Weekend Club Preview

It’s a huge weekend for Young Munster and Garryowen in the Ulster Bank All-Ireland League semi-finals and play-offs with a number of junior finals and semi-finals also taking place.

Click here for a full fixture list.

Young Munster travel to the capital to take on former champions Lansdowne in the AIL Division 1A semi-final at the Aviva Stadium. This is the second meeting of these sides in the space of a fortnight as Munsters recently defeated the Dublin side 15-5 at Tom Clifford Park. Lansdowne won the corresponding fixture 28-21 at the Aviva in November. The winners will meet the victors of the Dublin derby between Terenure College and defending champions Clontarf.

The only other Munster side in action are Garryowen, who take on St. Mary’s at Templeville Road in a play-off to determine if St. Mary’s will be relegated from the top flight for the first time in the All Ireland League or if Garryowen will return to Division 1A after a one-year absence.

The Munster Junior side begin their Junior Interprovincial campaign at Cobh Pirates where they will entertain defending champions Leinster.

Leinster will be minus any players from Dundalk who are in involved in a Division 2C play off away to DLSP and also those in the Towns Cup Final. Munster will be without any players from Clonmel and they will field four of last season’s squad.

Munster will have their work cut out if they are to start with a win.

Munster Junior Cup holders Clonmel will be looking to make the most of home advantage as they take on Young Munster in the second semi final, with the winners meeting Shannon in the Junior Cup decider. This has been a hectic season for the south Tipperary club as they aim to complete a treble by adding a second successive Junior Cup title to the Munster Junior League and Munster Junior Clubs’ Challenge Cup titles won earlier in the season.

Old Christians and Skibbereen go head to head in the second semi-final of the Cork County Cup at Rathcooney, with the winners meeting Clonakilty in the decider.

Thomond Park holds a double header on Sunday with two Junior Two finals. First up is the Carroll Plate Final between Kilfeacle and St. Mary’s which has a 2pm kick off.

This will be followed by the Webb Cup Final with Thomond hoping to make amends for last year’s final defeat by St. Mary’s when they face Shannon.