O'Leary to start for Munster

Rugby – Team news:Tomás O'Leary returns to the Munster starting line-up for the first time since January while Alan Quinlan will also feature in the Magners League provincial derby against Connacht at Thomond Park tomorrow night.

O'Leary, who last wore the Munster jersey against London Irish, will partner Ronan O'Gara, who is just one of four players retained in the starting XV from last weekend’s disappointing defeat to Harlequins in the Amlin Cup semi-final.

The three other players retained by the Magners League leaders are; Felix Jones at fullback, winger Doug Howlett and Denis Leamy, who will start at number eight.

Danny Barnes will partner Johne Murphy in the centre while Simon Zebo takes over from Keith Earls on the wing.

While O'Gara will win his 206th Munster cap, veteran Quinlan will earn a remarkable 211th cap for the province.

Speaking earlier in the week, O’Gara said tomorrow’s game can’t come soon enough so the players can put behind them the disappointment of last weekend’s European defeat.

"It was disappointing to play like that especially in front of our own supporters who turned up in huge numbers,” said O’Gara. “We pride ourselves on giving them value for their loyalty and last weekend we failed. Simple as that.

“We have to hold our hands up, take responsibility. And we will. All we can do now is try and regain some of the ground we've lost when we get the opportunity and that opportunity presents itself on Friday."

Meanwhile, Connacht coach Eric Elwood opted for a mixture of experience and youth for the trip to Limerick.

Centurion captain Johnny O’Connor, Brett Wilkinson John Muldoon, Gavin Duffy and Mike McCarthy will line out alongside academy graduates such as Dave Nolan, Eoin Griffin and Tiernan O’Halloran.

Frank Murphy starts at scrumhalf and will pull the strings alongside outhalf Ian Keatley, the league’s second highest points scorer. Miah Nikora and Eoin Griffin make up the centre partnership.

Fionn Carr, Brian Tuohy and Gavin Duffy, with 14 tries between them this season, complete the backline.

The experienced frontrow of Wilkinson, Sean Cronin and Jamie will be backed up by Mike McCarthy and Junior All Black Bernie Upton in the secondrow. Andrew Browne, Muldoon and O’Connor complete the scrum.

Elwood’s men will look to bounce back from their narrow defeat against Ulster two week’s ago. They are ninth in the standings heading into the final game of the season against the league leaders.

Kick-off at Thomond Park is 7.05pm.

Munster (v Connacht):F Jones; D Howlett, J Murphy, D Barnes, S Zebo; R O'Gara, T O'Leary; M Horan, M Sherry, J Hayes; D Ryan, P O'Connell (Capt); A Quinlan, N Ronan, D Leamy. Replacements: D Varley, W du Preez, S Archer, I Nagle, T O'Donnell, P Stringer, P Warwick, D Hurley.

Connacht (v Munster):B Wilkinson, S Cronin, J Hagan, M McCarthy, B Upton, A Browne, J O'Connor (Capt), J Muldoon, F Murphy, I Keatley, F Carr, M Nikora, E Griffin, B Tuohy, G Duffy. Replacements: A Flavin, R Loughney, D Rogers, D Nolan, M McComish, C Willis, T Nathan, T O'Halloran