Captain Johnston And McHenry Team Up In Munster ‘A’ Midfield
Head coach Peter Malone has selected the Munster ‘A’ team to face Leinster ‘A’ in the British and Irish Cup quarter-final at Energia Park in Donnybrook on Friday (kick-off 3pm).
Defending champions Munster ‘A’ qualified from British & Irish Cup Pool 1 having secured five wins from six games as they finished second to Bedford Blues. The squad for the interprovincial derby contains 12 senior players, with eight members of the Greencore Munster Rugby Academy in the 22.
Dave Johnston captains the side with fellow senior players Stephen Fitzgerald, Ronan O’Mahony, Bill Johnston, Jeremy Loughman, Kevin O’Byrne, Brian Scott, Darren O’Shea, Dave O’Callaghan and Conor Oliver also in the starting XV.
Fitzgerald starts at full-back with O’Mahony and Academy winger Calvin Nash on either flank. Dave Johnston and Academy player Alex McHenry team up in the centre with Bill Johnston and Academy scrum half Jack Stafford, who makes his first appearance in this season’s B&I Cup, at half-back.
Loughman, O’Byrne and Scott make up the front row with Academy lock Sean O’Connor and O’Shea in the second row. O’Callaghan, Oliver and Academy number 8 Jack O’Sullivan are in the back row, with O’Sullivan collecting two man-of-the-match awards for the Ireland Under-20s in recent weeks.
Mike Sherry and Ciaran Parker provide the front row cover with Academy players John Foley, Alan Tynan and Jack Power also included in the squad. Cork Constitution’s John Poland, who has been training with the squad all season, and Castleisland native Jack Daly of Garryowen complete the replacements.
MUNSTER ‘A’ (v Leinster ‘A’): Stephen Fitzgerald; Calvin Nash, Dave Johnston (capt), Alex McHenry, Ronan O’Mahony; Bill Johnston, Jack Stafford; Jeremy Loughman, Kevin O’Byrne, Brian Scott, Sean O’Connor, Darren O’Shea, Dave O’Callaghan, Conor Oliver, Jack O’Sullivan.
Replacements: Mike Sherry, Ciaran Parker, John Foley, Jack Daly, John Poland, Alan Tynan, Jack Power.