Five Changes For Nottingham Clash

Munster A Head Coach Mick O’Driscoll has named his side to face Nottingham in Round 3 of the British & Irish Cup.

In total five personnel changes are made to the starting line-up that faced Worcester Warriors last weekend as O’Driscoll continues to combine the experience of senior squad members with developing talent from the Munster Academy and sub-academy ranks.

In the front row Alan Cotter and hooker Niall Scannell remain in situ while Academy prop Rory Burke is promoted from the bench to start at tighthead.

Having featured in the interprovincial versus Leinster A earlier this month, Donncha O’Callaghan makes his second Munster A appearance of the season and will partner Sean McCarthy in the second row.

This weekend sees Shane Buckley make the switch from second row to 6, with Barry O’Mahony and captain Jack O’Donoghue continuing at 7 and 8 respectively.

In the half backs Cathal Sheridan is partnered by returning out half Johnny Holland who makes his first appearance for the province since sustaining a bang to the shoulder during Munster’s PRO12 win over Zebre in September.

A new midfield partnership sees Rory Scannell move from out half to inside centre alongside Dan Goggin – another promoted from the bench, while full back Stephen Fitzgerald makes his second start of the current campaign, coming in to join Ronan O’Mahony and Greg O’Shea in the back three.

Returning senior representative Sean Dougall has been named amongst the replacements as have Cork Con's Ger Sweeny and Ned Hodson. Sweeney previously featured for Munster A in interprovincial action, while Hodson impressed for Munster at the World Club 7s in Limerick during the summer.

Nottingham V Munster A, British & Irish Cup Pool 3, Friday October 24th at Meadow Lane – KO 8pm.

Munster A: Stephen Ftizgerald, Greg O’Shea, Dan Goggin, Rory Scannell, Ronan O’Mahony; Johnny Holland, Cathal Sheridan; Alan Cotter, Niall Scannell, Rory Burke; Donncha O’Callaghan, Sean McCarthy; Shane Buckley, Barry O’Mahony, Jack O’Donoghue – capt.

Replacements: Max Abbott, Ger Sweeney, Darragh Moloney, Sean Dougall, Jamie Glynn, Alex Wootton, Ned Hodson