Dominic Ryan leads strong Leinster A side

Leinster A coach Girvan Dempsey has selected a strong side for tomorrow night's British & Irish Cup Final against Leeds Carnegie at Donnybrook (7.0, live on Setanta Sports). The Irish province are hoping to defend a title they won last year.

Darragh Fanning returns on the left wing, Brendan Macken joins Noel Reid in midfield while Ben Marshall and Quinn Roux form the secondrow pairing. Jack O'Connell will be appearing in Leinster colours before for the last time before leaving for Bristol in the summer.

The team will be captained by Dominic Ryan who forms a very strong backrow with an outstanding prospect in Old Belvedere's Jack Conan and his hard running club-mate Leo Auva'a.

Those Leinster supporters who want a glimpse of the future, short and medium term, should go along tomorrow night to watch some excellent young players - Tadhg Furlong is just one example - in action.

Outhalf Cathal Marsh has been superb all season in this competition and forms an intuitively entertaining and lively halfback partnership with Luke McGrath.

Leinster A also boast a strong benmch including the Byrne brothers, Collie O'Shea and Andrew Boyle.

Leeds Carnegie coach James Lowes is hoping that his team can end the season on a high.

ollowing defeat to London Welsh last Sunday, the decision was taken to name the strongest possible side for the Dublin showdown and ten of the team that started at Oxford return to action five days later.

Skipper Jacob Rowan will make his final appearance for the club before following fellow team mate Stevie McColl to Gloucester next season.

Jonah Holmes and David Sisi will both return to Wasps and Bath, respectively, after the game whilst Jonny Bentley, James Doherty and Calum Green will also all play their final games for the club before moving on in the summer.

Leinster: D Hudson; S Coghlan Murray, B Macken, N Reid, D Fanning; C Marsh, L McGrath; J O’Connell, J Tracy, T Furlong; B Marshall, Q Roux; J Conan, D Ryan (capt), L Auva’a. Replacements: B Byrne, E Byrne, R Molony, J Van Der Flier, J Cooney, C O’Shea, A Boyle.

Leeds Carnegie (from) J Holmes, J Clarke, F Burdon, D Doherty; J Bentley, J Doherty; C Beech, J Graham, D Tussac; C Green, M Myerscough; D Sisi, C Walker, J Rowan (capt). Replacements: P Nilsen, L Imiolek, B Hooper, M Smith, R Beck, C Georgiou, J Barker, G Hughes