O’Donohoe-Led Leinster Prepare For Plymouth Clash

Please note that due to the current cold snap, Friday’s Leinster v Plymouth Albion match has been moved to Skerries RFC’s home ground, Holmpatrick. Click here for directions to the venue.

Scrum half Paul O’Donohoe leads a team boasting youth and experience for Friday’s pool game, and the selected side includes Ed O’Donoghue, Rhys Ruddock and Stephen Keogh in the pack.

Brendan Macken makes his return from injury to start at centre alongside Noel Reid, with Michael Keating forming an exciting back-three alongside Ireland Under-20 prospect Sam Coghlan Murray and full-back Niall Morris.

Colin McEntee’s side opened their British & Irish Cup campaign with a 33-28 win at Newport in October, and top Pool A ahead of the first full round of matches.

Quite a few Albion supporters are taking advantage of cheap flights from Plymouth and Exeter to Dublin for the game, while Graham Dawe’s Plymouth are also set to be boost by a large following of family and friends of their Irish contingent.

Albion have included six players – Ruairi Cushion, Gavin O’Meara, Fionn McLoughlin, Robin Copeland, Kieran Hallett and Johnny Coleman – who have represented Ireland at one level or another in their squad for the game.

Ireland Colleges lock Copeland, who starred for St. Mary’s College last season, has timed his return from injury just right.

He and fellow forward Gareth Evans are back in Albion’s squad after missing the last three matches due to injuries they picked up against Worcester on November 13.

There is free entrance to the game at Skerries RFC.

LEINSTER (v Plymouth Albion): Niall Morris; Sam Coghlan Murray, Brendan Macken, Noel Reid, Michael Keating; Ian McKinley, Paul O’Donohoe (capt); Jack McGrath, Tom Sexton, Stewart Maguire, Eoin Sheriff, Ed O’Donoghue, Rhys Ruddock, Jordi Murphy, Stephen Keogh.

Replacements: Aaron Dundon, Ben Prescott, Mark Flanagan, Ben Marshall, John Cooney, Darren Hudson, Andrew Boyle.