IRFU Junior Men’s Interpros: Round 1 Preview

2024/25 IRFU JUNIOR MEN’S INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP – ROUND 1:

Saturday, April 26 –

CONNACHT v MUNSTER, Westport RFC, 2.30pm

With Kolo Kiripati taking the head coach reins for Connacht, their team for their Junior Interprovincial opener against Munster is unsurprisingly backboned by Creggs players, including half-backs Shane Purcell and Mark Dowd.

Kiripati recently coached Creggs to their first Connacht Junior League and Cup double since 1989. He is hoping to make the most out of back-to-back home fixtures for the Connacht Juniors who have lost their last eight Interprovincial matches.

The westerners have not won since a last-gasp 19-17 victory away to Munster in April 2022. Captain Marty Cummins from Dunmore is one of the survivors from three years ago, while former Galwegians and Buccaneers player Conor O’Shaughnessy is sure to threaten from full-back.

Ballina’s Sean O’Connell, another ex-Buccaneer, is part of a strong front row unit for Connacht, and they are certain to face a stern set-piece examination from Munster, who finished third in last season’s Interpros, level on seven points with runners-up Leinster.

Coached again in 2025 by Eoin O’Connor, the Munstermen will field a new-look back-line which features six debutants. Amongst them are the two Brian O’Sullivans, who starred for Kanturk in the current campaign, while Aaron Rice joins his Newcastle West team-mate, Shane Airey, at half-back.

Players from back-to-back Munster Junior League champions Thomond are absent from O’Connor’s squad for the Interpros, with the Soda Cakes having a second play-off shot at Energia All-Ireland League promotion when they travel to Omagh on Saturday.

That means number 8 and captain Kevin Kinane, a Kilfeacle & District stalwart, will take on a lot of responsibility for Munster, along with Thurles skipper Sonny Dwyer, and front rowers Tadgh McCarthy and Dave Jennings who were both ever-present in last year’s series.

Jack Lonergan also wins his first Munster Junior cap in the second row, playing for the first time in provincial colours alongside two of his Old Christians colleagues, Laszlo Rabatin, a South African-born debutant in the centre, and Cian Walsh.

CONNACHT: Conor O’Shaughnessy (Tuam); Liam Jones (Ballina), Mark Purcell (Creggs), Eoghan Coyle (Creggs), Ethan Griffiths (Connemara); Shane Purcell (Creggs), Mark Dowd (Creggs); Sean O’Connell (Ballina), Ross Bourke (Westport), Ian Staunton (Connemara), Liam McNamee (Carrick-on-Shannon), Marty Cummins (Dunmore) (capt), James Brandon (Creggs), Tommy Mullen (Connemara), Brian Diffley (Creggs).

Replacements: Kolo Kiripati Jr (Creggs), Alex Burke (Galway Corinthians), Gary Keane (Corrib), Sam Fogarty (Buccaneers), Matthew Flynn (Galway Corinthians), Brian Bergin (University of Galway), Conor Burns (Dunmore), Dean O’Reilly (Monivea).

MUNSTER: Ben Daly (Waterpark); Brian P O’Sullivan (Kanturk), Brian J O’Sullivan (Kanturk), Laszlo Rabatin (Old Christians), Frank Horgan (Muskerry); Shane Airey (Newcastle West), Aaron Rice (Newcastle West); Nigel Clancy (Richmond), Tadgh McCarthy (Bantry Bay), Dave Jennings (Clonakilty), Ruairi O’Donnell (St. Mary’s), Jack Lonergan (Old Christians), Sonny Dwyer (Thurles), Ben Kennedy (Cobh Pirates), Kevin Kinane (Kilfeacle & District) (capt).

Replacements: Ricky Whitney (Kilfeacle & District), Rob Loftus (Sunday’s Well), Cian Walsh (Old Christians), Josh Brady (Bandon), John Willis (Mallow), Zac Allen (Bandon), Adam Guerin (St. Mary’s), Sam Glynn (Mallow).

LEINSTER v ULSTER, Gorey RFC, 2.30pm

Walter Walsh, a three-time All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship winner with Kilkenny, is one of 10 debutants in Leinster’s starting XV for this intriguing first round clash with Ulster. The teams met in the title decider last May, which the Ulstermen won 34-22 in Randalstown.

Leinster head coach Enda Finn from Cill Dara has had to plan without players from Provincial Towns Cup finalists Athy and County Carlow, so there is a fresh look to the selection. There are a further six Junior Interprovincial newcomers on the bench.

The 6ft 5in Walsh, who plays with New Ross, features on the right wing, the Kelly brothers, Conor and Gavin, start in the forwards after helping Bective Rangers to regain their All-Ireland League status, and centres Robbie Vallejo and Mikey Russell were both part of Leinster’s 2023 title-winning squad.

The Blues’ captain for this year, Boyne full-back Eoghan Duffy, is determined to make a strong start in Gorey, saying: “The momentum from the first game can propel you through the next two. There is such a short turnaround, momentum can have a massive impact.

“The way we look at it, we know there is a target on our backs because of the value the name Leinster carries into every competition.

“There is a real final atmosphere to all these games. It came down to the last game last year, and Ulster, as well as being defending champions, alway carry a bit of pedigree at junior level. We’re looking forward to it.”

It is a tough schedule for title holders Ulster with away trips to Wexford and Castlebar before hosting Munster at Dromore Rugby Club in the final round next month. They are boosted by the presence of captain Curtis Pollock and vice-captain Gary Dillon in a strong back row.

Pollock and Dillon have plenty of AIL experience, the latter returning from Instonians this season to win an Ulster Rugby Championship 1 crown with Dromore in unbeaten style. Out-half Eddie Keys scored 74 points for Enniskillen during their Energia All-Ireland Junior Cup run.

Lurgan’s Damien Campbell steps up as head coach of the Ulster Juniors after two years as an assistant. Capped at this level as an 18-year-old, he is ‘immensely proud’ to coach his province as they attempt to follow up on last year’s success.

“I’m looking forward to the challenge of becoming back-to-back Interprovincial champions. It will be a challenging task, but one that coaches and players alike will be prepared for,” said Campbell.

LEINSTER: Eoghan Duffy (Boyne) (capt); Walter Walsh (New Ross), Robbie Vallejo (Boyne), Mikey Russell (Clondalkin), Oisin McKenna (Seapoint); Michael Briscoe (Boyne), Hugh Duignan (Suttonians); Scott Caldbeck (Tullow), Darren Browne (Midland Warriors), Conor Kelly (Bective Rangers), Isaac Porter (Gorey), Jake Caldbeck (Kilkenny), Gavin Kelly (Bective Rangers), Gary Dunne (Kilkenny), Dylan Lynch (Boyne).

Replacements: Graham Reynolds (Balbriggan), Josh Evans (Kilkenny), Dewald Barnard (Wicklow), Conor Smyth (Cill Dara), Tiernan Gonnelly (Dundalk), Stephen Hendy (Gorey), Craig Cantwell (Bective Rangers), Cormac Hurley (Seapoint).

ULSTER: Michael Orr (Portadown); Jonny Hunter (Dromore), Robbie Johnston (Ards), Dean Dillon (Dromore), Davy Graham (City of Derry); Eddie Keys (Enniskillen), Ryan Flavelle (Cooke); Orran McIlmurray (Lurgan), Angus Cunningham (Lurgan), Matthew Millar (Dromore), Ross Bingham (Dromore), James Wright (Portadown), Henry Keys (Enniskillen), Curtis Pollock (Ballymoney) (capt), Gary Dillon (Dromore).

Replacements: Tom-Arthur Donnan (Cooke), Neil Rutledge (Enniskillen), Ryan Emerson (Lurgan), Jack Rutledge (Enniskillen), David Brown (Ballymoney), Michael Rooney (Enniskillen), Angus Christie (Ards), Adam Keating (Dromore).