Munster Promote Academy Trio To Senior Squad
Eoin O'Connor is pictured during the warm-up prior to Munster's Heineken Champions Cup win away to Wasps in December ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne
Munster Rugby have confirmed that the Greencore Munster Rugby Academy’s Paddy Kelly, Eoin O’Connor and Paddy Patterson will be promoted to the senior squad next season.
In addition, Irish-qualified hooker Chris Moore will also join the province ahead of the 2022/23 season on a one-year deal.
Scrum half Patterson has signed a two-year contract, with locks Kelly and O’Connor both signing one-year contracts.
The trio join hooker Scott Buckley and back rower Alex Kendellen in signing senior contracts and progressing from the Academy to the senior squad next season.
The 23-year-old Patterson joined Munster from the Leinster Academy last season and has made four appearances for the men in red to date.
The UCD half-back made his Munster debut against the Scarlets at Thomond Park in March 2021 and featured off the bench against Glasgow Warriors earlier this month.
A product of St. Munchin’s College, the 22-year-old Kelly plays his Energia All-Ireland League rugby with Garryowen FC.
Currently sidelined with a hamstring injury, Kelly has scored one try in nine Munster ‘A’ appearances so far.
The 21-year-old O’Connor came up through the ranks at Waterpark RFC and plays his Energia All-Ireland League rugby with Young Munster RFC.
He made his Munster debut against Wasps in the Heineken Champions Cup in December, having missed the 2020/21 season due to a knee injury.
Meanwhile, the 21-year-old Moore hails from Trowbridge in England and lined out for the Ireland Under-18 Clubs team in 2018, alongside both Kelly and O’Connor.
A graduate of Beechen Cliff School in Bath, the young front rower is currently studying and playing at Exeter University.