News article – Style E 4849
Dungannon hooker Nigel Brady is to captain Ulster “A” in their first outing of the season – Saturday’s clash with Catalonia in Barcelona.
Ulster hooker Nigel Brady
Dungannon hooker Nigel Brady is to captain Ulster “A” in their first outing of the season – Saturday’s clash with Catalonia in Barcelona.
The 25-year-old Brady, one of seven fully-contracted players in coach Gerald McCarter’s squad, will lead a side that includes five players – Paul McKenzie, Glenn Telford, Gareth Steenson, Declan Fitzpatrick and Oisin Hennessey – that played for Ireland in the 2004 IRB Under-21 World Cup final against New Zealand. Impressive fly-half Steenson captained the Ireland Under-21s last season.
Dungannon centre Telford will be making his first start of the season having recovered from a niggling ankle injury, while McCarter’s back row is a unit bursting with talent – Malone’s Chris Henry earned Ireland Under-21 honours last season, Hennessey, who missed this summer’s Under-21 World Cup due to a hamstring tear, signed a one-year development contract with Ulster for this season, and Ballymena number 8 Michael McComish excelled when playing for Ireland in the IRB Sevens last season.
City of Derry lock David Houston is a new face and a player to look out for over the next few months. His club team mate Richard McCarter will also expect to see some action in Spain having accounted for 24 of Derry’s points in their 39-20 Ulster Senior League win over Portadown last weekend.
Saturday’s fixture is one of a series that the newly-formed Ulster “A” squad will play this season – home and away matches against Leinster and Munster are also planned.
ULSTER “A”: Scott Young; Paul McKenzie, Shane Stewart, Glenn Telford, Andrew Maxwell; Gareth Steenson, Reece Spee; Gary Maxwell, Nigel Brady (Capt), Declan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Caldwell, David Houston, Chris Henry, Oisin Hennessey, Michael McComish.
Replacements: John Andress, Niall Conlon, Derek Hall, Glenn Moore, Phillip Coulter, Richard McCarter, Mark Kettyle.