Johne Murphy who also sustained an ankle injury in that game will be out of action for three months as will Damien Varley who picked up an ankle injury in the RaboDirect PRO12 clash with Ulster May 5th.

Dave Foley and Ian Nagle who are both recovering from shoulder operations are expected to be back training around August time of the year.

Meanwhile, Mike Sherry and Simon Zebo are among seven uncapped players named in the Ireland squad for the May 29th international against the Barbarians at Kingsholm. Declan Kidney leaves two places to be filled and one of those could go to Paul O'Connell who continues to rehab the knee injury picked up in the Rabo game against Ulster.

Forwards (13): Rory Best (Banbridge-Ulster); Tom Court (Malone-Ulster); Stephen Ferris (Dungannon-Ulster); Declan Fitzpatrick (Dungannon-Ulster)*; Chris Henry (Belfast Harlequins-Ulster); Ronan Loughney (Galwegians-Connacht)*; John Muldoon (Galwegians-Connacht); Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution-Munster); Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution-Munster); Donnacha Ryan (Shannon-Munster); Mike Sherry (Garryowen-Munster)*; Dan Tuohy (Ballymena-Ulster); A.N.Other.

Backs (11): Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins-Ulster); Keith Earls (Young Munster-Munster); Craig Gilroy (Dungannon-Ulster)*; Paul Marshall (Ballynahinch-Ulster)*; Conor Murray (Garryowen-Munster); Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution-Munster); Nevin Spence (Ballynahinch-Ulster)*; Andrew Trimble (Ballymena-Ulster); Paddy Wallace (Ballymena-Ulster)
Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution)*; A.N. Other

*Denotes uncapped player