Virgin Media Park in Cork is the venue for the Ireland under-20s friendly meeting with South Africa tonight at half seven. There are three Corinthians players in the starting fifteen, outside centre Sean Walsh, winger Daniel Ryan and Number 8 Diarmuid O’Connell, with Galwegians’ Conor O’Shaughnessy among the replacements. This evening’s encounter will provide former Connacht second-row Andrew Browne (pictured) and his coaching team with a valuable opportunity to test squad depth and build momentum and cohesion ahead of the 2026 U-20 Men’s Six Nations, which gets underway in February.
IRELAND U-20s v SOUTH AFRICA
15. Noah Byrne (Dublin University FC/Leinster)
14. Charlie Molony (UCD RFC/Leinster)
13. Sean Walsh (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
12. James O’Leary (UCC RFC/Munster)
11. Daniel Ryan (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
10. Tom Wood (Garryowen FC/Munster)
9. Christopher Barrett (UCC RFC/Munster)
1. Max Doyle (UCD RFC/Leinster)
2. Lee Fitzpatrick (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)
3. Sami Bishti (UCD RFC/Leinster) (capt)
4. Donnacha McGuire (UCD RFC/Leinster)
5. Dylan McNeice (UCD RFC/Leinster)
6. Joe Finn (Garryowen FC/Munster)
7. Arthur Ashmore (Terenure College RFC/Leinster)
8. Diarmaid O’Connell (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
Replacements:
16. Rian Handley (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)
17. Christian Foley (Young Munster RFC/Munster)
18. Blake McClean (Instonians RFC/Ulster)
19. Sean Walsh (MU Barnhall RFC/Leinster)
20. Michael O’Sullivan (UCC RFC/Munster)
21. Fergus Callington (Durham University/IQ Rugby)
22. Conor O’Shaughnessy (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
23. Johnny O’Sullivan (Dublin University FC/Leinster)
