Gaffney is gearing up for a long goodbye

Alan Gaffney will get a fitting long goodbye from Irish rugby if Munster overcome Edinburgh on Saturday in Thomond Park.

The initial reward will be a trip to Lansdowne Road on Sunday week for the Celtic Cup semi-final against Leinster, presuming the latter beat Glasgow tomorrow night.

If they win that low-key encounter, which could include 10 Lions and plenty of bad blood over the recent repatriation of Declan Kidney, the possibility of silverware comes into focus.

By failing to get past the quarter-final stage of the European Cup, Munster have gone backwards this season but Gaffney is still pleased with the squad he hands back to Kidney.

"We're in remarkably good shape. Fine, it is an old squad and I understand what people are saying about players we should have brought in.

"There are some players we wanted to bring in but it's difficult for Munster to compete with the unlimited budgets of some French and English teams. As I always said if the guy is 30-plus but good enough he will play - the same goes for a guy who is 18 years old. And there are plenty of young backs coming through."

One of these fledglings is 19-year-old outhalf Conan Doyle who was promoted to the 24-man squad ahead of the weekend. Doyle is fresh out of Ard Scoil Rís and toured Australia with the Irish schools last summer. He is yet to dislodge Billy Treacy from the pivot role at Garryowen but Gaffney still used him as a replacement against the Borders on April 10th.

UCC's teenage outhalf Jeremy Manning, a New Zealander who will be Irish qualified in two years' time, is another Gaffney earmarks for the future.

Gaffney will stay around until the end of May before taking charge of the Australian backline ahead of their opening Test against Samoa on June 11th. His imminent departure means he has no input into the recruitment drive for next season, so he was unable to shed much light on the injured Brian Lima's future or the rumoured arrival of Natal Sharks inside-centre Trevor Halstead.

Jason Holland and Jim Williams have been named in the squad but both are unlikely to play any further role with the province due to injury and retirement this summer.

A starting XV will be announced after today's training session.

In Ulster, Mark McCall has recalled international duo David Humphreys and Tyrone Howe for Saturday's daunting trip to Swansea to face Celtic League champions the Ospreys.

Ronnie McCormack's decision to turn down an Ulster contract has resulted in his demotion to the bench as Simon Best keeps the loosehead slot warm ahead of Justin Fitzpatrick's return. With regular opensides Neil Best and Neil McMillan still injured, Gavin Pfister starts once more.

Andy Ward captains the side, and like Victor Costello at Leinster, defeat will mark the end of his career.

Gary Longwell is also expected to take his bow from professional rugby but an option does remain for another season.

Ward's Ulster commitments mean Belfast Harlequins will be without his guiding hand for the All-Ireland League semi-final against Garryowen in Dooradoyle on Saturday (live on RTÉ, kick off 1.15). He officially takes over as the club's director of rugby this summer.

Harlequins are also without under-21 players Mark Kettyle (knee) and Lewis Stevenson (back) but Leicester-bound Ian Humphreys returns following a shoulder injury. Garryowen coach Paul Cunningham will name his team today.

Mick Galway is keeping Shannon's cards close to his chest but the Munster selection rules out hooker Jerry Flannery and lock Trevor Hogan, while prop Frankie Roche is injured. Returning Connacht players James Downey and Bernard Jackman, who is soon to be a Leinster player, boost the Clontarf line-up.

ULSTER (v Neath/Swansea Ospreys): B Cunningham; T Bowe, K Maggs, P Steinmetz, T Howe; D Humphreys, K Campbell; S Best, P Shields, R Moore, G Longwell, M McCullough, A Ward (capt), G Pfister, R Wilson. Replacements: R Best, R McCormack, R Frost, C Feather, N Doak, P Wallace, A Maxwell.

MUNSTER (from): S Payne, A Horgan, P Devlin, J Kelly, R Henderson, M Mullins, J Holland, P Burke, P Stringer, M Prendergast, Conan Doyle. J Hayes, M Horan, F Sheahan, J Flannery, G McIlwham, T Hogan, P O'Connell, D O'Callaghan, D Wallace, D Leamy, A Quinlan, A Foley, J Williams.

BELFAST HARLEQUINS (v Garryowen): J Lowe; P McKenzie, G Mitchell, WP Strauss, S Wilson; I Humphreys, A Matchett; J Carey, N Hanna, D Fitzpatrick, M Mustchin, L McGowan, S lamb, D Dougherty, C McCarey.