PwC Under-18 Boys Clubs Interpros – Round 1 Previews

PWC UNDER-18 BOYS CLUBS INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP – ROUND 1:

Saturday, August 16 –

CONNACHT U-18s v MUNSTER U-18 CLUBS, Creggs RFC, 1pm

Creggs RFC will host an age-grade double header tomorrow afternoon, with the action beginning with Connacht’s Under-18 Boys taking on their Munster counterparts. Diarmuid Codyre is their head coach this year, taking over from new Buccaneers boss Darin Claasen.

The province’s summer programme has been overseen by Codyre and fellow coaches Jarrad Butler, the former Connacht senior captain, and Hubert Costello, and the Connacht youngsters will be aiming to make the most out of their two home games.

The captaincy role has been given to back rower Rueben Colleran, a Connacht Schools Senior Cup winner with Marist College back in March. Connacht Academy back rower Max Flynn’s younger brother, Ruben, starts at number 8.

In a fantastic achievement for a club only established in 2007, Galway Bay RFC have three players in the starting XV – centre John Brendan McDonnell, out-half Dylan Curran, and loosehead prop James Siva, who also has an athletics background in the shot put.

There will be plenty of local support for Creggs’ own Dan Kelly, on the right wing, and replacement Cian Kiernan. Tuam have two starters in full-back Cian Hynes and prop Corey Kelly, while promising flanker Alastair Hewson (pictured below) captained Carrick-on-Shannon to the Connacht U-17 Division 2 title last season.

Sligo Rugby’s Hugh Óg Arnold and Dan Allen feature in the tight five, and replacements Reuben Galvan and Giacomo Gambi-Whelan bring the number from the Strandhill outfit to four. Also on the bench is Felix Zeray, who captained Rice College to Connacht U-17 Junior ‘B’ Cup success.

Meanwhile, the Munster U-18 Clubs squad has four returning players who gained experience in last year’s Interpros – centre Darragh Carroll, and forwards Calum Tutty, Dara O’Brien, and Daniel Moloney.

Dungarvan hooker Tutty was a starter when Munster edged out Connacht 27-24 in Cork for their only win of the 2024 series. He holds onto the number 2 jersey for the start of the new campaign, captaining the team alongside his brother Jonathan.

Mallow youngster Carroll forms an all-Cork centre partnership with Cillian O’Flynn, and two Old Christians players are part of the back-line, with Liam Kelleher stationed on the right wing, and Sean O’Regan directing operations at half-back alongside Waterpark’s Edward Breen.

There is a real province-wide feel to the visitors’ pack with all six counties proudly represented. Ennis lock Moloney pairs up with Clanwilliam’s Alex Ryan, and Castleisland back rower Michael Griffin gets the nod in the number 8 position.

Head coach Gerry Casey commented: “It’s a really good group this year. We’re fortunate enough that we capped five guys last year a year young, and four of them are returning. The other guy went into the Schools programme.

“We’ve brought up five young guys as well, so they’ve been really, really good in showing them the way. Post-Easter, that final game, we finalised our panel and then they went into a five-week pre-season block, which was led by the S&C.

“So that was based around centres, basically about you getting fit and robust, getting ready for the summer programme. Physically they came in in a real good shape, and it’s been up to us to add the rugby piece to that.”

CONNACHT U-18: Cian Hynes (Tuam RFC/St. Jarlath’s College); Dan Kelly (Creggs RFC/Coláiste Mhuire Ballygar), Darragh Glennon (Buccaneers RFC/Marist College), John Brendan McDonnell (Galway Bay RFC/St. Joseph’s Patrician College), Owen Egan (Buccaneers RFC/Marist College); Dylan Curran (Galway Bay RFC/Coláiste Chroí Mhuire), Luke Molloy (Galway Corinthians RFC/Presentation College Athenry); James Siva (Galway Bay RFC/St. Joseph’s Patrician College), Hugh Óg Arnold (Sligo Rugby/Summerhill College), Corey Kelly (Tuam RFC/St. Jarlath’s College), Dan Allen (Sligo Rugby/Summerhill College), JJ Phillips (Galwegians RFC/Coláiste Iognáid), Rueben Colleran (Buccaneers RFC/Marist College) (capt), Alastair Hewson (Carrick-on-Shannon RFC/Sligo Grammar School), Ruben Flynn (Galway Corinthians RFC/Cistercian College Roscrea).

Replacements: Felix Zeray (Westport RFC/Rice College Westport), Reuben Galvan (Sligo Rugby/Sligo Grammar School), Daithí Lambe (Cashel RFC/Rockwell College), Emmanuel Albert (Ballinasloe RFC/Garbally College), Cian Kiernan (Creggs RFC/CBS Roscommon), Connor O’Reilly (Galwegians RFC/Coláiste Iognáid), Brian McHugh (Galway Corinthians RFC/Coláiste Bhaile Chláir), Giacomo Gambi-Whelan (Sligo Rugby/Grange Post Primary School).

MUNSTER U-18 CLUBS: Diarmuid Gleeson (Nenagh Ormond RFC); Liam Kelleher (Old Christians RFC), Cillian O’Flynn (Bandon RFC), Darragh Carroll (Mallow RFC), Josh Devlin (Newport RFC); Sean O’Regan (Old Christians RFC), Edward Breen (Waterpark RFC); Dara O’Brien (Newcastle West RFC), Calum Tutty (Dungarvan RFC) (capt), Jonathan Tutty (Dungarvan RFC), Daniel Moloney (Ennis RFC), Alex Ryan (Clanwilliam FC), Daniel Ward (Bantry Bay RFC), Alex Reddin (Waterpark RFC), Michael Griffin (Castleisland RFC).

Replacements: William Hanley (Fermoy RFC), Ronan Maher (Nenagh Ormond RFC), Patrick O’Connor (Kilfeacle & District RFC), PJ Walsh (Clonmel RFC), Alan Phelan (Waterford City RFC), Devyn Duggan (St. Senan’s RFC), Davyn Maher (Old Christians RFC), Emmet Nolan (Clonakilty RFC), Ewan Knowles (Clonakilty RFC), Conor Cogan (Highfield RFC).

Sunday, August 17 –

ULSTER U-18 CLUBS v LEINSTER U-18 CLUBS, Affidea Stadium, 1pm

ULSTER U-18 CLUBS: Alfie Clarke (Dromore High School/Dromore RFC); Luke McMillan (Coleraine Grammar School/Ballymoney RFC), Joe Coates (Coleraine Grammar School/Coleraine RFC), Ryan Hamilton (Royal School Armagh/ Dungannon RFC), Lorcan McLarnon (Rainey Endowed School/Rainey RFC); Jonnie Kennedy (Larne Grammar School/Larne RFC), Sam Harper (Omagh Academy/Omagh Accies RFC); Elias Agbonkpolor (Belfast Royal Academy/Academy RFC), Josh McColgan (Ballyclare High School/Academy RFC), Joel Irwin (Friends’ School/Lisburn RFC), Alfie Lucy (Enniskillen Royal Grammar School/Enniskillen RFC), Tyrese Dunlop (Ballymena RFC), Austin Adair (Ballyclare High School/Academy RFC), Harry Dougan (Royal School Armagh/City of Armagh RFC) (capt), Caiden Slaughter (Carrickfergus RFC).

Replacements: Ashton Hassard (Omagh Academy/Strabane RFC), Noah Carson (Ballymena RFC), Dylan Byrne (Dungannon RFC), James Lennon (Virginia RFC), James Flannagan (Royal School Armagh/City of Armagh RFC), Ben Todd (Coleraine Grammar School/Coleraine RFC), Scott Henderson (Friends’ School/Ballynahinch RFC), Lewis McIvor (Omagh Academy/Omagh Accies RFC).

LEINSTER U-18 CLUBS: Matthew Costello (Naas RFC); Tadg Young (Suttonians RFC), Alex Bagnall (Edenderry RFC), David Cron (De La Salle Palmerston FC), Franklin Onwuzulumba (Clondalkin RFC); Turlough Donnelly (Newbridge RFC), Josh O’Keeffe (Newbridge RFC); Aiden McGovern (Boyne RFC), Harry Heagney (Clontarf FC), Tadgh Halpenny (Dundalk RFC) (capt), Aidan Tamming (Naas RFC), Alan Higgins (Skerries RFC), Harvey Butler (Skerries RFC), Isaac O’Neill (Mullingar RFC), Cillian McElwee (Kilkenny RFC).

Replacements: Seamus Whelan (Balbriggan RFC), Philip Murphy (New Ross RFC), Sean Glapiak (New Ross RFC), Ciaran Dunne (Portlaoise RFC), Éanna Moynihan (Portlaoise RFC), James Walls (Skerries RFC), Byron O’Hara (Terenure College RFC), Michael Redmond (Tullow RFC).

PWC UNDER-18 BOYS CLUBS INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURES –

Saturday, August 16 –

Connacht v Munster, Creggs RFC, 1pm

Sunday, August 17 –

Ulster v Leinster, Affidea Stadium, 1pm

Saturday, August 23 –

Ulster v Munster, Newforge, 3pm

Sunday, August 24 –

Leinster v Connacht, Energia Park, 1pm

Saturday, August 30 –

Munster v Leinster, Virgin Media Park, 2.30pm

Connacht v Ulster, Creggs RFC, 3pm