Weekend Rugby Preview

A big weekend for Bruff and Crosshaven as they bid to win their first All Ireland Cup titles.

Both finals go ahead at St. Mary’s College grounds in Templeville Road on Saturday with the Junior Final between Crosshaven and Monivea getting proceedings underway at 12.00 and this will be followed by the Bateman Senior Cup Final at 2.00 when Bruff take on Dungannon.

Bruff who have only being playing as a Senior club for the past seven seasons achieved a great milestone last January when they defeated Garryowen 23-19 to win the ODM Financial Munster Senior Cup and followed that up with a narrow 24-22 home win over U.C.D. in the All Ireland Bateman Cup semi final.
Their opponents Dungannon needed extra time to beat Corinthians 16-13 in their semi final. The sides have met twice this season in the Ulster Bank league with victory going to the home side on both occasions, Bruff the first encounter in November 21-10 and lost 21-8 last February.
Bruff have had a bad run of results in recent weeks as they slid down the table and despite a great win over leaders Clontarf 17-11 last week they must face a relegation play off to hold their Division 1 status at the end of the month.
Bruff if they can reproduce last weeks form they should be celebrating another Cup success on Saturday evening.

Crosshaven will go into this tie full of confidence despite a poor run of form since they qualified for the final with an impressive 6-5 home win over Sligo back in February. They have a few major injury worries with two of their stalwarts in the pack Merle O’Connell and Jake Grey both very doubtful because of injury.
The sides met twice in the 2006/07 season with Crosshaven travelling to the Galway venue in the Cup and edging out a 23-22 victory, but when the sides met two months later in the Round Robin at the same venue Monivea came out on top 19-9.
Both sides will be eager to lift the trophy. Crosshaven could edge it if their young players Cian McGovern, Darren O’Shea and Darren O’Keeffe can reproduce their recent form they could bring the trophy South for the first time.

Thomond face DLSP in Division Two of the Ulster Bank League and following their great win over Old Crescent last week another win would ensure their place in Division Two next season.

Highfield finish their Division 3 campaign with two long trips. On Saturday they head to Banbridge who are still in the hunt for a promotion place and will find it difficult to get something from this tie.

Killarney and Newport meet at Musgrave Park in the final of the Munster Junior Plate. This will be Newport’s second visit to Musgrave Park as they won the Munster Junior Bowl last season with a victory over Mallow. They have struggled in the league this season and an improvement in form in the last few weeks saw them move away from the foot of the table and avoiding relegation to Division Three.
Killarney who won promotion from the Third Division last season have had a good season. A drop in form after Christmas saw them slip out of the promotion race but they have had some impressive results in recent weeks. Both these sides met in the league earlier in the season and victory went to Killarney 5-0. This indicates it will be a very close contest.

Elsewhere the quarter finals of both the Munster Seconds League and Munster Junior Two League get underway.
In the Munster Seconds League holders U.L. Bohemian are at home to Dolphin and will be expected to advance.

Thomond should see off the challenge of Sunday’s Well. U.C.C. who play Young Munster at Curaheen Road will be expected to repeat their Junior Cup victory earlier in the season and Cork Constitution will be expected to get the better of Shannon at Temple Hill.

In the Munster Junior Two League Cup Ballincollig have received a walk over from Clonmel and will face the winners of the Shannon Tralee tie next week in the semi finals. On the other side of the draw Cashel host Clonakilty and Dolphin face Richmond at Musgrave Park.

Presentation boosted by their win over Garryowen last week in the Transfield Cup are away to Newcastle West in the semi final with Richmond awaiting the winners in the final.

Midleton host Waterford City in the O’Neill Cup and the Garryowen Cup and McElligott Cup get under way with Clanwilliam facing Clonmel in the Tipperary competition and Corca Dhuibhne host Tralee in the McElligott Cup.

FIXTURES:
THURSDAY 7th APRIL
Clery Cup Final: Waterpark v Abbey CBS, Clonmel, 1.00;

North Under 14 Cup: Newport v Richmond, Newport, 6.30;

South Under 15 Development Cup: Mitchelstown v Youghal, Fermoy, 6.00;

Colleges Semi Final: CIT v GMIT, LIT, 2.30;

FRIDAY 8th APRIL
Mungret Cup Final: Bandon Grammar v Waterpark, Clonmel, 2.00;

Under 15 A Semi Final: St. Clements v Rockwell, Castletroy College, 2.30;

Under 15 B Semi Final: St. Clements v Rockwell, Castletroy College, 2.30;

South Under 19 League Semi Final Phase 2: Midleton v Clonakilty, Towns Park, 6.30;

SATURDAY 9th APRIL
Amlin Cup: Brive v Munster, Stadium Municipal, 1.00;

All Ireland Senior Cup Final: Bruff v Dungannon, Templeville Road, 2.00;

All Ireland Junior Cup Final: Crosshaven v Monivea, Templeville Road, 12.00;

Ulster Bank League Division 2: Ballymena v Old Wesley, Eaton Park, 2.30;
Thomond v D.L.S.P., Fitzgerald Park, 2.30;

Division 3: Banbridge v Highfield, Rifle Park, 2.30;

Munster Junior 2 League Cup: Shannon v Tralee, Coonagh, 2.30;

North Munster Under 21 Cup Semi Finals: Garryowen v U.L. Bohemian, Dooradoyle, 2.30;
Young Munster v Shannon, Clifford Park, 2.30;

Junior Friendly: Kinsale v Malone, Kinsale, 2.30;

South Under 17 Cup Semi Final: Sunday's Well v Charleville, Musgrave Park, 12.00;

South Under 17 Plate: Cobh Pirates v Bandon, Cobh, 11.00;
Kanturk v Cork Constitution, Kanturk, 12.00;
Muskerry v Bantry Bay, Ballyanly, 12.00;
Old Christians v Dolphin, Rathcooney, 12.00;

South Under 15 Development Cup Semi Final: Dunmanway v Bantry Bay, Dunmanway, 11.00;

Under 13 League:Crosshaven v Cobh Pirates, Crosshaven, 11.30;

West Munster Under 17 Cup Semi Final: Tralee v Killorglin, Tralee, 12.00;

Under 17 Friendly: Carrick-on-Suir v New Ross, Carrick-on-Suir, 11.00;

SUNDAY 10th APRIL
Munster Junior Plate Final: Killarney v Newport, Musgrave Park, 2.30;

Munsters Seconds League Quarter Finals: Cork Constitution v Shannon, Temple Hill, 2.30;
Thomond v Sunday's Well, Fitzgerald Park, 2.30;
U.C.C. v Young Munster, Curaheen Road, 2.30;
U.L. Bohemian v Dolphin, Annacotty, 2.30;

Transfield Cup: Newcastle West v Presentation, Newcastle West, 2.30;

O'Neill Cup: Midleton v Waterford City, Towns Park, 2.30;

Garryowen Cup: Clanwilliam v Clonmel, Clanwilliam Park, 3.00;

McElligott Cup: Corca Dhuibhne v Tralee, Ballydavid, 2.30;

Munster Junior 2 League Cup: Cashel v Clonakilty, Cashel, 2.30;
Dolphin v Richmond, Musgrave Park, 2.30;

Dave Dineen Cup: Ballincollig v Skibbereen, Tanner Park, 3.00;
Dungarvan v Mallow, Dungarvan, 1.30;
Highfield v Killarney, Woodleigh Park, 12.00;

George O'Connell Cup Final: Muskerry v Dunmanway, Ballyanly, 3.00;

Paul Twomey Cup: Old Christians v Kinsale, Rathcooney, 2.30;

Junior 3 League: Fermoy v Ballincollig, Fermoy, 12.00;

McCarthy Cup: Cork Transport v Bantry Bay, Corn Field, 2.30;

Galwey-Foley Cup: Kenmare v Listowel, Kenmare, 2.30;

Tait Cup: Mitchelstown v Douglas, Mitchelstown, 1.00;

Casey Cup: Youghal v Waterford City, Youghal, 12.30;
Waterpark v Fethard, Ballinakill, 2.30;

Evans Cup: Clanwilliam v Clonmel, Clanwilliam Park, 1.00;

All Ireland Under 21 Frazer McMullan Cup Final: Lansdowne v U.C.D., Coolmine, 2.30;

East Munster Under 19 Cup Semi Final: Clanwilliam v Waterpark, Clanwilliam Park, 11.00;

East Munster Under 17 Plate Semi Final: Fethard v Cashel, Fethard, 11.00;

East Munster Under 17 Development League: Thurles v Clonmel, Thurles, 11.00;

East Under 15 Cup Final: Cashel v Waterpark, Carrick-on-Suir, 11.00;

East Under 15 Plate Semi Final: Dungarvan v Nenagh Ormond, Dungarvan, 12.00;

East Under 13 Cup: Clanwilliam v Nenagh Ormond, Clanwilliam Park, 11.00;
Clonmel v Dungarvan, Clonmel, 11.00;
Fethard v Galbally, Fethard, 11.00;
Waterpark v Cashel, Ballinakill, 11.00;

North Under 19 Cup: Newcastle West v U.L. Bohemian, Newcastle West, 11.30;
St. Senan's v Shannon-St. Mary's, Jim Slattery Park, 11.30;

North Under 19 League: Thomond v Scariff, Fitzgerald Park, 12.15;

North Under 17 Cup: Shannon v Old Crescent, Coonagh, 12.00;
Thomond v Garryowen, Fitzgerald Park, 11.00;

North Under 15 Cup Semi Final: 0ld Crescent v Garryowen, Rosbrien, 11.30;
Shannon v Bruff, Coonagh, 11.30;

South Under 17 Development Cup Final: Kinsale v Youghal, Rathcooney, 1.00;

Womens AIL Division 1: Clonmel v Old Belvedere, Clonmel, 1.00;
U.L. Bohemian v Cooke, Annacotty, 1.00;

Division 2: Young Munster v Galbally, Clifford Park, 3.00;
Tuam v Ballincollig, Tuam, 1.00;

Women's Friendly: Nenagh Ormond v Villenogue, Nenagh, 2.30;

TUESDAY 12th APRIL
East Munster Under 17 Cup: Kilfeacle v Waterpark, Clonmel, 7.00;

North Under 14 Cup Semi Final: Garryowen v Newport, Dooradoyle, 7.00;
Young Munster v Newcastle West, Derryknockane, 7.00;

Under 15 West Cork Cup Final: Clonakilty v Muskerry, Dunmanway, 6.30;

WEDNESDAY 13th APRIL
Cork County Cup Semi Final: Skibbereen v Crosshaven, Skibbereen, 6.30;

Junior 3 South Cup Semi Final: Ballincollig v Dolphin, Tanner Park, 6.30;

Under 21 Cup Final: Cork Constitution v Highfield, Musgrave Park, 6.30;

North Under 13 Cup Semi Final: Garryowen v Ul Bohemian Hawks, Dooradoyle, 6.30;
Shannon v Kilrush, Coonagh, 6.30;

South Under 17 League Semi Final: Bandon v Sunday's Well, Bandon, 6.30;