Peter O’Mahony starts for Munster in URC semi-final as Leinster welcome Rónan Kelleher and Robbie Henshaw back

Just 10 days after assistant coach Denis Leamy said that Ireland winger Earls had played his last game of the season, he has been cleared to start on the right wing. O'Mahony, meanwhile, came off after five minutes of last week’s win over Glasgow with an arm injury and Barron left the field early in the second-half with a shoulder issue.

Already without concussion absentees RG Snyman, Conor Murray, Calvin Nash and Malakai Fekitoa, the Reds will be heartened by the fitness of that key trio as they look to upset Leinster, without a number of frontliners who are kept on ice for next week’s Champions Cup final against La Rochelle.

Jack Crowley moves to inside centre as Ben Healy comes into the team at out-half and partners Craig Casey, with Rory Scannell getting the nod as cover ahead of Joey Carbery and Neil Cronin covering scrum-half.

Tadhg Beirne shifts to second row, with John Hodnett coming into the back row.

For Leinster, who make seven changes, there’s a welcome return for Robbie Henshaw who has been out with a quad issue.

He starts at centre alongside Charlie Ngatai, with Jimmy O’Brien, Tommy O’Brien and Dave Kearney in the back-three and Harry Byrne and Luke McGrath at half-back. McGrath captains the side.

Up front, Rónan Kelleher is back from his shoulder problem and goes straight into the front row alongside Michael Milne and Michael Ala’alatoa. Ryan Baird partners Jason Jenkins in the second-row, with Max Deegan, Will Connors and Jack Conan in the back-row.

World Player of the Year Josh van der Flier is among the replacements.

Leinster head coach Cullen was delighted to welcome Henshaw and Kelleher back.

"It's great, two very experienced players. It gives proper competition across the board," he said.

"Credit to the rehab gang, they're working hard behind the scenes the whole time with various different players, which is great.

"The guys will hopefully be in good shape, it's going to be a huge game, Munster will definitely be sniffing the opportunity for sure, coming up here. Even in the last couple of seasons, you listen to some of their talk that they're pretty desperate for silverware.

"For our guys, we've to try freshen things up a bit with selection, it's good having some of those fresh faces come back into the group, hopefully they can deliver plenty of energy in the performance, because I think we'll need it."

Fighting on two fronts means Cullen is having to juggle his resources.

"Every week is challenging because there's lots of guys that want to be in these big games," he said.

"We're in this sequence, you look at the schedule, and if you win the games you keep coming back to the Aviva, which is great.

"It's making sure we separate them all into the separate battles that they are. Teams come with different challenges.

"We got to this stage in the semi-final last year and came unstuck against the Bulls after a big win against Glasgow the week before. We don't want to fall into that trap this year.

"We had a decent win against the Sharks so it's good having some of that fresh energy coming in.

“A Munster game, derby game, that focuses the mind straight away.

"For players, they understand there’s a much broader picture there as well because if you think that at some point there will be some sort of a World Cup squad picked and looking at some of those individual battles there, so whatever about competition in this URC, to get into a final, with the Irish teams going up against each other there is a hell of a lot more at stake always.

"It’s the same with supporters who come to the game. There’s always that good rivalry there and that’s what you need. Sporting rivalries are amazing. We’ve had a great rivalry with Munster for as long as I can remember and hopefully again it will be a great occasion tomorrow.

"I believe there are a few tickets still left."

Leinster say they've sold 22,700 tickets so far, with the Aviva Stadium capacity limited to 29,000 for tomorrow's game.

LEINSTER – J O’Brien; T O’Brien, R Henshaw, C Ngatai, D Kearney; H Byrne, L McGrath (capt); M Milne, R Kelleher, M Ala’alatoa; R Baird, J Jenkins; M Deegan, W Connors, J Conan. Reps: J McKee, C Healy, T Clarkson, J McCarthy, J van der Flier, N McCarthy, C Frawley, L Turner.

MUNSTER – M Haley; K Earls, A Frisch, J Crowley, S Daly; B Healy, C Casey; J Loughman, D Barron, S Archer; J Kleyn, T Beirne; PO’Mahony, J Hodnett, G Coombes. Reps:N Scannell, J Wycherley, R Salanoa, F Wycherley, J O’Donoghue, N Cronin, R Scannell, A Kendellen.