Fogarty to face Connacht at RDS

MAGNERS LEAGUE TEAM NEWS: Hooker John Fogarty will line out against his former Connacht team-mates at the RDS tomorrow evening…

MAGNERS LEAGUE TEAM NEWS:Hooker John Fogarty will line out against his former Connacht team-mates at the RDS tomorrow evening, as one-time Leinster charge Fionn Carr returns to Michael Bradley's side ahead of the Magners League clash.

Injury to Bernard Jackman affords Fogarty a chance to prove his worth in Leinster colours, while a knee injury to Gavin Duffy means Carr comes in on the wing and Troy Nathan reverts to fullback.

In the win over Munster last weekend, Duffy was instrumental, and in current form he will be a loss to Bradley but there are three other changes to the league's bottom-side, who go in search of a second win of the season over the defending champions.

In the frontrow, John Lyne starts at looshead instead of Brett Wilkinson, while Michael Swift is named in the secondrow beside Andrew Farley. 
 
Ray Ofisa drops out of the side and Mike McCarthy moves from lock to the backrow to join captain John Muldoon and Colm Rigney.

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Last week's points-scoring hero Ian Keatley continues his partnership with scrumhalf Frank Murphy.

The homeside cannot afford a slip-up or another jittery performance like the one that lead to last week's narrow win at Ravenhill.

Simon Keogh ensured the points when he came off the bench against Ulster and has been rewarded with a starting berth on the left wing, while there's another start on the right for Gordon D'Arcy who emerged unscathed from his first game in 10 months last weekend.

The central combination of Luke Fitzgerald and Felipe Contepomi is retained and Isa Nacewa continues at outhalf.  Both Jonathan Sexton and Brian O'Driscoll are in line for places on the bench though the replacements have yet to be finalised by Michael Cheika.

Shane Jennings returns to the openside and Stephen Keogh is at number eight as the pair join Rocky Elsom in the backrow.

In the secondrow, Cameron Jowitt replaces Devin Toner to line up alongside Trevor Hogan.

Leinster: Rob Kearney; Gordon D'Arcy, Luke Fitzgerald, Felipe Contepomi, Simon Keogh; Isa Nacewa, Chris Whitaker (Capt); Cian Healy, John Fogarty, Stan Wright; Trevor Hogan, Cameron Jowitt; Rocky Elsom, Shane Jennings, Stephen Keogh

Replacements from: Brian Blaney, Ronan McCormack, Malcolm O'Kelly, Devin Toner, Sean O'Brien, Jamie Heaslip, Chris Keane, Jonathan Sexton, Shane Horgan, Brian O'Driscoll

Connacht team: T Nathan; F Carr, N Ta'auso, K Matthews, L Bibo; I Keatley, F Murphy; J Lyne, A Flavin, R Morris; M Swift, A Farley; M McCarthy, J Muldoon (C), C Rigney.

Replacements: S Cronin, R Loughney, A Browne, D Gannon, K Campbell, A Dunne, M Deane.

Carl O'Malley

Carl O'Malley

The late Carl O'Malley was an Irish Times sports journalist