Ireland made six changes for Saturday's rescheduled Six Nations match against Scotland, including relegating scrumhalf Peter Stringer to the replacements' bench.
Stringer is replaced by Llanelli's Guy Easterby, while Shane Horgan has been selected ahead of Kevin Maggs in the inside centre slot left vacant by an injury to British and Irish Lion Rob Henderson.
The fine club form of Leicester's Geordan Murphy is rewarded with a starting spot on the right wing, with Denis Hickie switching to the left. Coach Warren Gatland has chosen a back row of Simon Easterby, Kieron Dawson and Anthony Foley, leaving David Wallace on the bench.
In the second row Jeremy Davidson has held off the challenge of Gary Longwell to partner fellow-Lions lock Malcolm O'Kelly.
Ireland, who beat Italy and France last winter before their campaign was put on hold by the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, play Wales in Cardiff on October 13th before a potential Grand Slam decider against England in Dublin a week later.
Irish squad:
G Dempsey (Terenure College); G Murphy (Leicester), B O'Driscoll (Blackrock College), S Horgan (Lansdowne), D Hickie (St Mary's College); R O'Gara (Cork Constitution), G Easterby (Llanelli); P Clohessy (Young Munster), K Wood (Harlequins, capt), J Hayes (Shannon), J Davidson (Dungannon), M O'Kelly (St Mary's College), S Easterby (Llanelli), K Dawson (London Irish), A Foley (Shannon).
Replacements: F Sheahan (Cork Constitution), E Byrne (St Mary's College), G Longwell (Ballymena), D Wallace (Garyowen), P Stringer (Shannon), D Humphreys (Dungannon), K Maggs (Bath).