Butler Leads Munster A

Paddy Butler will lead the Munster A side that takes on Connacht in Thomond park Stadium on Friday (4.15pm).

It's the first game of the season for the Ian Costello coached side whose British & Irish Cup campaign starts in November with the game against Cornish Pirates, the side that beat Munster in the inaugural B&I Cup final.

Gerry Hurley and Declan Cusack form the half back combination, as they did in La Rochelle two weeks ago, in a Munster starting XV that includes club player Phillip Donnellan (Cork Con), and Academy members Ronan O'Mahony, Cory Hircock,JJ Hanrahan, Luke O'Dea, Dave Kilcoyne, Shane Buckley and Brian O'Hara.

Munster A: (v Connacht, Thomond Park Stadium 4.15pm). R O’Mahony; C Hircock, JJ Hanrahan, T Gleeson, L O’Dea; D Cusack, G Hurley; D Kilcoyne, D Fogarty, J Ryan; D Foley, P Donnellan (Cork Con); S Buckley, B O’Hara, P Butler captain. Replacements: S Henry, J Cronin, C Condon (Dolphin), B Hayes, J Shine (Bruff), C Sheridan, G Quinn-McDonagh, D Moroney (UL Bohemians)..