Junior Rugby Weekend Preview.

It is the final weekend of action in the Munster Junior League which will see just four outstanding games left to play after the weekend games.

The First Division is the only one where the winners and relegation issues have been decided but there is a battle on for the two remaining All Ireland Junior Cup qualifying places in the top flight with the top six sides facing each other.

Newly crowned champions Cashel play their final Junior League game at home to Kilfeacle. Cashel will be playing in the All Ireland League next season. Kilfeacle who are a point ahead of Tralee and two ahead of Clanwilliam could miss out on an All Ireland Cup place should they lose and the other two win. Theses sides could also meet in the Munster Junior Cup Final should both win next week’s semi final ties. Kilfeacle will be all out to stop the champions from making it thirteen wins out of thirteen.

Both Richmond and Crosshaven are already assured of their place in the All Ireland Junior Cup competition next season. Richmond travel to Clanwilliam and the home side know that a defeat will end their hopes of a place in the All Ireland Cup. Clanwilliam have proved a difficult side to beat and could take the points from their Limerick visitors.

Crosshaven are at home to Tralee and the Seasiders are likely to be more focused on next week’s All Ireland Junior Cup Final meeting with Monivea. They have several injury doubts and are unlikely to risk some of these players and give them an extra week’s rest ahead of the clubs biggest day. Tralee must win and with a full strength side could see the Kerry side return home with the points.

The other First Division games will be just for the sides to finish as high as possible in the table. Old Christians can finish in the top half with an away win over Thurles.

Skibbereen are at home to already relegated Ballincollig should win. Two sides who fancied their chances of a crack at the title Waterpark and Clonmel meet at Ballinakill and the two sides who are just above Ballincollig in the table St. Senan’s and Cobh Pirates meet at the Clare venue.

Galbally who are already assured of promotion from Division Two travel to Kinsale and know that a win would see them go up as champions although they do have another game to play. Kinsale could yet be relegated should they lose and the two sides below them win, so they will be going all out to become the first side to beat Galbally this season.

Kanturk will be favourites to join the County Limerick side in the top flight if they can finish their campaign with an away win over Castleisland.

Newcastle West are the only side that can deprive Kanturk of promotion. They have two games left to play and must collect maximum points from both matches to be promoted. Both games are at home and on Sunday they face Youghal who have fallen away in recent weeks after a great run since Christmas. The other game Newcastle West have is against Galbally.

At the other end of the table Charleville are currently in bottom spot and will be relegated should they fail to get at least two points from their trip to St. Mary’s.

Muskerry are two points better than Charleville and they complete their program with a trip to Ennis and will have to show a big improvement in form if they are to get something from this tie.

Bandon on a winning run after a poor start to the season finish their campaign with a trip to Killarney and the home side should finish with another victory.

The other tie in this Division sees Newport at home to Mallow.

Presentation assured of promotion from the Third Division can clinch the title when they travel to Abbeyfeale.

The big game in this Division will be in Scariff when the Clare side who are in second place host Waterford City, the side three points behind them in the table. This should decide the second promotion spot although Scariff do have an outstanding game to play away to Corca Dhuibhne.

The other game of importance in this Division is the meeting of Kilrush and Shandon at the Clare venue on Saturday. Shandon have yet to win a game but have been putting in high scores in recent weeks without any success and will be hoping to break their duck this time.

Corca Dhuibhne are at home to Douglas, Dungarvan entertain Killorglin and Fermoy play host to Carrick-on-Suir in the other ties and all home sides should win.

FIXTURES:-
FRIDAY 25th MARCH
Magners League: Cardiff Blues v Munster, Cardiff City Stadium, 7.05;

Webb Cup Semi Final: Cashel v Bruff, Cashel,7.30;

East Under 17 Plate: Waterford City v Carrick-on-Suir, Waterford, 7.00;

SATURDAY 26th MARCH
Munster Junior League Division 3: Kilrush v Shandon, Kilrush, 4.30;

All Ireland Under 21 Frazer McMullan Cup: Cork Constitution v St. Mary's, Temple Hill, 2.30;
Shannon v U.C.D., Coonagh, 2.00;
Lansdowne v U.C.C., Dublin, 2.30;

North Under 21 Cup: U.L. Bohemian v Thomond/Bruff, Annacotty, 2.30;

Avonmore Milk Under 19 League Final: Crosshaven v Waterpark, Thomond Park, 4.00;

Avonmore Milk Under 17 League Final: Shannon v Waterpark, Thomond Park, 2.00;

East Under 15 Sevens, Clonmel, 11.00;

South Under 19 Development Cup: Bandon v Muskerry, Bandon, 11.00;
Cobh Pirates v Mallow, Cobh, 12.30;
Midleton v Dunmanway, Towns Park, 12.30;

South Under 17 Cup: Bandon v Highfield, Bandon, 1.00;
Charleville v Old Christians, Charleville, 12.00;
Sunday's Well v Muskerry, Musgrave Park, 12.00;

South Under 17 Development Cup: Midleton v Fermoy, Towns Park, 11.00;
Youghal v Ballincollig, Youghal, 12.00;

South Under 15 Cup: Clonakilty v Highfield, The Vale, 11.00;
Kinsale v Kanturk, Kinsale,11.30;
Skibbereen v Muskerry, Skibbereen,11.30;

South Under 15 Development Cup: Bantry Bay v Dolphin v Dunmanway, Musgrave Park, 10.30;

West Munster Under 17 League Play Off: Tralee v Abbeyfeale, Tralee, tbc;

West Munster Under 15 Cup Semi Final: Abeyfeale v Tralee, Abbeyfeale, tbc;

West Munster Under 13 Cup Semi Final: Castleisland v Tralee, Castleisland, 11.00;

SUNDAY 27th MARCH
Munster Junior League Division 1: Cashel v Kilfeacle, Cashel, 2.30;
Clanwilliam v Richmond, Clanwilliam Park, 2.30;
Crosshaven v Tralee, Crosshaven, 2.30;
Skibbereen v Ballincollig, Skibbereen, 2.30;
St. Senan's v Cobh Pirates, Jim Slattery Park, 2.30;
Thurles v Old Christians, Thurles, 2.30;
Waterpark v Clonmel, Ballinakill, 2.30;

Division 2: Castleisland v Kanturk, Castleisland, 2.30;
Ennis v Muskerry, Ennis, 2.30;
Killarney v Bandon, Killarney, 2.30;
Kinsale v Galbally, Kinsale, 2.30;
Newcastle West v Youghal, Newcastle West, 2.30;
Newport v Mallow, Newport, 2.30;
St. Mary's v Charleville, St. Enda's, 2.30;

Division 3: Abbeyfeale v Presentation, Abbeyfeale, 2.30;
Corca Dhuibhne v Douglas, Ballydavid, 2.30;
Dungarvan v Killorglin, Dungarvan, 2.30;
Fermoy v Carrick-on-Suir, Fermoy, 2.30;
Scariff v Waterford City, Scariff,2.30;

Munster Seconds League North: Garryowen v Nenagh Ormond, Dooradoyle, 2.30;
Old Crescent v Bruff, Rosbrien, 2.30;
Shannon v Thomond, Coonagh, 2.30;

Junior 2 Cup South: Ballincollig v Cork Constitution, Tanner Park, 12.00;
Bandon v Dolphin, Bandon, 12.00;
Cobh Pirates v U.C.C., Cobh, 12.00;
Highfield v Tralee, Woodleigh Park, 2.30;

Dave Dineen Cup: Mallow v Listowel, Mallow, 2.00;

George O'Connell Cup Play Off: Kinsale v Muskerry, Kinsale, 12.00;

Junior 3 Cup Semi Final: Fermoy v Cork Transport, Fermoy, 12.00;

Casey Cup: Dungarvan v Waterford City, Dungarvan, 12.30;
Waterpark v Youghal, Ballinakill,12.30;

All Ireland Under 21 Frazer McMullan Cup: Clontarf v Garryowen, Castle Avenue, 2.30;

East Under 19 Cup: Clanwilliam v Waterpark, Clanwilliam, 11.00;
Clonmel v Kilfeacle, Clonmel, 11.00;

East Under 17 Cup: Clanwilliam v Cashel, Clanwilliam, 11.00;
Nenagh Ormond v Clonmel, Nenagh, 11.00;

East Under 17 Development League: Fethard v Thurles, Fethard, 11.00;

East Under 15 Cup: Waterpark v Nenagh Ormond, Ballinakill, 1.00;

North Under 19 Cup: Bruff v Thomond, Bruff, 12.00;
Ennis v Shannon-St. Mary's, Ennis, 12.00;
Newcastle West v Ballina-Killaloe, Newcastle West, 12.15;

North Under 17 Cup: Garryowen v Young Munster, Dooradoyle, 11.30;
Ennis v Thomond, Ennis, 11.30;
Kilrush v Bruff, Kilrush,11.30;
U.L. Bohemian v Scariff, Annacotty, 11.30;

North Under 14 Cup: Newcastle West v Shannon, Newcastle West, 1.00;
Newport v Richmond, Newport, 11.30;
U.L. Bohemian v Garryowen, Annacotty, 11.00;
Young Munster v Bruff, Derryknockane, 11.30;

North Under 13 Cup: Newcastle West v Shannon, Newcastle West, 11.00;

Under 13 Hoare Cup: Young Munster v Old Crescent, Tom Clifford Park, 2.00;

South Under 19 Development Cup: Clonakilty v Kinsale, The Vale, 1.15;

South Under 17 Cup: Clonakilty v Cobh Pirates, The Vale, 12.00;

South Under 15 Cup: Midleton v Mallow,Towns Park, 11.30;

Under 15 Friendly: Clanwilliam v Bruff, Clanwilliam, 10.30;

Under 14 Friendly: Presentation v Shannon-St. Mary's, Rathuard, 11.30;

Womens AIL Division 1: Clonmel v St. Mary's, Clonmel, 1.00;
Highfield v U.L. Bohemian, Woodleigh Park, 12.30;
Old Belvedere v Blackrock, Anglesea Road, 1.00;

Division 2 South: Galbally v Tuam, Galbally, 1.00;
Tralee v Thurles, Tralee, 1.00;

WEDNESDAY 30th MARCH
Munster Schools 10 aside Provincial Blitz, Rockwell,11.00;