Connacht’s young guns called up for Ospreys clash

Date Published: 18-Nov-2010

Dara Bradley

HEAD coach Eric Elwood has handed two young, up-and-coming local players their first home start in the Magners League for Connacht’s clash with reigning champions the Ospreys at the Sportsground tonight (Friday, 7.30pm).

Barna man Eoin Griffin, who was the official man-of-the-match in Connacht’s win over Samoa in a friendly match last week, has been named in Elwood’s starting XV in the centre alongside Keith Mathews.

The former Jes player started away to the Scarlets last season but tonight will be the first competitive Magners League start with the Connacht seniors at the Sportsground for Griffin, who graduated through the Connacht academy and the province’s underage structure.

Galwegians clubman Dermot Murphy of Furbo has been named as hooker in the absence of Seán Cronin, who wasn’t released from the Irish squad, and Robbie Morris, who this week formally announced his retirement due to injury.

It also the 21-year-old’s first home Magner’s League start. Murphy has played with Ireland U18 and Ireland Youths while Griffin has represented his country at U19 and U20 level.

Full-back Gavin Duffy will win his 100th cap for Connacht, after he was released from the Ireland squad this week. The former Mayo minor footballer made his Connacht debut against Cardiff in 2001.

Duffy moved to NEC Harlequins in 2003 and earned a Parker Pen European Challenge Cup medal in 2004 with them before returning to Connacht in 2007. Tonight he will join an elite group of Connacht centurions which includes Eric Elwood, John Muldoon, Michael Swift and Brett Wilkinson who have all represented the province 100 times or more.