Munster Recalls For Carney And Stringer
Brian Carney and Peter Stringer are poised to return for Munster this weekend after being named in the province’s extended squad for their Magners League clash with the Ospreys on Sunday.
Munster coach Declan Kidney has announced a 26-man panel for the trip to the Liberty Stadium, with winger Carney and scrum half Stringer joining their fellow Ireland World Cup squad members Alan Quinlan and Frankie Sheahan in the squad.
Quinlan and Sheahan returned from World Cup duty last week, with both players used as second half replacements in Munster’s 19-17 defeat to the Cardiff Blues at Musgrave Park.
Both Carney and Stringer will be eager for game-time, with former rugby league international Carney unused during the World Cup and Stringer without a match since Ireland’s pool win over Georgia on September 15.
The 31-year-old Carney will hope to quickly rediscover the form which saw him score two tries in five league matches towards the end of last season, including a touchdown in the corresponding fixture in April which the Ospreys won by 20-12.
Kidney’s selected squad includes 21 of the 22 players from last Friday’s loss to Cardiff – winger Anthony Horgan being the only absentee. Carney, Stringer, hooker Sean Cronin, back rower Tommy O’Donnell and winger Keith Earls are the new inclusions this week.
MUNSTER Squad: Forwards – Federico Pucciariello, Tony Buckley, Darragh Hurley, Denis Fogarty, Sean Cronin, Frankie Sheahan, Mark Melbourne, Mick O’Driscoll, Billy Holland, Niall Ronan, Tommy O’Donnell, James Coughlan, Alan Quinlan, Anthony Foley.
Backs – Shaun Payne, Ian Dowling, Kieran Lewis, Keith Earls, Brian Carney, Lifeimi Mafi, Rua Tipoki, Paul Warwick, Jeremy Manning, Tomas O’Leary, Peter Stringer, Gerry Hurley.