CONNACHT SCRUM-HALF BEN Murphy is in a race to be fit for their Challenge Cup knockout match against Cardiff on 5 April after suffering a broken finger training with the Ireland A squad last week.
The 23-year-old, who has been a revelation for Connacht since moving from Leinster last summer, underwent surgery this Tuesday morning and is facing five or six weeks on the sideline.
Connacht coach Pete Wilkins said that Murphy, who has scored eight tries in a dozen competitive matches since moving to Galway, suffered a nasty break.
“He’s had surgery on it this morning and the update is that it was successful. But I think it was a bit of a complicated one to fix up, so I imagine we won’t see him for the next five or six weeks.
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“His little finger got caught in contact and it was a nasty break,” said Wilkins.
Murphy, who was included in the extended Irish squad for the Six Nations, looks set to miss Connacht’s league games against Edinburgh this weekend, away to Ospreys next month and probably the sellout URC game against Munster at MacHale Park in Castlebar on 29 March, a week before the meet Cardiff in a last 16 knockout game in the Challenge Cup.
Connacht will also have home advantage in the quarter-final and semi-final of that competition if they advance that far.
But first up is a league match against Benetton at Dexcom Stadium in Galway on Saturday night where they will hope to keep their slim hopes of a top half finish in the URC alive.
They are boosted by the availability of skipper Cian Prendergast who has been released from Irish camp to play.
Prendergast was due to feature off the bench against Wales on Saturday and link up with younger brother Sam but was ruled out through illness.
“He was back in with us yesterday and trained fully this morning so he’s available for selection, which is good news for us,” added Wilkins.
“On the back of his disappointment with the illness and missing out on his bench spot at the weekend, he’s champing at the bit.”
Wilkins is waiting on a report on the knee injury suffered by Byron Ralston in a friendly against Harlequins on Friday night in London, but fears he will be out for a lengthy spell.
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Connacht scrum-half Ben Murphy to miss 'five or six weeks' after finger surgery
CONNACHT SCRUM-HALF BEN Murphy is in a race to be fit for their Challenge Cup knockout match against Cardiff on 5 April after suffering a broken finger training with the Ireland A squad last week.
The 23-year-old, who has been a revelation for Connacht since moving from Leinster last summer, underwent surgery this Tuesday morning and is facing five or six weeks on the sideline.
Connacht coach Pete Wilkins said that Murphy, who has scored eight tries in a dozen competitive matches since moving to Galway, suffered a nasty break.
“He’s had surgery on it this morning and the update is that it was successful. But I think it was a bit of a complicated one to fix up, so I imagine we won’t see him for the next five or six weeks.
“His little finger got caught in contact and it was a nasty break,” said Wilkins.
Murphy, who was included in the extended Irish squad for the Six Nations, looks set to miss Connacht’s league games against Edinburgh this weekend, away to Ospreys next month and probably the sellout URC game against Munster at MacHale Park in Castlebar on 29 March, a week before the meet Cardiff in a last 16 knockout game in the Challenge Cup.
Connacht will also have home advantage in the quarter-final and semi-final of that competition if they advance that far.
But first up is a league match against Benetton at Dexcom Stadium in Galway on Saturday night where they will hope to keep their slim hopes of a top half finish in the URC alive.
They are boosted by the availability of skipper Cian Prendergast who has been released from Irish camp to play.
Prendergast was due to feature off the bench against Wales on Saturday and link up with younger brother Sam but was ruled out through illness.
“He was back in with us yesterday and trained fully this morning so he’s available for selection, which is good news for us,” added Wilkins.
“On the back of his disappointment with the illness and missing out on his bench spot at the weekend, he’s champing at the bit.”
Wilkins is waiting on a report on the knee injury suffered by Byron Ralston in a friendly against Harlequins on Friday night in London, but fears he will be out for a lengthy spell.
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