Holland Returns To Munster ‘A’ Side
Munster ‘A’ head coach Mick O’Driscoll has named his team for Sunday’s British & Irish Cup round 5 clash with Yorkshire Carnegie at Lockwood Park (kick-off 3pm).
All three front row forwards will make their first B&I Cup starts with Cork Constitution’s Brendan Quinlan and Eddie Rossiter from Old Belvedere packing down alongside senior representative Peter McCabe, who returns to provincial action after sustaining a pectoral tear during Munster’s pre-season.
Shannon’s Lee Nicholas comes in to join Munster Academy member Sean McCarthy in the second row, while Sean Doyle joins Jordan Coghlan and captain Shane Buckley in the back row.
Having rehabbed a long-term hamstring injury, out-half Johnny Holland makes a welcome return to the Munster ‘A’ side. He partners Duncan Williams at half-back, and Academy talent Dan Goggin is another player returning to the starting line-up, teaming up with Cian Bohane in the midfield.
The final two of ten changes in all are seen in the back-three where Gerhard van den Heever and the Academy’s Stephen Fitzgerald take charge of the left and right wings respectively. In a week in which he signed a senior contract with the province (starting next season), Academy ace David Johnston starts again at full-back.
Should he feature from the bench, Young Munster’s Shane Fenton will make his first B&I Cup appearance. In overcoming a long-term neck/shoulder injury, if introduced, Academy prop Brian Scott will make his first B&I Cup appearance since April 2014.
MUNSTER ‘A’ (v Yorkshire Carnegie): David Johnston; Stephen Fitzgerald, Dan Goggin, Cian Bohane, Gerhard van den Heever; Johnny Holland, Duncan Williams; Brendan Quinlan, Eddie Rossiter, Peter McCabe, Lee Nicholas, Sean McCarthy, Jordan Coghlan, Sean Doyle, Shane Buckley (capt).
Replacements: Shane Fenton, Brian Scott, Ben Kilkenny, Conor Oliver, Ryan Foley, Ned Hodson, Darren Sweetnam.