Weekend Rugby Preview

With the Christmas break looming and the various leagues taking a break, the current leaders in all the leagues will want to go into the New Year holding on to their top spot.

With the Christmas break looming and the various leagues taking a break, the current leaders in all the leagues will want to go into the New Year holding on to their top spot.

AIL Division One leaders Cork Constitution play Blackrock at Temple Hill and they will hope to preserve their unbeaten record with a victory. Garryowen are away to Lansdowne and both these sides are just above the relegation zone and both will be anxious for a victory after last week’s poor results. Shannon a point behind the leaders face Dolphin at Thomond Park on Sunday and while they should win, they will note the recent performances of the Cork side against top opposition.

Second Division leaders U.L. Bohemian are away to Bective Rangers and should come away with the points. Young Munster tied in second place with Old Belvedere will want to wipe out last week’s defeat by DLSP and keep their promotion chance alive with a win at Anglesea Road. UCC with out a victory in their last two games meet Midleton at the Mardyke. The East Cork side ended their recent poor run with a win over Trinity last week and could cause an upset as they move up the table.

Waterpark who picked up two points from their trip to Old Belvedere last week, will be looking for a win to extend the gap between them and the bottom side Sunday’s Well. The Cork side are at home to Terenure and must win if the gap between them and the rest of the sides in the division is not to widen further. Thomond after the disappointing performance against Malone last week, face Old Crescent on Sunday and could be in for a difficult afternoon against a side that must win to retain any outside chance of being promoted.

Highfield play hosts to Ards where a defeat for either side would be a major set back to their promotion hopes. Clonakilty travel to Galway to play Corinthians and they will be looking for a better performance after two successive defeats.

Nenagh Ormond the early pace setters in Division One of the Heineken Munster Junior League face another difficult tie this week, after their defeat by Kilfeacle last week, when they entertain Cobh Pirates. This is a game neither side can afford to lose, but home advantage may give Nenagh the edge. Bruff travel to play bottom side St. Mary’s and the Corbally based side are unlikely to record their first victory of the season against the champions. Richmond level on points with St. Mary’s are away to Clanwilliam and the Tipperary side still in with a shout of the title and should win.

Kilfeacle with games in hand to the other sides are away to Clonmel and should preserve their unbeaten record and keep their title ambitions on track. Old Christians six points above the bottom sides will be looking for a victory at home to Bandon as they try and widen the gap between them and the two Limerick sides below them. St. Senan’s and Crosshaven meet at Shannon and with both in a mid table position, they will be anxious to continue their revival.

Last week’s postponed game in Division Two between the only unbeaten sides Tralee and Thurles takes place at the Kerry venue with the winners to go back to the top ahead of Cashel.

Mallow travel to West Cork to face Dunmanway and a victory will see them consolidate their place at the top of the Third Division. Abbeyfeale will fancy their chances of picking up all five points from their trip to bottom of the table Kilrush. Fermoy face a difficult task away to fourth place Newcastle West and neither side can afford to fall further behind the leaders. Galbally will hope to continue their good run with a victory away to Newport and Carrick-on-Suir will hope to but back to back wins with a home victory against Kinsale. Presentation travel to Killarney anxious to wipe out memories of their defeat there earlier in the season in the Challenge Cup.

In the Munster Seconds League Garryowen should go back to the top with a home win against Young Munster and U.L. Bohemian should stay in contention with a victory at Annacotty against Sunday’s Well.

Young Munster face Buccaneers in a crucial Under 20 League game at Clifford Park with the home side needing the points to keep their hopes of a place in the top section in the second phase.

Fixtures:

SATURDAY 13th DECEMBER

European Rugby Cup: Munster v Treviso,Thomond Park,5.00

AIB League Division 1: Ballymena v St. Mary’s College,Eaton park,2.30 Belfast Harlequins v U.C.D.,Deramore Park,2.30 Buccaneers v Co. Carlow,Boher Road,2.30 Cork Constitution v Blackrock College,Temple Hill,2.30 Dungannon v Galwegians,Stevenson Park,2.30 Lansdowne v Garryowen,Lansdowne Road,2.30

Division 2: Ballynahinch v D.L.S.P.,Ballymacarn Park,2.30 Bective Rangers v U.L. Bohemian,Donnybrook,2.30 Malone v Barnhall,Gibson Park,2.30 Old Belvedere v Young Munster,Anglesea Road,2.30 Sunday’s Well v Terenure College,Musgrave Park,2.30 U.C.C. v Midleton,Mardyke,2.30 Waterpark v Dublin University,Ballinakill,2.30

Division 3: Ballina v Queens University,Heffernan Park,2.30 Banbridge v Old Wesley,Rifle Park,2.30 Connemara v Skerries,Monestary Field, 2.30 Corinthians v Clonakilty,Corinthian Park,2.30 Highfield v Ards,Woodleigh Park,2.30 Instonians v Portadown,Shaws Bridge,2.30 Greystones v Suttonians,Dr. Hickey Park,2.30 Naas v Wanderers,Fournaughts,2.30

Under 20 South Western Conference Division 1: Young Munster v Buccaneers,Clifford Park,2.00

Division 2 North: Kilfeacle v Monivea,Kilfeacle,2.30

Junior Friendly: Shannon v Corca Dhuibhne,Coonagh,12.30

Junior 2 Friendly: Shannon v Dolphin,Coonagh,1.00 U.L. Bohemian v St. Senan’s,Annacotty,2.00

Schools Senior Friendly: Ard Scoil Rís v R.S. Armagh,Ard Scoil Rís,10.30 Crescent Comp. v Terenure,Dooradoyle,2.00

Schools Junior Friendly: Ard Scoil Rís v Belvedere College,Ard Scoil Rís,12.00 Crescent Comp. v Terenure,Dooradoyle,2.00 P.B.C. v Newbridge,Wilton,2.00 P.B.C. “B” v Newbridge “B”,Wilton,2.00

Under 18 League: Skibbereen v Highfield,Skibbereen,11.30 Muskerry v Sunday’s Well,Muskerry,11.30 Cork Constitution v Cobh Pirates,Temple Hill,12.00 Bandon v Ballincollig,Bandon,12.00

Under 18 Development League: Kanturk v Midleton,Kanturk,1.30

Under 16 League: Ballincollig v Crosshaven,Ballincollig,12.00 Cobh Pirates v Youghal,Cobh,11.30 Dolphin v Midleton,Musgrave Park,11.00 Highfield v Old Christians,Woodleigh Park,12.15 Mallow v Kanturk,Mallow,11.30 Mitchelstown v Fermoy,Mitchelstown,11.00 Skibbereen v Clonakilty,Skibbereen,11.30 Sunday’s Well v Muskerry,Musgrave Park,11.30

SUNDAY 14th DECEMBER

AIB League Division 1: Shannon v Dolphin,Thomond Park,2.30

Division 2: Thomond v Old Crescent,Fitzgerald Park,2.30

Heineken Munster Junior League Division 1: Clanwilliam v Richmond,Clanwilliam Park,2.30 Clonmel v Kilfeacle,Clonmel,2.30 Nenagh Ormond v Cobh Pirates,Nenagh,2.30 Old Christians v Bandon,Rathcooney,2.30 St. Mary’s v Bruff,Corbally,2.30 St. Senan’s v Crosshaven,Shannon,2.30

Division 2: Tralee v Thurles,Tralee,2.30

Division 3: Carrick-on-Suir v Kinsale,Carrick-on-Suir,2.30 Dunmanway v Mallow,Dunmanway,2.30 Killarney v Presentation,Killarney,2.30 Kilrush v Abbeyfeale,Kilrush,2.30 Newcastle West v Fermoy,Newcastle West,2.30 Newport v Galbally,Newport,2.30

Munster Seconds League Division 1: Garryowen v Young Munster,Dooradoyle,2.30 U.L. Bohemian v Sunday’s Well,Annacotty,2.30

Division 2: Midleton v Waterpark,Towns Park,2.30

Junior 2 League South: Cork Constitution v Dolphin,Temple Hill,12.30 Douglas v Bandon,Moneygourney,11.45 Youghal v Muskerry,Muskerry,2.30

Junior 3 League South Division 1: Castleisland v Clonakilty,Castleisland,2.30 Charleville v Carrigaline,Charleville,2.30 Tralee v Highfield,Tralee,2.30

Division 2: Bandon v Kanturk,Bandon,2.30

McCarthy Cup First Round: Muskerry v Fermoy,Muskerry,2.00 Skibbereen v Shandon,Skibberen,2.00

West Munster League: Glenbeigh v Tralee,Glenbeigh,2.30

Evans League: Carrick-on-Suir v Scariff,Carrick-on-Suir,2.00 Clonmel v Kilfeacle,Clonmel,12.30

Junior Friendly: Dungarvan v Waterford City,Dungarvan,2.30 Highfield v Douglas,Woodleigh Park,2.30

Junior 2 Friendly: Old Christians v Ballincollig,Rathcooney,1.00

Under 18 League: Bruff v Thomond,Bruff,12.30 Dungarvan v Waterpark,Dungarvan,11.00 Cashel v Galbally,Cashel,11.30 Kilfeacle v Clonmel,Kilfeacle,11.30 Thurles v Clanwilliam,Thurles,11.30

Under 16 League: Dungarvan v Waterpark,Dungarvan,11.00 Garryowen v St. Senan’s,Dooradoyle,11.30 Kilfeacle v Clonmel,Kilfeacle,11.30 Newcastle West v Ennis,Newcastle West,12.00 Richmond v Bruff,Garryowen Green,12.30 Thurles v Clanwilliam,Thurles,11.30 U.L. Bohemian v Shannon,Annacotty,11.30 Young Munster v Old Crescent,Derryknockane,11.30

Under 14 League: Thomond v Ennis,Fitzgerald Park,11.30

Under 13 League: Ennis v Young Munster,Ennis,11.00 Garryowen v St. Mary’s,Dooradoyle,11.30 Richmond v Old Crescent,Garryowen Green,11.30 Shannon v Bruff,Coonagh,11.30 U.L. Bohemian v Newcastle West,Annacotty,11.30

IWRFU Division 1: U.L. Bohemian v Highfield,Annacotty,2.00

Division 2: Ballincollig v Clanwilliam,Ballincollig,2.00

Division 3: Youghal v Tralee,Cobh,1.30