Munster Ready for Battle

It took all of 45 minutes for Jet Magic to whisk the Munster squad from Limerick to Glasgow, the flight touching down in Glasgow International airport just before 3.30 yesterday afternoon.

It took all of 45 minutes for Jet Magic to whisk the Munster squad from Limerick to Glasgow, the flight touching down in Glasgow International airport just before 3.30 yesterday afternoon.

On arrival the squad went immediately to the Balgray Playing Fields – home of Kelvinside Academy – on the Great Western Road for an hour long light training session. And while Alan Gaffney and Brian Hickey put their charges through their paces, about 300 metres down the road the Glasgow coach Hugh Campbell held a team meeting in Hughenden. Where the game will be played tonight.

The Munster training spin concluded with kicking practice for out-half Jeremy Staunton who conducted his session under the watchful eye of Killian Keane and the squad then made their way to their base – The Beardsmore Conference Hotel – located on the banks of the River Clyde, just a fifteen minute coach drive from the match venue.

Coach Alan Gaffney was one of the earlier risers this morning, along with Simon Kerr and Dominic Crotty, and he expressed himself happy with the atmosphere among his squad. “Everyone seemed in good form last night, the team meeting went well and I’m looking forward to the game tonight. It’s a big one for the boys, no doubt about it.”

“It’s a cup game with no second chance and we have a few who haven’t experienced this before. It’s only Trevor’s second start, Jody (Danagher) and Stephen (Keogh) start for the first time and there’s a lot of youth in the side. But that’s what it’s all about.These guys have to start somewhere and we feel they’re ready now. They’ll have plenty of experience around them but I think it’s a very exciting side and I’m really looking forward to tonight’s game.”

Gaffney will be hoping for more of the same of what his side delivered at the end of last weeks game with Neath-Swansea Ospreys. Staring down the barrel of a gun, trailing 3-12, his side came roaring back to score two tries and end up with two points, which at the start of the second half looked an unlikely possibilty. Lack of concentration left them in that position and lack of patience denied them a fifth try which would have tied that game.

Daniel Parks, Glasgow’s recent arrival from Australia, will have his first Celtic tournament start at Hughenden tonight. So will David Millard, who joined Glasgow from Aberdeen Grammar during the summer. Both are in the XV for the Celtic Cup quarter-final against Munster, the Celtic League champions.

Parks, however, has played in Glasgow’s two previous matches as a replacement. Millard had his first Celtic appearance against Connacht last Friday, also as a substitute, after he had been unavailable for the start of the season because of an ankle injury.

In addition, two Scotland caps, Rory Kerr and Matt Proudfoot, return to the starting line-up after injuries. Kerr took a shoulder knock in the Belfast game against Ulster three weeks ago, and Proudfoot has been absent for the same time because a knee injury.

No fewer than eight changes, one positional, have been made from the team who started in the league match that Glasgow lost to Connacht by 19-30 at Hughenden last Friday. Four of Glasgow’s XV that night are unavailable this week because of injuries – Jon Steel, Graeme Morrison, Mark McMillan, and Andrew Kelly.

Glasgow Side:

15 Stuart Moffat,14 Rory Kerr, 13 Gareth Maclure, 12 Alan Bulloch, 11 David Millard, 10 Daniel Parks, 9 Kenny Sinclair, 1 Matt Proudfoot, 2 Simon Gunn, 3 Lee Harrison, 4 Andrew Hall, 5 Nathan Ross, 6 Cameron Mather (captain), 8 Paul Dearlove, 7 Donnie Macfadyen.

Replacements: 16 Scott Lawson, 17 Euan Murray, 18 Joe Beardshaw, 19 Roland Reid, 20 Richard McKnight, 21 Calvin Howarth, 22 Sean Lamont.

Munster Team to Face Glasgow:

15 – Dominic Crotty, 14 – Mossie Lawlor, 13 – Mike Mullins, 12 – Jason Jones Hughes, 11 – Shaun Payne, 10 – Jeremy Staunton, 9 – Eoin Reddan, 1 – Simon Kerr, 2 – Jerry Flannery, 3 – Jody Danaher, 4 – Trevor Hogan, 5 – David Pusey, 6- Stephen Keogh, 7 – David Wallace, 8 – Jim Williams.

Replacements: Martin McPhail, Killian Keane, Mike Prendergast, Colm McMahon, Eddie Halvey, Frank Roche, Martin Cahill

Munster v Glasgow – Celtic Cup Quarter Finals

Date: Friday October 3rd at 7:30pm Venue: Hughenden, Glasgow. TV Coverage: TG4