twice under Holland, including this season.
The branch is also appointing a five man management team that will work with the three who run the Munster side. That committee will consist of former international Paddy Reid, the current branch president, John Quilligan and Michael Wallace, two of, Munster's representatives, on the IRFU committee and Colm Tucker, who was manager of the Munster team for the past three years. They will be joined by a person yet to be chosen.
Meanwhile, Killian Keane, Garryowen's A international, is the latest player to indicate that he is not available for Ireland's forthcoming tour to New Zealand and Western Sama. As already announced Simon Geoghegan, James Topping and Nick Popplwell are also unavailable as well as Ireland's four representatives in the Lions squad, Peter Clohessy, Keith Wood, Jeremy Davidson and Eric Miller.
There must also be considerable doubt about prop Paul Flavin, who played against Scotland. He damaged his sternum a few weeks ago and has not played since. He also sustained a shoulder injury in a car accident during the week.
Ireland will have two teams in action this afternoon. The Ireland schools side will play Wales in Maesteg and the Ireland Youths play Scotland in Stirling.
The schools side lost 16-9 to England last Saturday night and the side chosen for this afternoon shows three changes One of those was enforced because of the injury sustained by scrum half Ciaran Scally (Blackrock) and Bobby Quigley (Clongowes Wood), who came on as a replacement for Scally against England will fill the scrum half position.
Peter Callanan (Clongowes Wood) has been brought into the second row for Garret Lloyd (St Mary's) and Stephen Conway (Crescent) is on the right wing for David Wilmot (Coleraine Al). But Derek McCombe (RBAI), who kicked three penalties against England has withdrawn from the team and that could mean a recall for Wilmot.
The Ireland Youths take on the Scots having defeated Wales in Dublin three weeks ago. As Ireland and England do not meet at youth team level, a win in Stirling would give the Irish youngsters a 100 per cent return from the season.
