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McCarthy training for Leinster last week. INPHO/Dan Sheridan
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McCarthy set for home debut against Ospreys

Leinster have named their team for tomorrow’s Pro12 fixture at the RDS.

Updated at 12.40

MIKE MCCARTHY WILL make his RDS debut for Leinster in their Pro12 meeting with Ospreys tomorrow.

The Ireland lock, who arrived from Connacht at the end of last season, came on as a substitute against Llanelli but gets the nod for his first start of the season, as does Mike Ross.

Elsewehere Luke Fitzgerald has been deemed fit after recovering from a groin strain and is named on the left wing by Matt O’Connor.

After suffering the only defeat of the four Irish provinces last week, Ulster coach Mark Anscombe has made wholesale changes to his side for the visit of Glasgow.

Andrew Trimble is the only enforced absentee. The International wing injured his finger in the 15 – 8 defeat to the Dragons and after going for surgery tomorrow has been ruled out for up to six weeks.

David McIlwaine moves to the right wing with Michael Allen coming in on the other flank. The other incoming players are Darren Cave, Ian Porter, Declan Fitzpatrick, Sean Doyle and Nick Williams.

Munster, meanwhile, will take on Zebre on Friday with an all new pack and half-back partnership among 11 changes to the side which defeated Edinburgh.

That means JJ Hanrahan is handed the reins at number 10 with the only change behind him being new signing Andrew Conway being recalled in place of Ronan O’Mahony.

Connacht are not quite able to drop a raft of players as freely as their counterparts in the north and south.

Pat Lam has made two changes to the side who defeated Zebre. Fionn Carr and Danie Poolman drop out of the starting 15 the the returned winger not among the 23-man squad.

Tiernan O’Halloran is promoted from the bench to take Carr’s place on the wing.

All three captains will be on the field with Gavin Duffy named fullback, but Michael Swift will take the ‘armband’ on this occasion with Robbie Henshaw starting in his favoured schools position, outside centre.

Exciting new Kiwi recruit Jake Heenan will again have to be content with impacting off the bench.

Leinster (v Ospreys): Dave Kearney, Darragh Fanning, Brendan Macken, Gordon D’Arcy, Luke Fitzgerald, Jimmy Gopperth, Eoin Reddan; Jack McGrath, Richardt Strauss, Mike Ross, Devin Toner, Mike McCarthy, Kevin McLaughlin, Shane Jenning (Capt), Jordi Murphy.

Replacements: Sean Cronin, Jack O’Connell, Martin Moore, Tom Denton, Rhys Ruddock, Isaac Boss, Ian Madigan, Darren Hudson.

Connacht (v Cardiff): Gavin Duffy; Tiernan O’Halloran, Robbie Henshaw, Eoin Griffin; Matt Healy; Dan Parks, Keran Marmion: Brett Wilkinson, Jason Harris-Wright, Nathan White; Michael Swift (Capt), Andre Browne; John Muldoon, Willie Faloon, George Naoupu.

Replacements: Sean Henry, Rodney Ah You, Ronan Loughney, Aly Muldowney, Jake Heenan, Paul O’Donohoe, Craig Ronaldson, Danie Poolman.

Ulster (v Glasgow): Jared Payne, David McIlwaine, Darren Cave, Luke Marshall, Michael Allen, Paddy Jackson, Ian Porter: Callum Black, Rob Herring, Declan Fitzpatrick, Johann Muller (Capt), Dan Tuohy, Roger Wilson, Sean Doyle, Nick Williams;

Replacements: Niall Annett, Tom Court, Ricky Lutton, Iain Henderson, Chris Henry, Paul Marshall, James McKinney, Ricky Andrew.

Munster (v Zebre): Denis Hurley; Johne Murphy, Casey Laulala, Ivan Dineen, Andrew Conway; JJ Hanrahan, Cathal Sheridan; Dave Kilcoyne, Damien Varley (Capt), John Ryan; Donnacha Ryan, Ian Nagle; CJ Stander, Tommy O’Donnell, Paddy Butler.

Replacements: Mike Sherry, James Cronin, Stephen Archer, Dave Foley, Niall Ronan, Duncan Williams, Ian Keatley, James Downey.

First published at 15.03 on 12 September

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