Team News | Munster A Side To Face Connacht Eagles
16th September 2022 By The Editor
Fionn Gibbons is one of 12 Academy players included.
The Munster A side to face the Connacht Eagles at the UL 4G pitch on Saturday at 1.30pm has been named.
Cian Hurley captains the squad that includes 12 Greencore Munster Rugby Academy players along with senior players Dan Goggin, Chris Moore, Eoin O’Connor and Paddy Kelly.
Conor Phillips starts at full-back with UL Bohemians man Ihechi Oji and Shannon’s Josh Costello on either wing. Oji came up through the ranks at Douglas RFC and also played schools rugby at Cistercian College Roscrea with Costello a former St Munchin’s College pupil.
Goggin and Academy man Fionn Gibbons form the centre partnership with an all-Academy pairing at half-back as Jack Oliver and Tony Butler start at 9 and 10 respectively.
Academy prop Mark Donnelly, new signing Moore and Luke Rigney, who has been taking part in the pre-season programme on a training contract, start in the front row.
O’Connor and Academy lock Edwin Edogbo are named in the second row with Academy trio Hurley, Ruadhan Quinn and Daniel Okeke in the back row.
Academy players Kieran Ryan, Darragh McSweeney and Evan O’Connell join senior player Kelly in the replacements.
Also among the forward cover are UL Bohemians’ Conall Henchy, formerly of Crescent College, and Garryowen’s Brian Gleeson, a former Thurles and Rockwell man.
The backline replacements include Andrew O’Mahony (UCC RFC), Jeff Williams (Bandon RFC), Liam McCarthy (Skibbereen RFC), Daniel Hurley (Cork Constitution FC) and Stephen Kiely (Old Crescent RFC).
Ireland U20 international O’Mahony is a former CBC student, Williams and McCarthy have also lined out for Bandon Grammar, Hurley is a former PBC student with Kiely from Castletroy College.
Munster A: Conor Phillips; Ihechi Oji, Fionn Gibbons, Dan Goggin, Josh Costello; Tony Butler, Jack Oliver; Mark Donnelly, Chris Moore, Luke Rigney; Eoin O’Connor, Edwin Edogbo; Cian Hurley (C), Ruadhan Quinn, Daniel Okeke.
Replacements from: Kieran Ryan, Conall Henchy, Darragh McSweeney, Evan O’Connell, Paddy Kelly, Brian Gleeson, Andrew O’Mahony, Jeff Williams, Liam McCarthy, Daniel Hurley, Stephen Kiely.
