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Tierney-Martin Included On Bench For Connacht’s Llanelli Trip

Former Ireland Under-20 hooker Dylan Tierney-Martin, pictured training in Galway, is poised to make his senior debut for Connacht in Llanelli ©INPHO/James Crombie

Connacht head coach Andy Friend has again opted to shuffle the squad for Monday night’s Guinness PRO14 season finale against the Scarlets in Llanelli (kick-off 8pm).

The side is captained by Paul Boyle in a back row that also features Conor Oliver and big ball-carrying number 8 Abraham Papali’i.

The in-form Gavin Thornbury and Niall Murray continue their second row partnership after impressive showings last weekend, and a front row of Jordan Duggan, Shane Delahunt and Jack Aungier completes the pack.

Kieran Marmion has Conor Fitzgerald alongside him at half-back, and there are no changes at 12, 13 or 14 with those jerseys filled by Tom Daly, Academy centre Sean O’Brien and winger Ben O’Donnell.

Alex Wootton, the PRO14’s joint-leading try scorer this season with nine tries, is named on the opposite wing with John Porch completing the starting XV from full-back.

Galway native Dylan Tierney-Martin (21) is in line to make his Connacht senior debut, with the promising 21-year-old hooker named among the replacements.

With the westerners guaranteed to finish third in Conference B and looking forward to upcoming tests, Friend commented: “This is our final chance to give game-time to some players before our Challenge Cup and Rainbow Cup outings so I know the whole squad will be eager to impress.

“Thankfully our injury situation is relatively good heading into those competitions which has allowed us to try out a few new combinations.

“We’d love to travel to Leicester on Saturday week with a win behind us and it’s also important to finish any league campaign on a high. So we’re looking forward to travelling to Wales and seeing how they perform.”

CONNACHT (v Scarlets): John Porch; Ben O’Donnell, Sean O’Brien, Tom Daly, Alex Wootton; Conor Fitzgerald, Kieran Marmion; Jordan Duggan, Shane Delahunt, Jack Aungier, Niall Murray, Gavin Thornbury, Paul Boyle (capt), Conor Oliver, Abraham Papali’i.

Replacements: Dylan Tierney-Martin, Matthew Burke, Dominic Robertson-McCoy, Oisin Dowling, Sean Masterson, Colm Reilly, Jack Carty, Peter Sullivan.