Murphy And Ronan To Miss Heineken Cup Final
Munster will be without centre Barry Murphy and flanker Niall Ronan for their Heineken Cup final showdown with Toulouse later this month, after the duo sustained thumb injuries in the province’s Magners League defeat to Ulster.
For the second time in three seasons, Barry Murphy suffered a season-ending injury at Ravenhill. In March 2006, the UL Bohemians clubman broke his ankle when playing against Ulster at the Belfast venue.
That injury ruled him out of the 2006 Heineken Cup final and agonisingly, he will not be able to fight for a place in the Munster squad for the May 24 decider against Toulouse with his latest injury sidelining him for four and six weeks.
Murphy lasted only seven minutes in Wednesday night’s league derby against Ulster as he dislocated his thumb. The injury comes just over two months after he injured his shoulder in action for Munster ‘A’ against Ulster ‘A’ at Shaw’s Bridge.
Meanwhile, Niall Ronan, one of Munster’s most consistent performers in the Magners League, has also played his last match for the province this season.
He had to be replaced during the second half of Wednesday’s meeting with Ulster, after suffering a dislocation and fracture of his right thumb.