Munster Welcome New Academy Players On Board
With six Munster Rugby Academy players receiving development contracts for the 2010/11 season, eleven new players have been recruited to the province’s Academy set-up.
Moving on are Munster Academy Player of the Year Scott Deasy and those players recently involved in the British & Irish Cup final – Ian Nagle, Dave Foley, Peter O’Mahony, Stephen Archer and Danny Barnes, who have all been promoted to the province’s senior squad on development contracts.
New recruits include sub Academy players Luke O’Dea, Cathal Sheridan, Simon Zebo, Sean Henry, Brian Hayes, Dave Kilcoyne, Alan Cotter, Gareth Quinn McDonogh and Ronan O’Mahony, who continue their progress by making the move into the Academy programme.
Rockwell out-half and Leaving Cert student JJ Hanrahan also joins the Academy, after impressing with his participation in the National Talent Programme throughout the season.
Hanrahan featured at centre for the Ireland Under-18 Schools side at last month’s U-18 Five Nations Festival in Wales.
Ireland Under-19 and Exiles player Corey Hircock joins the Munster Rugby Academy from the Bedford Blues. The centre/winger was involved in the Ireland U-19s’ 15-0 victory over the Australia U-19 Schools side last December in Cork.
Simon Zebo, who made his Munster senior debut last month, and Brian Hayes will link up with the Ireland Under-20s squad in the coming days for the upcoming IRB Junior World Championship in Argentina, while the remaining Academy players will return to training in mid-June.
MUNSTER RUGBY – FIRST YEAR ACADEMY PLAYERS (2010/11 Season):
Alan Cotter (Young Munster) Prop
JJ Hanrahan (Rockwell College, club tbc) Out-half/Centre
Brian Hayes (Cork Constitution) Lock
Sean Henry (UL Bohemians) Hooker
Corey Hircock (tbc) Centre
David Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians) Prop
Luke O’Dea (Shannon) Full-back
Ronan O’Mahony (Garryowen) Full-back/Winger
Gareth Quinn McDonogh (Shannon) Out-half
Cathal Sheridan (UL Bohemians) Scrum half
Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution) Winger