Marmion To Make 100th Championship Appearance For Connacht
Kieran Marmion is set to make his 100th Championship appearance for Connacht in Friday’s GUINNESS PRO14 derby away to Ulster at Kingspan Stadium (kick-off 7.35pm).
Head coach Kieran Keane includes captain John Muldoon and Ireland scrum half Kieran Marmion in the starting XV, along with Matt Healy as the winger has recovered from a groin injury.
Tiernan O’Halloran moves to full-back having scored two tries against the Scarlets last time out with Cian Kelleher, also a try scorer in Llanelli last week, on the right wing.
Tom Farrell and Bundee Aki form the centre partnership. Aki has played every single minute for Connacht so far this season and Farrell’s four offloads last week were more than any other PRO14 player in round 5.
Marmion, who has made more passes than any other player so far this season (405), teams up with Jack Carty in the half-back position, with the out-half the PRO14’s fifth top scorer on 39 points.
Hooker Tom McCartney is flanked by Denis Buckley and Finlay Bealham in the front row, while the second row partnership of Ultan Dillane and Quinn Roux remains intact. Eoin McKeon, Jarrad Butler and Muldoon are the starting loose forwards.
CONNACHT (v Ulster): Tiernan O’Halloran; Cian Kelleher, Bundee Aki, Tom Farrell, Matt Healy; Jack Carty, Kieran Marmion; Denis Buckley, Tom McCartney, Finlay Bealham, Ultan Dillane, Quinn Roux, Eoin McKeon, Jarrad Butler, John Muldoon (capt).
Replacements: Dave Heffernan, Denis Coulson, Conor Carey, James Cannon, Eoghan Masterson, Caolin Blade, Steve Crosbie, Eoin Griffin.