Ryan drafted into club side

THE Ireland Club team to play their Scottish counterparts in the AIB Club International (tomorrow, Donnybrook, 7pm) shows several changes from the side defeated by England Counties in February.

Up front, UCC’s John Ryan comes in for Martin Gately alongside Mike Essex and Simon Shawe. In the backrow injuries to Barry O’Mahony and Richie Leyden result in starts for Hugh Hogan of St Mary’s College and Zach Farivars from Blackrock College. Matt Healy of Lansdowne starts on the right wing in place of John Cleary with Clontarf’s Killian Lett coming in for AIB Cup winning captain Evan Ryan.

Ger Slattery from Young Munster and Robin Copeland of St. Mary’s come into the replacements bench for the game.

Dolphin’s Sam Cronin will captain the side again and is joined in the halfbacks by his club mate Barry Keeshan.

IRELAND CLUB (v Scotland Club XV): D O’Shea (Clontarf), M Healy (Lansdowne) , E Moloney (Dolphin), K Lett (Clontarf), S Kelly (Shannon), B Keeshan (Dolphin), S Cronin (Dolphin), (capt), J Ryan (UCC), M Essex (Shannon), S Shawe (Ballymena), P Huntly (Blackrock College), F Walsh (Shannon), H Hogan (St. Mary’s College), Z Farivars (Blackrock College), F Cogan (Cork Constitution) .

Replacements: G Slattery (Young Munster), C Condon (Dolphin), S Crawford (Clontarf), R Copeland (St. Mary’s College), C Sheridan (UL Bohemians), D Fitzpatrick (Blackrock College), S Scanlon (University College Cork).