Irish provinces name teams for second round of Celtic Cup action

A host of academy and Ireland U20 stars will be on show across the weekend.

ALL FOUR PROVINCES have named their ‘A’ teams for the second round of Celtic Cup action, with Leinster, Ulster and Connacht all hoping to build on their opening weekend wins.

After drawing 20-20 with Ospreys Development in Cork last week, Munster have included eight academy players in their side to play Dragons on Friday night, including Ireland U20 Grand Slam winners Jonathan Wren and Ben Healy among others.

Hooker Scott Buckley captains the southern province for tonight’s game at Rodney Parade [KO 7pm], while Leinster’s title defence continues against Scarlets ‘A’ at Donnybrook on Saturday evening [KO 5.30pm].

After an emphatic victory at Cardiff Blues in round one, Leinster welcome back a host of senior-capped players this weekend, including Hugo Keenan who scored the winning try for Leo Cullen’s side in Canada last Saturday.

The Ireland sevens international starts at fullback for the eastern province, with Harry Byrne set for further game-time at 10 and Rónan Kelleher named to captain Noel McNamara’s men at hooker.

Connacht, meanwhile, have made four changes from the side that beat Dragons ‘A’ last weekend for Saturday’s clash against Ospreys in Wales [KO 12pm], with Cillian Gallagher captaining the side from the back row.

cillian-gallagher-and-eoghan-masterson Cillian Gallagher captains Connacht Eagles. Jean Francois Basset / INPHO Jean Francois Basset / INPHO / INPHO

Three of those changes are in the pack where there’s a start for summer arrival Rory Burke and Ireland U20 Grand Slam winner Dylan Tierney-Martin in the front row, while Cormac Daly is named in the second row alongside Niall Murray.

The final change is at scrum-half where Aran Hehir steps in for the Eagles.

Finally, 14 of Ulster’s starting team for tomorrow’s visit of Cardiff Blues to Malone RFC [KO 7.30pm] are in the province’s academy or sub-academy, with last season’s Ulster club player of the year, Ross Adair, the exception.

Leinster (v Scarlets):

15. Hugo Keenan
14. Niall Comerford
13. Gavin Mullin
12. Liam Turner
11. Jack Kelly
10. Harry Byrne
9. Paddy Patterson
1. Michael Milne
2. Rónan Kelleher (captain)
3. Jack Aungier
4. Cian Prendergast
5. Oisín Dowling
6. Martin Moloney
7. Mark Hernan
8. Ronan Foley.

Replacements:

16. Dan Sheehan
17. Marcus Hannan
18. Charlie Ward
19. Ronan Watters
20. Seán O’Brien
21. Cormac Foley
22. Paddy McKenzie
23. Adam La Grue.

Munster (v Dragons):

15. Rob Hedderman
14. Matt Bowen
13. Louis Bruce
12. Alan Tynan
11. Jonathan Wren
10. Ben Healy
9. Jack Stafford

1. James French
2. Scott Buckley (captain)
3. Corrie Barrett
4. Kevin Seymour
5. Paddy Kelly
6. David Hyland
7. Jack Daly
8. Cian Hurley.

Replacements:

16. Eoghan Clarke
17. Aaron Hennessy
18. James Kendrick
19. Conor Mitchell
20. Charlie O’Doherty
21. Jack Crowley
22. Pa Ryan.

Ulster (v Cardiff Blues):

15. Conor Rankin
14. Ethan McIlroy
13. Ross Adair
12. Hayden Hyde
11. Graham Curtis
10. Bruce Houston
9. Nathan Doak

1. Callum Reid
2. Tom Stewart
3. Peter Cooper
4. Matthew Dalton
5. Jack Regan
6. Joe Dunleavy
7. David McCann (captain)
8. Azur Allison.

Replacements:

16. Claytan Milligan
17. Paul Mullen
18. Jonny Blair
19. JJ McKee
20. Matthew Agnew
21. Aaron Hall
22. Lewis Finlay
23. Greg Hutley.

Connacht (v Ospreys):

15. Conor Hayes
14. Hugh Lane
13. Seán O’Brien
12. Luke Carty
11. Peter Sullivan
10. Conor Dean
9. Aran Hehir

1. Matthew Burke
2. Dylan Tierney-Martin
3. Rory Burke
4. Niall Murray
5. Cormac Daly
6. Cillian Gallagher (captain)
7. Seán Masterson
8. Mikey Wilson.

Replacements:

16. Declan Adamson
17. Conor Maguire
18. Ryan Lomas
19. Gavin Meagher
20. Hubert Costello
21. Stephen Kerins
22. Diarmuid Kilgallen
23. Oran McNulty.

Murray Kinsella and Gavan Casey and Bernard Jackman try to identify how Ireland can get back on track after Twickenham.