Munster trio named from the start for Irish U20s ahead of Scotland trip

The UL Bohemians man gets his first start of the championship as he is one of three Munster men named in the pack from the off.

Head Coach Richie Murphy has named his Ireland U20s Match Day Squad, sponsored by PwC, for Friday night’s clash against Scotland in Glasgow (Kick-off 7.15pm, live RTÉ2).

There are four Munster men named from the start in the clash with Scotland as the U20s also remain on course for a Grand Slam. Brian Gleeson and Ruadhan Quinn start for the third successive game while Evan O’Connell gets his first start of the championship. Danny Sheahan is among the substitutes.

Murphy’s starting XV shows three changes from the win over Italy in Treviso in Round 3, with Fiachna Barrett and O’Connell coming into the pack for their first starts of the Championship, and Andrew Osborne named on the wing for his U20s debut.

Henry McErlean, Osborne and Hugh Gavin make up the back three, with John Devine and Hugh Cooney retained in midfield. Sam Prendergast, Player of the Match in the wins over France and Italy, is named to start at out-half, with Fintan Gunne at scrum-half.

Connacht prop Barrett comes into the front row alongside George Hadden and captain Gus McCarthy, with Munster’s O’Connell joining the ever-present Conor O’Tighearnaigh in the second row, while the back row of James McNabney, Quinn and Gleeson remains unchanged.

The match is live on RTÉ2.

Ireland U20s:

15. Henry McErlean (Terenure/Leinster)
14. Andrew Osborne (Naas/Leinster)
13. Hugh Cooney (Clontarf/Leinster)
12. John Devine (Corinthians/Connacht)
11. Hugh Gavin (Galwegians/Connacht)
10. Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne/Leinster)
9. Fintan Gunne (Terenure/Leinster)

1. George Hadden (Clontarf/Leinster)
2. Gus McCarthy (UCD/Leinster)(captain)
3. Fiachna Barrett (Corinthians/Connacht)
4. Evan O’Connell (UL Bohemians/Munster)
5. Conor O’Tighearnaigh (UCD/Leinster)
6. James McNabney (Ballymena/Ulster)
7. Ruadhán Quinn (Old Crescent/Munster)
8. Brian Gleeson (Garryowen/Munster)

Replacements:

16. Danny Sheahan (UCC/Munster)
17. George Morris (Lansdowne/Leinster)
18. Paddy McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)
19. Diarmuid Mangan (UCD/Leinster)
20. Liam Molony (Dublin University/Leinster)
21. Oscar Cawley (Naas/Leinster)
22. Matthew Lynch (Dublin University/Leinster)
23. Rory Telfer (Queen’s University/Ulster).