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Hooker Kelleher Steps Up For Leinster Debut

Ronan Kelleher, Leinster's latest senior debutant from their Academy panel, is pictured training with the squad last week at The High School ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has made seven personnel changes and two positional switches to the team for Friday’s GUINNESS PRO14 match against the Isuzu Southern Kings at the RDS (kick-off 7.55pm).

Ronan Kelleher will become the 54th Leinster player to pull on a senior jersey this season when he makes his debut at hooker. The Lansdowne clubman only turned 21 last month and is in his second year in the Leinster Academy. He is the younger brother of Connacht back Cian Kelleher.

Beside Kelleher in the front row will be Ed Byrne and Andrew Porter, with the latter having lined out in last Saturday’s 40-24 bonus point triumph away to Zebre. Making his 80th Leinster appearance, Ross Molony captains the side from the second row alongside Clontarf’s Mick Kearney.

An unchanged back row sees Josh Murphy, Max Deegan, who touched down twice in Viadana, and Caelan Doris all retained, while Ross Byrne, who scored a try and kicked five conversions in the Zebre game, has Hugh O’Sullivan as his half-back partner. It is a tenth cap for the Meath-born scrum half who turns 21 on Sunday.

Noel Reid comes in at inside centre with Conor O’Brien switching to the outside berth, and Fergus McFadden makes a welcome return from a hamstring injury on the right wing. McFadden is back in blue for the first time since October’s derby win over Munster, linking up in the back-three with James Lowe and Barry Daly, who moves to full-back.

The selected bench includes Academy second row Jack Dunne who is poised to play his first game at the RDS. It comes just six days on from the 21-year-old’s debut for Leinster as a replacement in the final minutes of their round 15 clash with Zebre.

Tickets for the Leinster v Isuzu Southern Kings game are still on sale h ere from Ticketmaster.ie or from the ticket office in the RDS, which will be open from 6.15pm on match day.

LEINSTER (v Isuzu Southern Kings): Barry Daly; Fergus McFadden, Conor O’Brien, Noel Reid, James Lowe; Ross Byrne, Hugh O’Sullivan; Ed Byrne, Ronan Kelleher, Andrew Porter, Ross Molony (capt), Mick Kearney, Josh Murphy, Max Deegan, Caelan Doris.

Replacements: James Tracy, Peter Dooley, Michael Bent, Jack Dunne, Scott Fardy, Paddy Patterson, Jimmy O’Brien, Rory O’Loughlin.