Connacht captained from the back
Thu, 27 Nov 2008 13:48
Fullback Gavin Duffy is set to captain Connacht for the first time on Friday night, when his side take on Ulster in their Magners League clash at Ravenhill.
Keith Matthews starts for Connacht for the first time since Connacht took on Glasgow in September, having overcome a calf injury. He is joined at outside centre by Mel Deane with Fionn Carr and Troy Nathan lining out on the wings.
Ian Keatley and Frank Murphy return to renew their halfback partnership while up front, hooker Sean Cronin is joined in the front row by Brett Wilkinson and Robbie Morris. Michael McCarthy and Andrew Farley team up once again in the second row while Ray Ofisa, Johnny O'Connor and Colm Rigney start in the back row.
Tim Donnelly is named among the replacements for the first time this season having overcome a shoulder injury.
Connacht: 15 Gavin Duffy (captain), 14 Fionn Carr, 13 Mel Deane, 12 Keith Matthews, 11 Troy Nathan, 10 Ian
Keatley, 9 Frank Murphy, 8 Colm Rigney, 7 Jonny O'Connor, 6 Ray Ofisa, 5 Andrew Farley, 4 Michael McCarthy, 3 Robbie Morris, 2 Sean Cronin, 1 Brett Wilkinson.
Replacements: 16 Adrian Flavin, 17 Ronan Loughney, 18 Andrew Browne, 19 Michael Swift, 20 Kieran Campbell, 21 Tom Donnelly, 22 John Hearty.
Date: Friday, November 28
Venue: Ravenhill
Kick-off: 19.30 GMT
Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland)
Touch judges: Dudley Phillips (Ireland), Trevor Collins (Ireland)
TMO: Dermot Moloney (Ireland)
