Kelly & Murphy Sidelined For Cardiff

Munster coach Declan Kidney makes seven changes, two positional, from the side that started against Connacht last Sunday, for the Heineken Cup clash with Cardiff Blues in The Arms Park on Sunday (1pm).

John Kelly and Barry Murphy have both failed to recover in time from injuries picked up in the game against Connacht last Sunday and are not featured in Munster match day 22 for the game against Cardiff Blues (Sunday ko 1pm – Sky Sports, FR4 (RTE delayed transmission).
Kelly is troubled with a hamstring strain and Murphy injured a shoulder but both are hopeful of being fit for consideration for the return game in Thomond Park.

Given their absence and that of Marcus Horan and Anthony Foley, the Munster side is along anticipated lines albeit with five changes in pesonnel from the side that started last weekend. Shaun Payne returns to the full back berth, Ian Dowling will wear the number 14 jersey and Lifeimi Mafi is at outside centre alongside Trevor Halstead.

With John Hayes back in the side, Federico Pucciariello switches from tight to loose-head which means Darragh Hurley slips to the bench but otherwise the pack combination remains the same. 

Munster; Shaun Payne; Ian Dowling, Lifeimi Mafi, Trevor Halstead, Anthony Horgan; Ronan O’Gara, Peter Stringer; Federico Pucciariello, Frank Sheahan, John Hayes; Donncha O’Callaghan, Paul O’Connell capt; Alan Quinlan, David Wallace, Denis Leamy.
Replacements: Andy Kyriacou, Darragh Hurley, Chris Wyatt, John O’Sullivan, Tomas O’Leary, Jeremy Manning, AN Other.
 
Cardiff Blues: Ben Blair; Tom Shanklin, Jamie Robinson, Marc Stcherbina, Chris Czekaj; Nick Robinson, Mike Phillips; Gethin Jenkins, T Rhys Thomas, Taufaao Filise; Deiniol Jones, James Goode; Scott Morgan, Martyn Williams, Xavier Rush capt.
Replacements: John Yapp, Duane Goodfield, Bradley Davies, Mark Lewis, Ed Fairhurst, Nick MacLeod, Tom James.

Referee: Christophe Berdos.