Munster Suffer Further Disruption

Already resigned to selecting without their internationals and having made seven changes from the side that started against Cardiff Blues last time out, Munster were forced into further re-shuffle with the withdrawal from the starting XV of Barry Murphy and Chris Wyatt.

Murphy felt unwell enough to pull out of the trip and Wyatt suffered a slight leg injury in the morning warm-up at the team hotel outside Belfast.

Brian Carney comes into the starting line-up for Murphy with Shane O’Connor replacing Wyatt.

That in turn brings Ross Noonan onto the bench for O’Connor while Under 21 international star Keith Earls is nmaed on the bench.

Munster: Christian Cullen; Brian Carney, Lifeimi Mafi, Trevor Halstead, Ian Dowling; Eoghan Hickey, Tomas O’Leary; Eugene McGovern, Jerry Flannery, Tony Buckley; Shane O’Connor, Donnacha Ryan; Alan Quinlan, Tim McGann, John O’Sullivan. Replacements: Frank Sheahan, Tim Ryan, Mark Melbourne, Ross Noonan, Brian O’Meara, Jeremy Manning, Keith Earls.

Ulster: Bryn Cunningham; Tommy Bowe, Paul Steinmetz / Andrew Trimble, Paddy Wallace / Paul Steinmetz, Paul McKenzie / Andrew Trimble; David Humphreys / Paddy Wallace, Isaac Boss, Justin Fitzpatrick, Rory Best, Bryan Young; Justin Harrison (Captain); Ryan Caldwell; Stephen Ferris, Kieron Dawson, Roger Wilson. Replacements: Paul Shields; Simon Best / Declan Fitzpatrick, Tim Barker, David Pollock, Kieran Campbell, Paul McKenzie / AN Other, Andrew Maxwell