Hodnett To Make Return From Injury With Munster ‘A’
Rosscarbery man John Hodnett has not played for Munster since suffering a thumb injury against Ulster at the start of January ©Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile
Sidelined since early January, John Hodnett will make his return to action as part of the Munster ‘A’ team to play Ulster ‘A’ in Friday’s IRFU Men’s ‘A’ Interprovincial Championship match at Nenagh Ormond RFC (kick-off 3pm).
The ‘A’ Interprovincial clash in Lisatunny will be live to watch on Access Munster. Subscribe for just €4 per month here. Entry to New Ormond Park tomorrow is €10.
This will be the Munster ‘A’ squad’s third outing of this season’s competition after a couple of titanic tussles with Leinster ‘A’ in October and November, which ended in draws – 26-all at Old Belvedere RFC, and 33-all on Rockwell College’s 4G pitch.
Evan O’Connell continues as captain, leading a matchday squad that features 11 senior players and a dozen members of the province’s Academy. O’Connell, a recent starter against Glasgow Warriors, will be partnered in the second row by Conor Ryan.
There are five changes in personnel, and the alterations up front are completed by fit-again flanker Hodnett, who has not played since damaging his left thumb against Ulster last month, and Mark Donnelly, the starting loosehead prop.
There is some rejigging with Academy youngster Michael Foy moving to the blindside flanker berth, and Ruadhán Quinn, the scorer of four tries for Young Munster against UCD last Saturday afternoon, shifting to the number 8 position.
There are seven Young Munster players in the Munster ‘A’ starting XV, and six of them lined out in their thumping 82-21 win over the students. The Cookies’ Tony Butler and Jake O’Riordan will make their third successive start together at half-back.
Seán O’Brien will be in familiar surroundings after making three Energia All-Ireland League starts for Nenagh Ormond this season. Fionn Gibbons moves infield to join him in the centre, and Ben O’Connor is added to the back-three, alongside Andrew Smith and Shay McCarthy.
Danny Sheahan, George Hadden, and Kieran Ryan provide the front row back-up, with Conor Kennelly, Seán Edogbo, a recent senior debutant for Munster against the Dragons, and Garryowen’s Rory Woods completing the forward cover.
Woods, the New Zealand-born Ireland Sevens international, has been in impressive form with the Light Blues in Division 1B. The versatile forward was a try scorer against Naas last month, and is now poised to make his second Munster ‘A’ appearance.
Paddy Patterson, Dylan Hicks, Eoghan Smyth, and Gene O’Leary Kareem are the province’s back-line replacements. Hicks and Smyth helped Cork Constitution to a crucial 27-24 Division 1A victory away to Clontarf last weekend.
MUNSTER ‘A’ (v Ulster ‘A’): Ben O’Connor (UCC RFC); Andrew Smith (Young Munster RFC), Fionn Gibbons (Young Munster RFC), Seán O’Brien (Nenagh Ormond RFC), Shay McCarthy (Young Munster RFC); Tony Butler (Young Munster RFC), Jake O’Riordan (Young Munster RFC); Mark Donnelly (Cork Constitution FC), Max Clein (Garryowen FC), Ronan Foxe (Garryowen FC), Evan O’Connell (Young Munster RFC) (capt), Conor Ryan (UCC RFC), Michael Foy (Cork Constitution FC), John Hodnett (UCC RFC), Ruadhán Quinn (Young Munster RFC).
Replacements: Danny Sheahan (Cork Constitution FC), George Hadden (Garryowen FC), Kieran Ryan (Young Munster RFC), Conor Kennelly (Highfield RFC), Seán Edogbo (UCC RFC), Rory Woods (Garryowen FC), Paddy Patterson (Cork Constitution FC), Dylan Hicks (Cork Constitution FC), Eoghan Smyth (Cork Constitution FC), Gene O’Leary Kareem (UCC RFC).