Weekend Rugby Preview

27th March 2004 By Munster Rugby

The second semi-final of the Heineken Munster Junior Cup between Bruff and Tralee goes ahead next Sunday to determine who will meet Nenagh Ormond in the final.

The second semi-final of the Heineken Munster Junior Cup between Bruff and Tralee goes ahead next Sunday to determine who will meet Nenagh Ormond in the final.

This is only the second occasion that Bruff have reached this stage of the competition and their previous semi-final appearance was also against Tralee in 1975, when they played a scoreless draw in Tralee and lost the replay 9-5 at Thomond Park.

They will be hoping to preserve their unbeaten run this season with their 23rd victory and will start as hot favourites to reach the decider, even though they will be conscious of their AIL Round Robin campaign which starts the following week with a home game against Monivea. Tralee have appeared in the final twice, winning it sixty years ago in 1934 and losing in 1975.

They also lost semi-finals in ’62, 69 and ’76. They will hope to make up for the disappointment of missing out on promotion to the First Division with a surprise victory, but current form would indicate that this is unlikely.

Cashel should know their semi-final opponents in the Junior Plate, when Mallow entertain Bandon in the last quarter final tie. The West Cork side will be favourites to advance but would not want to underestimate this Mallow side that have improved considerably this season.

Cork Constitution face Garryowen at Temple Hill in a play off to determine the winners of this season’s Munster Seconds League. Both sides finished level on points and the home side should start as favourites.

Charleville after their great success last week in beating Garryowen to reach the final of the Junior Plate will hope to cause another upset this week, when they play Skibbereen in the opening round of the Cork County Cup. Crosshaven should book their place in the second round with a home victory over Kanturk.

The quarter finals of the Junior Two Cup are due to be decided. League champions Cobh Pirate should follow up their success over Youghal last week with a home win over Muskerry. Cork Constitution face old rivals Dolphin in the top game and the Temple Hill side should continue their recent good run against the Musgrave Park outfit with a victory.

Bantry Bay will hope to repeat their league success over UCC earlier in the season with a victory, when they meet at the Mardyke. The other tie between Ballincollig and Bandon will go ahead on Wednesday evening with a 6.00 kick off.

Scariff will hope to give rugby in East Clare a big boost if they can beet Nenagh Ormond and reach the final of the O’Carroll Plate. The other semi-final should see Thomond get the better of Newcastle West at Fitzgerald Park.

In the opening games of the Junior Three Cup, holders U.C.C. should brush off the challenge of Tralee and Carrigaline could cause an upset with a victory over Bandon.

The final of Division Two of the South Western Conference between Clonakilty and Midleton goes ahead at Musgrave Park this Friday evening kick off 7.30.

FIXTURES:

FRIDAY 26th MARCH

Celtic League: Glasgow Rugby v Munster,Glasgow,7.30;

Under 20 South Western Conference Division 2 Final: Clonakilty v Midleton,Musgrave Park,7.30;

Under 14 League Final: Clonakilty v Mallow,Musgrave Park,5.30;

SATURDAY 27th MARCH

Six Nations: Ireland v Scotland,Lansdowne Road,4.00;

Women’s International: Ireland v Scotland,Thomond Park,7.00;

Senior Friendly: Midleton v Cork Constitution,Towns Park,12.00; Shannon v Thomond,Coonagh,1.30;

Under 20 Cup: Nenagh Ormond v Shannon,Nenagh,2.15; Thurles v St. Senan’s,Thurles,1.00;

Junior Friendly: Kinsale v Brentfoot,Kinsale,1.30;

Under 18 Cup: Cork Constitution v Kanturk,Temple Hill,12.15; Dolphin v Sunday’s Well,Musgrave Park,11.00; Highfield v Ballincollig,Woodleigh Park,11.30;

Under 16 Cup: Old Christians v Mallow,Rathcooney,10.15; Skibbereen v Clonakilty,Skibbereen,12.00;

Under 16 “B” Cup: Bandon v Cobh Pirates,Bandon,11.30;

Under 14 Cup: Fermoy v Old Christians,Fermoy,11.30; Youghal v Highfield,Youghal,11.30;

SUNDAY 28th MARCH

Munster Junior Cup Semi Final: Bruff v Tralee,Musgrave Park,3.00;

Junior Plate: Mallow v Bandon,Mallow,3.00;

Munster Seconds League Play Off: Cork Constitution v Garryowen,Temple Hill,3.00;

Cork County Cup: Charleville v Skibbereen,Charleville,3.00; Crosshaven v Kanturk,Crosshaven,3.00;

Junior Two Cup: Cobh Pirates v Muskerry,Cobh,3.00; Cork Constitution v Dolphin,Temple Hill,12.30; U.C.C. v Bantry Bay,Curaheen Road,3.00;

O’Carroll Plate: Scariff v Nenagh Ormond,Scariff,3.00; Thomond v Newcastle West,Fitzgerald Park,3.00;

Junior Three Cup: Bandon v Carrigaline,Bandon,3.00; U.C.C. v Tralee,U.C.C.,12.00;

Junior Four Cup: Glenbeigh v Mallow,Glenbeigh,3.00;