Richie Murphy names unchanged Ireland under-20 side for trip to Italy

Ireland under-20 head coach Richie Murphy has named an unchanged side for Friday night’s Six Nations clash with Italy in Treviso (7.15pm Irish time, Live on RTÉ2).

Murphy’s side recording wins in their opening two games, away in Wales and at home to France at a sold-out Musgrave Park in Cork, and trail England by a single point at the top of the table.

Hooker Gus McCarthy captains the side from the front row alongside props George Hadden and Paddy McCarthy, with Italy likely to offer a considerable challenge at scrum time

Diarmuid Mangan and Conor O’Tighearnaigh continue their secondrow pairing, with James McNabney, Ruadhan Quinn and Brian Gleeson make up the backrow.

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Henry McErlean, James Nicholson and Hugh Gavin make up the back three, with Hugh Cooney and John Devine selected in the Ireland midfield. Fintan Gunne and Sam Prendergast, man-of-the-match in the win over France, are named at halfback.

IRELAND U20 (v Italy): Henry McErlean (Terenure/Leinster); James Nicholson (UCD/Leinster), Hugh Cooney (Clontarf/Leinster), John Devine (Corinthians/Connacht), Hugh Gavin (Galwegians/Connacht); Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne/Leinster), Fintan Gunne (Terenure/Leinster); George Hadden (Clontarf/Leinster), Gus McCarthy (UCD/Leinster) (capt), Paddy McCarthy (DUFC/Leinster); Diarmuid Mangan (UCD/Leinster), Conor O’Tighearnaigh (UCD/Leinster); James McNabney (Ballymena/Ulster), Ruadhán Quinn (Old Crescent/Munster), Brian Gleeson (Garryowen/Munster).

Replacements: Danny Sheahan (UCC/Munster), George Morris (Lansdowne/Leinster), Fiachna Barrett (Corinthians/Connacht), Evan O’Connell (UL Bohemians/Munster), Jacob Sheahan (UCC/Munster), Oscar Cawley (Naas/Leinster), Harry West (Buccaneers/Connacht), Rory Telfer (Queen’s University/Ulster).