The Ireland School selectors have named their 26-man squad for the forthcoming Under-18 Six Nations Festival (sponsored by The Bowen Group) which will be held for the first time in Cork over the Easter period.

The Ireland squad includes a spread of players from the country’s top schools teams and will be captained by Brian O’Hara from Presentation Brothers College Cork.

The Festival itself will see the national Under-18 teams from England, Ireland, France, Italy, Scotland and Wales play a series of matches at Musgrave Park, Cork Constitution FC, the Mardyke (UCC) and Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) from March 26 until April 1.   

Admission to all the matches is free and with the promise of some high octane rugby from some of the best young talent in Europe, rugby fans are encouraged to get down to one of the venues.

Ireland Under-18 Schools Squad

Backs (12)

Michael Allen (Methodist College)

Mark Atkinson (Grosvenor Grammar School)

Jason Bloomfield (Coleraine Academical Institution)

Ray Crotty (St. Mary’s College)

Diarmuid McCarthy (Castletroy College)

Michael Kelleher (St. Munchin’s College)

Luke Marshall (Ballymena Academy)

James McKinney (Campbell College)

David McSharry (Templeogue College)

David O’Driscoll (PBC Cork)

Noel Reid (St. Michael’s College)

Nevin Spence (Wallace High School)

Forwards (14)

Niall Annett (Methodist College)

Richard Bent (St. Mary’s College)

Denis Buckley (Blackrock College)

Patrick Butler (Rockwell College)

Risteard Byrne (Terenure College)

Brian Cagney (PBC Cork)

Brian Hayes (CBC Cork)

Ben Marshall (St. Andrew’s College)

Martin Moore (Castlenock College)

David O’Callaghan (Midleton College)

Jack O’Connell (Clongowes Wood College)

Brian O’Hara (PBC Cork) (capt)

Paul Pritchard (Ballymena Academy)

Dominic Ryan (Gonzaga College)

Management

Manager: Lorcan Balfe

Coach: Peter Melia

Assistant Coach: Paul Barr

Doctor: Ossie Fogarty

Physio: David Lyons