Marmion’s ticket to the big time

Promising Connacht scrum-half Kieran Marmion knows he will have to be on his toes when Harlequins visit the Sportsground tomorrow evening, but he was fairly busy as well when the English champions visited back in January — checking the tickets of supporters entering the packed ground.

The 20-year-old academy player from Wales was earning a few extra euro working the turnstiles when Conor O’Shea’s came to Galway nine months ago but he will have a different set of duties tomorrow evening as Connacht bid to repeat their memorable 9-8 win.

Injuries to regulars Frank Murphy and Paul O’Donohue created an opening during the summer at scrum-half and Marmion, an Irish U20 for the past two seasons, jumped at the chance.