Under 21 Championship Final

Munster have named an unchanged side for Saturday’s Under 21 Interprovincial championship final against Connacht at Thomond Park (2.30pm).
Munster needed a late Barry Keeshan penalty to see off Leinster in the semi-final and team manager Niall O’Shea believes that the respective place kickers could have a big influence on the outcome on Saturday.
” I think it will be a forwards game and in that scenario it could be decided by the respective kickers. When we played them in Musgrave Park (Connacht won 19-13) we scored a try apiece, the rest of the points came from kicks. We didn’t play at all well that day and made some changes which led to an improvement.” O’Shea doesn’t see the venue as being of any great advantage. “Well home advantage didn’t work for us last time. Connacht are a fine side, they’ve improved by playing together. They won in Ravenhill last time so they won’t be bothered by the venue.”
O’Shea says they’ll wait until later in the week to finalise their bench. The main issue being the well-being of Cathal Garvey who broke a bone in his finger in training,
“Cathal can play full-back or out-half so he gives us options and we will wait and see how the injury has mended before naming the bench,” he said.

Meanwhile, Connacht have made one enforced change to their team, Buccaneers second-row Clifford Richardson injured in the 32-16 semi-final win against Ulster, is replaced on the side by his younger brother Trevor.

Munster. Peter O’Brien (UCC); Richard Lane (UCC), Barry Murphy (UL Bohs), Keith Matthews (UL Bohs), Alister Cowley (Cork Con); Barry Keeshan (UCC), Fiach O’Loughlin (Shannon); Eugene McGovern (Old Crescent), Denis Fogarty (Rockwell), Jody Danagher (UL Bohs); John McCarthy (Clonakilty), Ryan Hartigan (UL Bohs); Stephen Keogh (UCC) capt; Eoin Nihill (Garryowen), Brendan O’Connor (-).

Connacht. N O’Hara (Buccaneers); S Meagher (Buccaneers); C Begley (Corinthians); S Brady (Buccaneers); P O’Sullivan (Buccaneers); C Glynn (Galwegians); C O’Loughlin (Buccaneers); A Nash (Buccaneers); M Madden (Buccaneers); W Maxwell (Garryowen); T Richardson (Buccaneers); D Kelly (Buccaneers); G Thompson (Galwegians); I Muldoon (Galwegians); J Muldoon (Galwegians) (capt.).
Replacements. D Rowe (Dublin Univ.); S Brosnan (Garryowen); F Leonard (Corinthians); J Tormey (Buccaneers); J McDonagh (Galwegians); J Leonard (UL Bohs); E Kiely (Corinthians).