By Sea_point
November 2 2006

Connacht & Glasgow have announced their match squads for their Magner League clash at Hughenden on Friday (kick off 7.30pm).The squad shows three changes to the side which played Bath on Saturday. Conor O’Loughlin has recovered from injury and is named in the squad for the first time this season.

 

GLASGOW v CONNACHT

At Hughenden, 7.30pm

Referee: Hugh Watkins (WRU). Touch Judges: TBC

 

Continued....

 

Tierney twisted a lateral ligament in his ankle during the Bath game and was carried off after less than half an hour, he will be out for a Month.Matt Mostyn and Mark McHugh, both of whom missed the game against Bath through injury, have been passed fit to play.

 

Matt and Mark are named in the squad to the exclusion of Ted Robinson and Conor McPhillips who will both no doubt see AIL action for their respective clubs (Buccaneers & Galwegians) this weekend. Another recently returned injury victim, the ever reliable Matt Lacey (shoulder), is also gaining playing time with Galwegians as he looks to work his way back in to the Senior Squad. It'll be a tough ask for Matt with new singing Ray Ofisa putting in some hugely effective performances in his absence.

 

With three home wins in a row under their belts, Glasgow Warriors head into Friday night’s Magners League game against Connacht in an optimistic mood. Head coach Sean Lineen said: “I think we’re playing an exciting brand of rugby and we want to keep building on our home wins so I’d encourage people to come along to the game and give the team their support as there have been some great performances from the guys so far and we plan to keep that going.

 

“Our last game of last season was against Connacht and it left a bad taste in the mouth as we didn’t do very well so it'll be tough, but we're out to turn that score-line around.” Glasgow Warriors’ two victories so far in the Magners League have been against Munster and Border Reivers, whilst the Warriors have won their last three games at Hughenden in all competitions by beating GRAN Parma in the last round of Challenge Cup matches.

 

Connacht won last time out in the Magners League: 16-9 at home to the Dragons but this game represents their first away game in the competition since 1 September when they won 29-15 at Border Reivers. While it's true Connacht have made a strong start to their 2006/07 Magner League campaign it should be remembered and a cause of some concern that in the last seven matches players Connacht have won only one and drawn one, with losses to Llanelli, Leinster, Ulster, Harlequins & Bath respectively. A win against Glasgow is essential if they are to seriously challenge for a HEC cup place at the end of this season.

 

Form

 

Glasgow have the slight edge in the eight previous meetings between the two, gaining four victories to Connacht’s three plus one match drawn. The most recent meeting between the two teams at the end of last season ended 33-7 to Connacht at the Sportsground, Galway.

 

Connacht: Daniel Riordan; Matt Mostyn, Paul Warwick, Gavin Williams, Darren Yapp; Mark McHugh, Chris Keane; Ray Hogan, John Fogarty (capt), Brett Sturgess; David Gannon, Andrew Farley; John Muldoon, Ray Ofisa, Colm Rigney.

 

Replacements: Adrian Flavin, Brett Wilkinson, Michael Swift, Brendan O'Connor, Conor O'Loughlin, Keith Matthews, John Hearty.

 

Unavailable for selection due to injury:  Michael Diffley, Stephen Knoop, Ronan Loughney, Joe Merrigan, Tom Tierney.

 

Glasgow: Francisco Leonelli; Rory Lamont; Graeme Morrison; Andy Henderson; Hefin O'Hare; Dan Parks; Graeme Beveridge; Kevin Tkachuk; Fergus Thomson; Justin Va’a; Andy Newman; Alastair Kellock CAPTAIN; Andrew Wilson; Jon Petrie; John Barclay.

 

Replacements: Ben Prescott; Scott Lawson; Dan Turner; Steve Swindall; Sam Pinder; Ruaridh Jackson; Scott Barrow

 

Unavailable for selection due to injury: James Eddie (ankle), Thom Evans (cheekbone), Colin Gregor (thigh), Donnie Macfadyen (thigh), Sean Marsden (hamstring), Mike Roberts (knee and jaw), Colin Shaw (ankle).