WINGER ADAM BYRNE is in a race to be fit to play for Connacht against his former side Leinster when they meet at the RDS on New Year’s Day.

The 28-year old has been limited by injuries to just four appearances for Connacht since his summer move and also missed the 10-0 loss to his native province in October.

Byrne has made two starts and two off the bench for Connacht but has still managed to notch two excellent tries and director of rugby at the Sportsground Andy Friend is hopeful Byrne will recover from a foot injury.

“Adam has been good, certainly the last few opportunities he has had he has been very good,” said Friend. “We have been very impressed with him. He’s nursing a foot at the moment so we will see how he pulls through with that.”

Byrne announced his arrival in some style in his first start when he scored a superb try against Newcastle Falcons in the Challenge Cup earlier this month and he also started the following week in the victory in Brive.

Byrne, capped once for Ireland against Argentina in 2017, came off the bench and scored Connacht’s third try in the dying moments against Ulster last weekend to cut the gap to two points but Jack Carty’s conversion was missed and they did not salvage a draw.

Byrne was one of four Leinster players to move to Galway during the summer with David Hawkshaw, Josh Murphy and Peter Dooley seeing regular action.

Byrne, who became Leinster’s youngest ever player when he made his debut as an 18-year old in 2012, made 66 appearances for Leinster before the Kildare native moved west and Friend is hopeful that he can now get a clear run after his injuries.

“Unfortunately for Adam he has had a few little niggles this year so we haven’t seen a great deal of him but when he’s out there on the park you know he’s there. He’s got a presence about him,” added Friend.

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