Connacht Eagles Chase Cup Win On The Road
While the senior squad welcome Zebre to the Sportsground this Saturday in the Heineken Cup, Connacht Eagles travel to England to face Rotherham Titans in round 5 of the British & Irish Cup.
Connacht Eagles head coach Nigel Carolan has named a matchday squad made up of senior, Academy and club players.
The selected back-three includes Tiernan O’Halloran at full-back with Academy wingers Shane Layden and David Panter alongside him.
In the pack, David Heffernan, who came off the bench in the recent RaboDirect PRO12 games against Munster and Leinster, will start at hooker with senior props Ronan Loughney and JP Cooney either side of him.
Rory Moloney, who last month captained the Ireland Under-19 team against Australia Schools, is named at openside flanker.
The Eagles have won two from four in Pool 3 of the British & Irish Cup with both wins coming at home in the Sportsground. Saturday’s clash at Clifton Lane kicks off at 2pm.
The westerners are looking to complete the double over Rotherham Titans, whom they beat 27-25 back in October.
Back then, full-back Darragh Leader stepped up to land a late penalty kick from distance to secure the two-point triumph. That was Rotherham’s only defeat in the competition to date.
CONNACHT EAGLES (v Rotherham Titans): Tiernan O’Halloran; Shane Layden, Conor Finn, Brian Murphy, David Panter; Tadhg Leader, Frank Murphy (capt); Ronan Loughney, David Heffernan, JP Cooney, Sean O’Brien, Daniel Qualter, Mata Fifita, Rory Moloney, Eoghan Masterson.
Replacements: James Rael, Finlay Bealham, Peter Reilly, Aaron McCloskey, Marcus Walsh, Rory Parata, Steve Macauley.