Ireland keep faith with Galwey

A relieved Mick Galwey has retained his place in Ireland's starting line-up and will captain the side against Scotland on Saturday.

Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan has resisted the temptation to make sweeping changes after Twickenham and also keeps faith with hooker Frankie Sheahan.

Indeed, the only change from the team that lost 45-11 to England is the recall of Shane Horgan, who returns from injury to replace Geordan Murphy on the right wing.

Horgan came through a club match with Lansdowne at the weekend with no problems while Leicester wing Murphy was not considered for selection after damaging medial ligaments just five minutes into the England match.

It had been predicted that Galwey would pay the price for Ireland's calamitous trip to Twickenham ten days ago, but after Paul O'Connell withdrew from the squad with dental problems - the Munster lock required surgery on a tooth abscess - the decision was made to retain the services of the Ireland captain. Ulster's Gary Longwell will once again start on the bench.

In fact, O'Sullivan claims that even if O'Connell had been available to face the Scots, Galwey would have got the nod.

“One good performance doesn’t make a great team,” explained O’Sullivan. “Likewise, one bad game doesn’t make a poor one.”

'We chose a team against England that we thought would run them close,” he added.

''They did extremely well against Wales, and nobody really queried our selection for Twickenham. After that defeat, however, it was a case of making no changes or making four or five.

''We decided to give the side that faced England a chance to redeem themselves.''

That decision affords out-half David Humphreys and flanker Eric Miller, both criticised in the wake of the England match, the opportunity to set the record straight against Scotland. Hooker Sheahan will also have much to prove after a wretched afternoon in London and the Munster man's line-out throwing will once again come under scrutiny.

O’Sullivan was quick to defend Sheahan’s performance, but conceded the lineout will need to improve radically at Lansdowne Road.

“Our lineout misfired badly in Twickenham and we gave up a lot of possession,” he said. “But there were a number of factors for this and it wasn’t all Frankie’s fault.”

John Kelly replaces the injured Rob Henderson on the replacement's bench while there is a slight doubt over the fitness of Simon Easterby. The Llanelli blindside is nursing a shoulder problem sustained yesterday but is hopeful of lining out on Saturday afternoon.

Galwey, for his part, admitted there was ‘a sense of relief’ among the players who were retained and a renewed will to get the job done against Scotland.

“I’ve been around a long time,” said the 35-year-old, “and in the past there would have been a lot of changes.

“I suppose no one would have cribbed if they’d been dropped but we’re delighted to get another chance.”

The corresponding fixture last year, a game in which Galwey did not figure, cost Ireland only their second ever Grand Slam. The defeat in Edinburgh may have become overshadowed recently, given the events at Twickenham, but it is a result that still hurts in an Ireland squad determined to set the record straight.

Ireland: 15-Girvan Dempsey; 14-Shane Horgan, 13-Brian O'Driscoll, 12-Kevin Maggs, 11-Denis Hickie; 10-David Humphreys, 9-Peter Stringer; 8-Anthony Foley, 7-David Wallace, 6-Eric Miller, 5-Malcolm O'Kelly, 4-Mick Galwey, 3-John Hayes, 2-Frank Sheahan, 1-Peter Clohessy.

Replacements: 16-Shane Byrne, 17-Paul Wallace, 18-Gary Longwell, 19-Simon Easterby, 20-Guy Easterby, 21-Ronan O'Gara, 22-John Kelly.