Munster coach Declan Kidney will hand new signings Jim Williams and Martin Cahill debuts when the province take on London Irish in a friendly at Musgrave Park tomorrow night. Williams has been named at number 7 in a seventeen strong starting line up, while A international Cahill comes into the front row alongside Marcus Horan and John Fogarty.
Derek Hegarty, another newcomer, is named in the replacements. Hegarty won international honours for Ireland on the South African tour in 1998 and was a regular on the Leinster side until the arrival last season of Kevin Putt and Brian O’Meara. Kidney will also give another run to under 21 stars Denis Leamy and Peter Malone. Leamy played in the warm up match against London Wasps while Malone featured in the game against Bath.
Meanwhile, London Irish arrived at their Kinsale hotel yesterday ahead of their five day pre-season training camp. They’ve played just one friendly so far against National Division One side Bracknell, whom they defeated 62-13. They field a side that includes Irish internationals Justin Bishop, Eddie Halvey and Kieron Dawson, former under 19 international Declan Danaher and former Munster and Leinster number 10, Irish A international Barry Everitt.
Munster
1 Marcus Horan 2 John Fogarty 3 Martin Cahill 4 Donncha O’Callaghan 5 Paul O’Connell 6 David Bowles 7 Jim Williams 8 Denis Leamy or Peter Malone 9 Mike Prendergast 10 Killian Keane 11-15 Maurice Lawlor, Conor Mahony, John Lacey, Dermot O’Sullivan, John O’Neill, Dominic Crotty.
Replacements: James Blaney, Des Clohessy, John O’Driscoll, Derek Hegarty.
London Irish
1 Michael Horak 2 Jarrod Cunningham 3 Justin Bishop 4 Brendan Venter 5 Paul Sackey 6 Barry Everitt 7 Darren Edwards 8 Neal Hatley 9 Naka Drotske 10 Simon Halford 11 Jeff Fahrensohn 12 Ryan Strudwick(Capt) 13 Eddie Halvey 14 Kieron Dawson 15 Declan Danaher.
Replacements: Geoff Appleford, Kevin Barrett, Richard Bates, James Brown, James Cockle, Glenn Delaney, Nick Drake, Adrian Flavin, Rob Hardwick, Rob Hoadley, Richard Kirke, Chris Sheasby, Lee Starling, Craig Turvey, Steve Williams, Mike Worsley, Jason Wright.
Filed by Shane Murray
