Robert Kearney will start at full-back for Ireland in their Six Nations clash with Wales on Saturday after Geordan Murphy and Girvan Dempsey failed late fitness tests.

Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan has moved Kearney (pictured), who will be winning his fifth cap, from the left wing to full-back in the absence of his two first-choice specialist number 15s.

Tommy Bowe switches from left to right wing to make way for Shane Horgan, who comes off the bench to join the starting XV for the game at Croke Park in Dublin.

Leinster's Luke Fitzgerald is added to the replacements to provide back three cover on the bench.

Dempsey withdrew from the Ireland team that beat Scotland 34-13 in the second round of the championship because of his hip injury.

He was replaced by Murphy, who went on to produce a man-of-the-match display before falling to an Achilles tendon problem while on club duty for Leicester last weekend.

Ireland: 15-Robert Kearney, 14-Shane Horgan, 13-Brian O"Driscoll, 12-Andrew Trimble, 11-Tommy Bowe, 10-Ronan O"Gara, 9-Eoin Reddan; 1-Marcus Horan, 2-Rory Best, 3-John Hayes, 4-Donncha O"Callaghan, 5-Paul O"Connell, 6-Denis Leamy, 7-David Wallace, 8-Jamie Heaslip.

Replacements: 16-Bernard Jackman, 17-Tony Buckley, 18-Mick O'Driscoll, 19-Simon Easterby, 20-Peter Stringer, 21-Paddy Wallace, 22-Luke Fitzgerald.

Terence O'Rorke / Eurosport