Rookie Cathal Forde makes emotional Connacht bow

Cathal Forde in action for Ireland U20s against Leinster Development in a recent game at Energia Park. Picture: INPHO/Ryan Byrne

Tiernan O’Halloran will become the fourth Connacht player to hit 200 appearances for the province against Glasgow Warriors today and scrum-half Kieran Marmion will quickly follow in the coming weeks.

But it will be an even bigger occasion at the Sportsground for the last player to hit that milestone with loosehead prop Denis Buckley set to make his return after recovering from a cruciate injury just a minute into his 200th game last summer.

Marmion, who will make his 198th appearance this weekend, will be partnered at half-back by rookie Cathal Forde who will make his debut having come through the academy and will step up to a full contract next season.

It will be a poignant day for the Forde family from Knocknacarra on the west of Galway city as Cathal’s father Tom, a Limerick native who passed away just under two years ago, was an avid Connacht fan and was one of the primary links between Bank of Ireland and their sponsorship of Connacht for over two decades.

Forde will try to fill Jack Carty’s boots in a key game for Connacht who have won four and lost four in the URC to date.

Senior coach Pete Wilkins said this clash, which sees former player, academy manager and assistant coach Nigel Carolan, return to the Sportsground as Glasgow backs coach, is vital to their season along with next week’s trip to Ulster.

“It’s a massive game. I think the next two weeks are massive games, both in terms of the league and our wins and losses and status in the league, but also the two teams we’re playing.

“It’s really important that we do some damage to their campaigns with respect so it is a massive challenge for us but it’s actually a really good time to have those challenges because we’re in the middle of that part season, there’s been a fair bit of rugby played and we’re coming off a couple of big European games,” said Wilkins.

CONNACHT: T O’Halloran; A Wootton, T Farrell, S Arnold, D Kilgallen; C Forde, K Marmion; J Duggan, D Heffernan, G McGrath; U Dillane, L Fifita; E Masterson, J Butler, P Boyle. Replacements: S Delahunt, D Buckley, T Tuimauga, O Dowling, S Masterson, C Reilly, S Bolton, O McNulty.