User:rorynoonanDate:19/01/2013Time:10:32:16Edition:19/01/2013Satsatecho190113Page:56Color:
EE - V1
Evening Echo
Rooney faces a battle to get starting place
SPORT
Munster A’s Corey Hircock celebrates his try with Danny Barnes against Plymouth Albion in last night’s British and Irish Cup game at Temple Hill. Picture: Eddie O’Hare
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WAYNE ROONEY cannot be certain of his place in the Manchester United starting line-up against Tottenham tomorrow, let alone his status as penalty taker. The England striker failed from the spot for the second time this season on Wednesday when he blazed a second-half effort over in the FA Cup win over West Ham. It led to former skipper Roy Keane claiming the responsibility would be taken away from him by manager Alex Ferguson, with 21-goal Robin van Persie the most obvious replacement. However, having only just recovered from the knee injury he sustained in training on Christmas Day, and with Ferguson aware he usually needs a few games to recover match fitness, Rooney has no guarantees about even starting at White Hart Lane. “We have to think
TOMORROW Spurs v Man United, Sky Sports, 4pm about it,” Ferguson told MUTV of the penalty conundrum. “I am not going to make a rash decision. “We will see how Wayne has come through first. He will be involved at Tottenham but whether he starts or is on the bench, we have to make that decision. “Once we do that we will know who is going to be taking the penalties.” That sounded very much like Rooney being on the bench this weekend, as even if he played, Van Persie surely will become the favoured penalty expert. Having already won at Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City this season, United are looking to claim another notable away win. Nothing can be taken for gran-
CONTINUED ON P50
A team bags first part of potential Munster double
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Munster A Plymouth Albion
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MUNSTER completed the first part of a double last night at Temple Hill when they overcame Plymouth Albion in the B & I Cup to qualify in the top eight for an away quarter-final in the competition. The second part comes tomorrow at 12.45 when the senior side face Racing Metro in the Heineken Cup as they bid to make the last eight of the competition. Munster A coach Ian Costelloe, who is also a vital part of the senior backroom team, was delighted with the win. “From our point of view there’s two big results needed from the weekend and we’ve done our bit for the squad. “We needed a result tonight and we got it and hopefully that gives a bit of a boost to the whole squad and Sunday is going to be a massive occasion and we’re all looking forward to it,” he said last night. “A lot of these boys (in the A side) will play Rabo over the next couple of weeks so it was important for those guys to get in a performance while the internationals are away and a lot of them put their hand up for se-
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Munster coach Rob Penney at last night’s game. Picture: Eddie O’Hare
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By SEAN McCARTHY lection for those four games. “Everything is about Sunday though. It’s great for us and it’s a big game for all these boys but the club needs to go out and do a job tomorrow and it’s going to be a massive occasion and if we got the two results out of this weekend we’ll be pretty happy on Monday.” ● See P52 for more.
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