Munster look to McGlinchey to bring Cashel form to party

THE Junior Interprovincial series begins this evening in Charleville with the clash of Munster and Leinster.

The hosts are backboned by league champions Cashel, who have four starters and two replacements on the panel.

Olly McGlinchey has been a key figure in the Tipperary side’s successes this season, directing affairs from scrum-half. He will form an exciting partnership with Kanturk’s Darragh Meade, while another Cashel star, Darragh O’Brien, is on the wing. The O’Connor brothers complete the Premier men’s on-field representative. Eoin lines up alongside JJ Frahill in the second row while full-back Pat is one of the best broken field runners in the provincial junior game.

Interestingly, another set of brothers, Dermot and Brian O’Sullivan (Tralee) are also named in the Munster squad.

Ger Luby of Kilfeacle captains the side from the back row. He will put local rivalries aside for the next few weeks and will aim to strike up a strong partnership with Clanwilliam’s David McCormack and Tadgh Wright in a powerful back row.

It should be a very hard fought encounter and the Munster pack will be aiming to make a big impact.

The props, Thomas Keaveny and Trevor Downes, will be confident they can get the better in the crucial scrum battle, while Darragh Fitzgerald of St Mary’s is a dynamic hooker. The game kicks off at 6.45pm in Charleville, while Connacht host Ulster in Tuam tomorrow at 2.30pm

With the season drawing to a close, there are several finals in the days ahead.

In Musgrave Park tonight, Mallow are favourites to claim the O’Neill Cup against Midleton while on Sunday, Cashel and Galbally clash for the Mansergh Cup. Cashel are confident of repeating their Junior Cup semi-final victory but cannot afford to be complacent against the Limerick men.

It isn’t, however, only Cashel’s junior side which has excelled this season, as their seconds aim to claim the Munster Junior Cup against a strong Ballincollig side at Fermoy.

There are three other finals on Sunday with Highfield playing Mallow for the Dave Dinneen Cup at Woodleigh Park and Ballincollig and Fermoy battle for the McCarthy Cup as a curtain-raiser to the Munster J2 final in Fermoy.

In Tipperary, arch rivals Clanwilliam and Kilfeacle face off for the U21 O’Connor Cup. The Paul Twomey Cup final brings the season to a close in South Munster when Old Christians and Sunday’s Well meet on Wednesday at Musgrave Park (6.30pm).