Ulster A entertain Munster A in a Interprovincial match at Ravenhill this afternoon. Kick off 16:30. Unfortunately, the game is behind closed doors and is not one that we’ll be able to cover.
Ulster A won their only other outing this season, beating Leinster A 14 – 29 at the RDS back in September. However, only six players, Ethan McIlroy, Aaron Sexton, Bill Johnston, Adam McBurney, David McCann and Marcus Rea have retained their starting positions from that game. A further nine were in the extended squad for that game and 8 new players have been brought into the squad.
Ben Moxham, Cormac Izuchukwu, Conor McMenamin and Nick Timoney come into the starting line up and James McCormick, Harry Sheridan, George Saunderson and Bradley Roberts will make their first appearance for the A team this season from the bench.
Munster have named an extended squad, taking the option to bring in a fair haul of club players. hey have added experience in internationals Tommy O’Donnell and Darren Sweetnam but the bulk of the starting team are recent U20’s internationals with Sean French, Jack Crowley, Liam Coombes and Jake Flannery starting in the back line and the impressive Diarmuid Barron, Thomas Ahern and Jack O’Sullivan up front.
You should find more information on any of the players named above if you click on their tag at the bottom of the page.
It’s an exciting Ulster back line. the back three have plenty of wheels and while most will be familiar with the exploits of McIlroy and Sexton, it’s Connor Rankin that I’m particularly pleased to see involved. Rankin was on fire at the start of last season for Ulster A before going off the boil. He’s a player that can make things happen.
It’s also good to see Moxam back in action, after a series of injuries over the years, he’s a player that needs a bit of a run.
The Ulster team is captained by the magnificent McCann who features at blindside in this one. I would have liked to see him in a direct head to head with O’Sullivan as, along with Munster’s Ahearn, the trio are three of the best forwards to graduate from the U20’s in recent seasons.
Teams
| Ulster A | Munster A | |
|---|---|---|
| Ethan McIlroy | 15 | Darren Sweetnam |
| Conor Rankin | 14 | Sean French |
| Ben Moxham | 13 | Dan Goggin |
| Hayden Hyde | 12 | Jack Crowley |
| Aaron Sexton | 11 | Liam Coombes |
| Bill Johnston | 10 | Jake Flannery |
| Lewis Finlay | 9 | Nick McCarthy |
| Callum Reid | 1 | Liam O’Connor |
| Adam McBurney | 2 | Diarmuid Barron |
| Ross Kane | 3 | Roman Salanoa |
| Cormac Izuchukwu | 4 | Paddy Kelly |
| Conor McMenamin | 5 | Thomas Ahern |
| David McCann (C) | 6 | Tommy O’Donnell (C) |
| Marcus Rea | 7 | Chris Cloete |
| Nick Timoney. | 8 | Jack O’Sullivan. |
| James McCormick | 16 | Scott Buckley |
| Kyle McCall | 17 | James French |
| Gareth Milasinovich | 18 | Mark Donnelly |
| Harry Sheridan | 19 | Keynan Knox |
| George Saunderson | 20 | Cian Hurley |
| Nathan Doak | 21 | Jack Daly |
| Bruce Houston | 22 | Alex Kendellen |
| Bradley Roberts | 23 | Ben Murphy |
| 24 | Ethan Coughlan | |
| 25 | Conor Phillips | |
| 26 | Alan Flannery | |
| 27 | Jonathan Wren |