In-form Mike McCarthy gets Irish call

Uncapped Connacht forward Mike McCarthy has been named in a 32-man Ireland squad for this season's RBS Six Nations Championship.

The 29-year-old back-row player has been rewarded for consistently impressive displays in this season's Magners League.

Leinster back Luke Fitzgerald and Ulster hooker Rory Best return after injuries during Ireland's autumn Test series, but Leicester captain Geordan Murphy misses out. The full-back suffered a serious ankle injury during his club's Aviva Premiership win against Northampton earlier this month and could struggle to play again this season.

And there is also no place for Munster scrum-half Tomas O'Leary, who has to be content with a spot in the Irish Wolfhounds squad as Eoin Reddan and Peter Stringer are preferred.

Ireland kick off their Six Nations campaign against Italy in Rome on 5 February and coach Declan Kidney said: "The selection of the squad is never an easy one but the level of competition in each position is probably as great as it has been over the last two years.

"Players have been really pushing their performances for their provinces, so that level of competition can only be good. That translates into more competition for each place.

"Italy represent a greater threat every year. The addition of their teams in the Magners League is building their experience, and I think that will have an even greater influence on their national side for the championship.

"The key for us is to work hard in setting the foundations for the tournament in our first week in camp, and our only focus will be on that opening game."

SQUAD

Backs: T Bowe (Ospreys), G D'Arcy (Leinster), G Duffy (Connacht), K Earls (Munster), L Fitzgerald (Leinster), S Horgan (Leinster), R O' Gara (Munster), B O'Driscoll (Leinster, captain), E Reddan (Leinster), J Sexton (Leinster), P Stringer (Munster), A Trimble (Ulster), P Wallace (Ulster).

Forwards: R Best (Ulster), T Court (Ulster), S Cronin (Connacht), L Cullen (Leinster), S Ferris (Ulster), J Flannery (Munster), J Hayes (Munster), C Healy (Leinster), J Heaslip (Leinster), S Jennings (Leinster), D Leamy (Munster), M McCarthy (Connacht), D O'Callaghan (Munster), P O'Connell (Munster), S O'Brien (Leinster), M O'Driscoll (Munster), M Ross (Leinster), R Ruddock (Leinster), D Wallace (Munster).