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Ahern and O' Donoghue named to start against Exeter

Ahern and O' Donoghue named to start against Exeter
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Munster Rugby have named their team to take on Exeter in the Champions Cup on Sunday at Sandy Park.

Tom Ahern continues in his newfound role as blindside flanker, while Jack O Donoghue is a surprise selection at number 8.

O'Donoghue came off the bench last week having recovered from an ankle injury that had kept him on the sidelines for several weeks.

There are six personnel changes and three positional switches to the side that faced Bayonne last week.

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Shane Daly, Antoine Frisch and Craig Casey come into the backline with Diarmuid Barron, Stephen Archer and O’Donoghue starting in the pack.

Calvin Nash moves from full-back to wing, Gavin Coombes goes into the second row and Alex Nankivell moves to inside centre.

Daly starts at full-back with Nash and Seán O’Brien on either wing.

Nankivell and Frisch start together in midfield as Casey comes into the side at scrum-half to partner Jack Crowley.

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Jeremy Loughman, Barron and Archer pack down in the front row with Coombes and captain Tadhg Beirne in the engine room.

Tom Ahern, John Hodnett and O’Donoghue complete the side.

19-year-old Academy back-row forward Brian Gleeson is also set for his first Champions Cup appearance with Alex Kendellen completing the forward cover.

Conor Murray, Rory Scannell and Ben O’Connor, another 19-year-old Academy man, are the backline replacements.

On the injury front, Fineen Wycherley was unavailable after picking up a knock in training. Peter O’Mahony (shoulder) and Academy lock Edwin Edogbo (neck) also miss out.

Munster: Shane Daly; Calvin Nash, Antoine Frisch, Alex Nankivell, Seán O’Brien; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron, Stephen Archer; Gavin Coombes, Tadhg Beirne (C); Tom Ahern, John Hodnett, Jack O’Donoghue.

Replacements: Eoghan Clarke, Josh Wycherley, Oli Jager, Brian Gleeson, Alex Kendellen, Conor Murray, Rory Scannell, Ben O’Connor.

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