Seven New Recruits For Munster Academy

Out of the current Munster Academy crop of 20 players, two will advance to senior development contracts next season – Academy Player of the Year Jack O’Donoghue and Darren Sweetnam, while Ryan Murphy, Max Abbott and Jamie Glynn have been released.

The seven new recruits include three players currently involved with the Ireland Under-20s at the World Rugby U-20 Championship in Italy – Tomás Quinlan, Liam O’Connor (pictured below) and Conor Oliver.

The Cork Constitution duo of Quinlan and O’Connor are joined by club-mate Ned Hodson in gaining promotion from the province’s sub-Academy, while Oliver joins from St. Mary’s College having previously played at Leinster age-grade level. he most recently lined out with O’Connor in the Munster ‘A’ team’s win over Ulster Ravens at Naas RFC.

Another player involved that day, UCD prop JP Phelan, has also been included, with Munster sub-Academy players Ben Kilkenny (Young Munster) and Steven McMahon (Garryowen) completing the 22-man Academy. Dungarvan’s McMahon ensures the Waterford representation is maintained with O’Donoghue advancing to senior status.

2015/16 GREENCORE MUNSTER RUGBY ACADEMY:

Year 3 – Rory Burke (Prop/Cork Constitution), Jack Cullen (Scrum Half/Shannon), Niall Horan (Prop/Shannon), David Johnston (Full-Back/UL Bohemians), Gearoid Lyons (Out-Half/Young Munster), Sean McCarthy (Lock/Shannon), John Madigan (Lock/Dolphin), Greg O’Shea (Winger/Shannon), Rory Scannell (Centre/Dolphin), Alex Wootton (Winger/Garryowen).

Year 2 – Stephen Fitzgerald (Full-Back/Shannon), Ryan Foley (Scrum Half/Cork Constitution), Dan Goggin (Centre/Young Munster), Darragh Moloney (Lock/Cork Constitution), Brian Scott (Prop/Dolphin).

Year 1 – Ned Hodson (Centre/Cork Constitution), Ben Kilkenny (Back Rower/Young Munster), Steven McMahon (Winger/Garryowen), Liam O’Connor (Prop/Cork Constitution), Conor Oliver (Back Rower/St. Mary’s College), JP Phelan (Prop/UCD), Tomás Quinlan (Out-Half/Cork Constitution).