Dowling back against Ulster A

MUNSTER winger Ian Dowling is set to play his first match of the season when the A team takes on Ulster in Belfast tomorrow.

Apart from his native county’s victory in the All-Ireland Hurling Championship, the Kilkenny man hasn’t had much to enthuse over of late and is now looking forward to getting game time, having hopefully recovered fully from a series of niggling injuries.

With the return of several big names to the first XV, it was inevitable that others would have to be satisfied with a place in the side heading north. Fitting into that boat are Billy Holland, who captains the side; Danny Barnes, Scott Deasy and Tom Gleeson.

The team is mostly a mix of academy and development players and one or two given an opportunity to show they are ready for promotion from the club game to the more rarified atmosphere of the Munster squad.

MUNSTER A (v Ulster, Belfast, tomorrow): D. Riordan; D. Barnes, S. Deasy, T. Gleeson, I. Dowling; D. Cusack, D. Williams; D. Ryan, M. Sherry, S. Archer, I. Nagle, D. Foley, B. Holland capt, E. Grace, P. O’Mahony.

Replacements: S. Henry, D. Hurley, K. Essex, B. O’Mahony; P. Rowley, A. Burke, R. O’Mahony.