Club Players Step Up For Munster ‘A’
Munster ‘A’ head coach Mick O’Driscoll has named his team to face Moseley at Billesley Common in round 6 of the British & Irish Cup on Saturday (kick-off 2pm).
Five personnel changes are made to the side that lost 23-18 at home to Pool 3 winners Worcester Warriors at CIT last Friday night.
The selection sees a number of in-form club players rewarded with inclusion in Mick O’Driscoll’s Munster ‘A’ line-up.
In the front row Cork Constitution duo Liam O’Connor and Ger Sweeney (pictured below) pack down on either side of Niall Scannell at loosehead and tighthead prop respectively.
Shane Buckley switches from blindside flanker to partner Dave O’Callaghan in the second row this weekend. Sean Dougall fills the blindside berth with openside Ryan Murphy and number 8 and captain Jack O’Donoghue remaining in situ.
Garryowen scrum half Neil Cronin continues to partner Rory Scannell at half-back, while year two Academy player David Johnston comes in to partner Cork Constitution’s Ned Hodson in the centre.
In the back three, Darren Sweetnam’s return on the left wing sees Ronan O’Mahony move to full-back, with Greg O’Shea remaining on the right wing.
Good showings at club level also earn a number of players inclusion on the bench including former Munster prop and current Highfield player-coach Tim Ryan, Shannon front rower Conor Glynn, Shanon lock Lee Nicholas and Dolphin flanker John Quill.
Academy representatives Max Abbott, Gearoid Lyons and Jack Cullen are also named among the replacements. There will be match updates on the Munster Rugby Twitter page on Saturday.
MUNSTER ‘A’ (v Moseley): Ronan O’Mahony; Greg O’Shea, David Johnston, Ned Hodson, Darren Sweetnam; Rory Scannell, Neil Cronin; Liam O’Connor, Niall Scannell, Ger Sweeney, Dave O’Callaghan, Shane Buckley, Sean Dougall, Ryan Murphy, Jack O’Donoghue (capt).
Replacements: Max Abbott, Conor Glynn, Tim Ryan, Lee Nicholas, John Quill, Jack Cullen, Gearoid Lyons.