Connacht Eagles Chase First Celtic Cup Win In Athlone
Connacht Eagles head coach Mossy Lawler has confirmed the team to play the Ospreys Development side in their Celtic Cup round 3 clash at Dubarry Park tonight (kick-off 7pm).
Shane Delahunt and Conan O’Donnell are named alongside Conor Carey in a new front row, while James Cannon joins summer signing Joe Maksymiw in the second row. Peter Claffey, who started last week’s 53-38 defeat to Dragons ‘A’ as a lock, moves to the blindside flank where he completes the back rower with Cian Huxford and Neal Moylett.
The half-back partnership is unchanged with Conor Fitzgerald and Conor McKeon, two of the try scorers from the five-try performance in round 2, pairing up again. Having made the switch from Munster, young out-half Fitzgerald has also kicked well for the Eagles in recent weeks, scoring 11 points against Munster ‘A’ and 18 against the Dragons side.
The two other changes come on the wings where Conor Hayes and Huge Lane are drafted into the starting XV, while Sean O’Brien and captain Kieran Joyce continue as the westerners’ centre pairing, and Darragh Leader completes the line-up at full-back.
CONNACHT EAGLES (v Ospreys Development): Darragh Leader; Hugh Lane, Sean O’Brien, Kieran Joyce, Conor Hayes; Conor Fitzgerald, Conor McKeon; Conan O’Donnell, Shane Delahunt, Conor Carey, James Cannon, Joe Maksymiw, Peter Claffey, Cian Huxford, Neal Moylett.
Replacements: Jonny Murphy, Matthew Burke, Conor Kenny, Niall Murray, Dylan Tierney, James Mitchell, Luke Carty, Oran McNulty.