No place for Rob Kearney in Ireland XV

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• Ireland coach Declan Kidney tells Michael Corcoran about the difficulty of picking the team and leaving players out, the challenge of playing Wales and the need to finish off the campaign on a positive note.

Ireland will field an unchanged starting XV for the clash with Wales at Croke Park on Saturday with the fit again Rob Kearney on the bench.

Kearney has failed to displace Leicester full-back Geordan Murphy from the starting line-up despite recovering fitness this week after a knee injury suffered during Ireland's 33-10 defeat to France.

The Leinster full-back has been named on the bench where he comes in for Ulster utility back Andrew Trimble, who drops out of the 22.

Explaining his decision to retain Murphy ahead of Kearney, head coach Declan Kidney said: 'I thought Geordan went well against England to warrant a second go. Rob has worked hard to get back but we've decided to go with Geordan.'

Elsewhere in the backline, Jonathan Sexton retains his place at out-half with scrum-half Tomás O’Leary also continuing in the first team after his influential performance against England.

In the centre, Brian O’Driscoll will become the second player to earn 100 caps for Ireland, emulating the achievement of John Hayes. Gordon D’Arcy will line out alongside the captain with Keith Earls and Tommy Bowe continuing on the wings.

The pack is also unchanged from the England match. Donncha O’Callaghan retains the number four jersey after replacing Leo Cullen at Twickenham while Paul O’Connell will wear number five.

Cian Healy, Rory Best and John Hayes, earning his 101st cap, continue in the front row with Sean Cronin and Tony Buckley providing cover.

Buckley keeps his place ahead of Tom Court in the pecking order. Leinster trio Eoin Reddan, Leo Cullen and Shane Jennings are the other substitutes.

The back-row is also unchaged with Jamie Heaslip, recovered from an ankle injury sustained late on in the game against England, David Wallace and Stephen Ferris set to start.

O'Driscoll is the 14th player to join the ranks of rugby's centurions, one match after Hayes became the first Irish player to reach the landmark.

The 31-year-old said: 'At the start you want to get as many caps as possible, but you never look and hope to attain 100.

'I've always approached it like the next game in a green shirt is my last. With that policy you can't go far wrong. And it's not over yet.'

IRELAND to face Wales in the RBS Six Nations at Croke Park on Saturday, 13 March at 2.30pm:

Ireland XV: Geordan Murphy, Tommy Bowe, Brian O'Driscoll (capt), Gordon D'Arcy, Keith Earls, Jonathan Sexton, Tomás O'Leary, Cian Healy, Rory Best, John Hayes, Donncha O'Callaghan, Paul O'Connell, Stephen Ferris, David Wallace, Jamie Heaslip.

Replacements: Sean Cronin, Tony Buckley, Leo Cullen, Shane Jennings, Eoin Reddan, Ronan O'Gara, Rob Kearney