Surprise packet Galwegians are hoping that full-back Willie Ruane will be fit for Saturday's AIB All Ireland League play-off semi-final at home to Dungannon.

English coach John Kingston has led the Galway club to second place in the league in his second season in charge, after they won promotion from division two in the first.

Kingston, the former Richmond stalwart who is heading back to London in July to become head coach at Harlequins, has been without Ruane for the last two matches but is hopeful he will have recovered from damaged ribs.

Dungannon will field three backs who are in Ireland's squad for the 2 June international in Romania - David Humphreys, Tyrone Howe and Jonathan Bell.

Humphreys' side go into the semi-finals in the best form of the competing quartet, with eight wins in their last nine matches.

If Ruane is fit for the home side, Gavin Duffy may switch to the left-wing with Eric Elwood linking up with Bryan Shelbourne at half-back.

Elwood's duel with his fellow international Humphreys cold be one of the key contests at Crowley Park.

The other semi-final should draw a capacity crowd of 9,000 to Temple Hill to watch table-toppers Cork Constitution take on fourth-placed Young Munster.

Con have been forced to dig deep in the second half of the season, which was badly disrupted by foot-and-mouth precautions to hold on to their early advantage.

Last week only an injury time dropped goal by their Lions squad fly-half Ronan O'Gara earned Con a two-point win over Ballymena.

O'Gara will be available for coach Brian Hickey's team before linking up with the Lions squad, while Young Munster will travel from Limerick without Colm Power but plenty of hope of an upset.

Con are likely to be without wing Anthony Horgan, who is suffering from a muscle tear picked up against Ballymena, and team captain Ultan O'Callaghan is another doubtful starter, But John Kelly, replaced in the Ballymena game with a hamstring strain, is expected to be fit, while Ireland prop Peter Clohessy will be in the visitors' pack, with Mike Lynch directing operations behind.

AIB All Ireland League Division One semi-finals (19 May 2001)

Cork Constitution v Young Munster (1pm)
Galwegians v Dungannon (3pm)