Munster looking to repeat last year’s win

Provincial A sides clash at Dooradoyle for a place in the British & Irish Cup final

Ireland under-20 scrumhalf Luke McGrath lines out for Leinster A tonight.
Ireland under-20 scrumhalf Luke McGrath lines out for Leinster A tonight.

Munster A v Leinster A Dooradoyle (7.30): This is a repeat of last year's British & Irish Cup semi-final, a game which Munster A won 36-29 at the RDS.

Munster coach Ian Costello has brought in Alan Cotter, Barry O'Mahony and Ivan Dinneen from the side that beat the Cornish Pirates. His Leinster counterpart Girvan Dempsey has selected a young side led by Conor Gilsenan with a further four academy players on the bench.

Cathal Marsh, who made his senior debut away to Zebre last weekend, renews a schools partnership with Luke McGrath at half back, with Noel Reid linking up with the fit again Adam Byrne at centre. Fionn Carr starts at fullback with Andrew Boyle and Sam Coghlan-Murray named on the wings. Tom Denton starts in the secondrow.

Dempsey has rewarded three promising club players, Lansdowne's Tom Daly, Suttonians scrumhalf Adam Griggs and Clontarf's Mick McGrath.

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MUNSTER A: S Scanlon; C Hircock, D Barnes, I Dineen, R O'Mahony; JJ Hanrahan, D Williams; J Cronin, S Henry (capt), A Cotter; D Foley, I Nagle; N Ronan, B O'Mahony, CJ Stander. Replacements: D Casey, M Horan, B Hayes, S Dougall, J Holland, S Deasy, C Bohane.

LEINSTER A: F Carr; A Boyle, A Byrne, N Reid, S Coghlan-Murray; C Marsh, L McGrath; J O'Connell, A Dundon, M Bent; T Denton, M Flanagan; B Marshall, C Gilsenan (capt), L Auva'a. Replacements: J Tracy, M Moore, T Beirne, D Leavy, A Griggs, T Daly, M McGrath.

John O'Sullivan

John O'Sullivan

John O'Sullivan is an Irish Times sports writer