Lansdowne Move For Cooney And Murphy

A number of current and former Ireland Under-20 internationals will be playing for new clubs in next season’s All-Ireland League.

With confirmation of the early summer transfers in Leinster coming through, Lansdowne have strengthened their squad with current Ireland Under-20 internationals John Cooney and Jordi Murphy among the new arrivals.

Fresh from playing at the IRB Junior World Championship Argentina, the pair will join their international colleagues Dominic Ryan, Martin Moore and Jack O’Connell at the Division 1B club.

Thomas Sexton, the ex-Ireland Under-20 hooker, will also line out for Lansdowne in the new campaign.

Sexton’s old club, Old Belvedere, have recruited well. Two former underage internationals, Conor Cleary and Gavin Nyawata, are due to link up with the Anglesea Road side, along with current Ireland Under-20 back rower Robin O’Sullivan.

Rhys Ruddock, who is on the cusp of winning his first Test cap, and his older brother Ciaran have left UCD for St. Mary’s College, the beaten Division 1 finalists this past season.

Talented out-half Gearoid O’Grady, who captained Tullamore to AIB Junior Cup glory last year, has agreed to join Bective Rangers in Division 2 of the All-Ireland League.

As they bid to bounce back from relegation to Division 1B, Clontarf have netted two notable acquisitions in the form of Ireland Under-20 centre/out-half Noel Reid and former Leinster lock Ben Gissing.

And another solid second row, Paul Huntly, who played for the Ireland Club International team earlier this year, has joined Division 3 outfit Wanderers.

LEINSTER CLUB TRANSFERS IN – 2010/11 SEASON:

Barnhall –

Eoin Hogan (Monkstown), Adam Hughes (Terenure College)

Bective Rangers –

Damien Carley (County Carlow), Noel Foxe (St. Mary’s College), William Hanly (Old Crescent), Stephen King (Greystones), Conor McNamara (Old Crescent), Gearoid O’Grady (Tullamore), Alan Scanlan (Greystones)

Clontarf –

Caolan Doyle (Dublin University), Ben Gissing (Skerries), Alan Kenny (County Carlow), Ross McCauley (Skerries), Colin Murphy (Dublin University), Noel Reid (UCD)

Lansdowne –

John Cooney (UCD), Martin Kelly (North Kildare), Jordi Murphy (Blackrock College), Thomas Sexton (Old Belvedere)

Newbridge –

Mick Byrne (St. Mary’s College)

Old Belvedere –

Ben Byrne Diaper (Greystones), Conor Cleary (Greystones), Gavin Nyawata (Bective Rangers), Robin O’Sullivan (Bective Rangers), Peter Woods (Clontarf), Ben Woods (Clontarf)

Old Wesley –

Tristan Goodbody (Dublin University), Rory Stynes (County Carlow)

Seapoint –

Carl de Chenu (Clontarf), Eoin Kelly (Wanderers), Robert Keogh (Blackrock College), Kevin Moes (Greystones)

St. Mary’s College –

David Campbell (Bective Rangers), Rhys Ruddock (UCD), Ciaran Ruddock (UCD)

Terenure College –

John Campbell (Instonians)

Tullamore –

Daire O’Beirne (UCD)

UCD –

Ross Johnson (Old Wesley), Daniel Kenny (Greystones)

Wanderers –

Tom Dalton (Garryowen), Ben Greer (Blackrock College), Paul Huntly (Blackrock College), Justin Kilgallon (Monkstown)