Ennis rugby players on bench for Ireland U20 game

ENNIS rugby players Tony Butler and Conor Moloney have been named among the replacements for the Ireland U20s Match Day squad for Friday’s Challenge Match against Leinster Development at Energia Park.

Head Coach Richie Murphy has selected an extended squad of 26 players for the clash against Simon Broughton’s side in Dublin, as preparations continue for the opening game of the U20 Six Nations against Wales at Musgrave Park on Friday, February 4.

Coming off the back of Christmas hit-outs against Italy and Munster Development, Murphy will further expose his extended squad to valuable minutes, as he makes seven changes in personnel to his starting XV from last week’s win over Munster in Cork.

Ulster back row Reuben Crothers will once again captain the side, while Munster full-back Patrick Campbell and Leinster duo Fionn Gibbons and Charlie Tector are retained in the backline.

Oisin Michel, Rory McGuire, Mark Morrissey, Crothers and James Culhane are also named to start in the pack.

Commenting ahead of the game, Murphy said: “We have had two really valuable work-outs either side of Christmas and Friday is another opportunity for players in the extended group to showcase themselves, as we build towards the Six Nations and our first Friday Night Lights game in Cork.”

Ireland U20s: 15. Patrick Campbell (Young Munster RFC/Munster); 14. George Coomber (UCC RFC/Munster); 13. Fionn Gibbons (UCD RFC/Leinster); 12. Ben Brownlee (Blackrock College/Leinster); 11. Aitzol King (Clontarf FC/Leinster); 10. Charlie Tector (Lansdowne FC/Leinster); 9. Matthew Devine (Corinthians RFC/Connacht); 1. Oisin Michel (Lansdowne FC/Leinster); 2. James McCormick (Ballymena RFC/Ulster); 3. Rory McGuire (UCD RFC/Leinster); 4. John Glasgow (City of Armagh RFC/Ulster); 5. Mark Morrissey (UCD RFC/Leinster); 6. Lorcan McLoughlin (Queen’s University Belfast/Ulster); 7. Reuben Crothers (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster)(Captain); 8. James Culhane (UCD RFC/Leinster). Replacements: 16. Josh Hanlon (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster); 17. Kieran Ryan (Shannon RFC/Munster); 18. Scott Wilson (Wallace HS/Ulster); 19. Adam McNamee (Malone RFC/Ulster); 20. Conor Moloney (Young Munster RFC/Munster); 21. Adam Maher (Young Munster RFC/Munster); 22. Tony Butler (Garryowen FC/Munster); 23. Daniel Squires (UCC RFC/Munster); 24. Conor O’Tighearnaigh (UCD RFC/Leinster); 25. Reece Malone (Loughborough University/IQ Rugby); 26. Dominic Rhys Hey (Gloucester Hartpury Rugby/IQ Rugby).