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20 Jan 2026
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20 Jan 2026
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Crescent College Comprehensive's Conor Phillips, pictured here in action against Glenstal Abbey, will start for Ireland U-19s against Japan
THREE Limerick-based players have been included in the Ireland Under-19 side for their opening game against their Japanese counterparts in Donnybrook tomorrow, Saturday, at 12pm.
Conor Phillips, of Crescent College Comprehensive, will start the game on the right wing, while James McCarthy, of UL-Bohemian, who scored 3 tries for the Ireland U20s in the Six Nations lines out on the left wing.
Mark Fleming, of Glenstal Abbey, fresh from the Murroe side’s historic Munster Schools Senior Cup final success over CBC, has been named on the replacements' bench.
PBC hooker Billy Scannell, younger brother of Munster stars Rory and Niall, will start the game at hooker.
The Ireland U-19 management team consists of head coach Tom Tierney, formerly of Garryowen, Munster, Leicester Tigers and Ireland scrum-half, while the assistant coaches included former Shannon and Munster back-row Colm McMahon.
Saturday’s game in Donnybrook Stadium is the first of two matches between the sides, with the second fixture set for next Wednesday in the same venue.
They will then play two games against France in The Sportsgrounds in Galway on Tuesday, April 3 and Saturday, April 7.
IRELAND U-19 v Japan, Donnybrook: Jonathan Wren (PBC Cork); Conor Philips (Crescent CC), Sean French (PBC Cork), Stewart Moore (Ballymena Academy), James McCarthy (UL Bohemian RFC); Bruce Houston (Ballymena Academy), Cormac Foley (St Gerard’s School); Josh Wycherley (CC Roscrea), Billy Scannell (PBC Cork; Michael Milne (CC Roscrea); Charlie Ryan (UCD RFC), Ryan Baird (St. Michael’s College); Luke Clohessy (CC Roscrea), Scott Penney (St. Michael’s College), Azur Allison (Ballymena RFC) Captain. Replacements: Dylan Tierney (Corinthians RFC), Shay O’Malley (Hartpury College), Ryan Lomas (CC Roscrea), Neill Moylett (CC Roscrea), Jamie McCartney (Campbell College), Caolan Englefield (Harlequins RFC/St Paul’s CS), Jake Flannery (Rockwell College), Hugh Lane (Galwegians RFC/Presentation College Athenry), Mark Fleming (Glenstal Abbey), Iwan Hughes (Bristol Rugby)
IRELAND U-19 FIXTURES:
IRELAND U-19 v JAPAN U19
Saturday, March 23, 12noon Donnybrook Stadium, Dublin
IRELAND U-19 v JAPAN U19
Wednesday, March 28, 2.00pm, Donnybrook Stadium, Dublin
IRELAND U-19 v FRANCE U19
Tuesday, April 3, 5.00pm, The Sportsgrounds, Galway
IRELAND U-19 v FRANCE U19
Saturday April 7, 2.30pm, The Sportsgrounds, Galway
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