A preview of the club rugby action in the Ulster Bank League, Kukri Qualifying Leagues and Towns Cup taking place this weekend...
ULSTER BANK LEAGUE DIVISION 1A
Ballynahinch v Lansdowne
Every one of the remaining nine matches in this league is a Cup Final for tenth-placed Ballynahinch team as it fights to retain Division 1A status.
Head coach Derek Suffern and his players are ‘up’ for the challenge, and defeated Lansdowne 25-13 at Ballymacarn Park four weeks ago, then went on to win the First Trust Senior Cup against a strong Ballymena side. Ballynahinch are eight points behind second-from-bottom Galwegians, and ten points behind seventh-placed Lansdowne, so a win is a ‘must’ at the Aviva Stadium.
Ballynahinch start with a front row of Jonny Simpson, Zack McCall and Craig Trenier, with Jonny Madden and John Donnan in the second row. Captain Paul Pritchard is joined by David McGuigan and Conor Joyce in the back row.
Aaron Cairns and No.10 Sam Windsor start at half-back with the impressive Chris Quinn and Adam Craig on the wings. Richard Reaney and Robin Harte continue in the centre with Manihera Eden at fullback. Bench replacements are Jonny Blair, Andrew Harper, James Simpson, McIIroy and Stuart Morrow.
ULSTER BANK LEAGUE DIVISION 1B
Ballymena v Old Wesley
When these two sides met at Donnybrook four weeks ago it was the Braid side, now in second spot, which prevailed by 21-15, and the return fixture at Eaton Park will be another keenly-contested match. Old Wesley has slipped to eight points behind third-placed Dublin University and can't afford to lose further ground to stay in the play-off hunt. Only six points separate the teams between 5th and 9th in this league which affords an insight into what every match means in the remaining half of the season.
Disappointed to lose out in the First Trust Ulster Senior Cup decider Ballymena Head Coach Andy Graham identified a lack of physicality as a deciding factor at the Kingspan against Ballynahinch. Graham is without influential No.8 Matty Rea, out with a fractured leg which will rule him out for six-to-eight weeks. The coach was pleased with the performance of his Ballymena XV made up from the 2nds/3rds and 4ths who contested the Kyle Cup against a strong Dungannon side on Boxing Day at Stevenson Park, but the focus is firmly back on All-Ireland League business.
Old Wesley is a well-organised team with a strong and physical pack. Graham expects the game to be hugely competitive up front against a side which likes to keep the ball ‘alive’.
For Ballymena Michael Lagan, John Andrews and Bronson Ross will start in the front row, with Conor Smyth and David Whann in the engine room, while Club Captain Willy McKay is joined in the back row by Clive Ross and Stephen Mulholland.
David Shanahan and Ulster Academy prospect Andrew McGrath would start at half-back, with John Creighton and Ritchie McMaster on the bench. Jordan Foster has lost out to Jonny Rossborough and James Beattie on the wings with Rodger McBurney at full back. Callum Patterson and Marty Irwin renew their centre partnership, and Ross Kane joins Adam McBurney - involved in trial games for the Ireland Under 20s against Leinster and Munster recently - and James Gallagher on the bench alongside Creighton and McMaster.
Belfast Harlequins v St Mary's
Head coach Adam Larkin is well aware his 'Quins team is running out of matches with a ten-point gap between his 10th place side and 9th place UL Bohemians.
The task gets no easier this weekend as it faces a return match with league leaders St Mary's after losing 32-16 at Deramore in early December. Injuries have continued to impact on team selection with the lack of experienced players in key positions contributing to Quins league position.
The team has had to rely on Ulster squad players Frankie Taggart, Paul Jackson, Connor Young and Mark Best to maintain the side’s competitiveness in this league, with increased Ulster demands on Rory Scholes, Ricky Lutton and Louis Stevenson have limited their release to play for the club. The youthfulness of Larkin’s team reflects those players unavailability.
ULSTER BANK LEAGUE DIVISION 2B
Seapoint v Armagh
Head coach Alex McCloy is well aware his Armagh side faces a season-defining month with games coming up against Seapoint, Sunday's Well, Bective Rangers and Rainey OB. With City of Derry favourites to win outright promotion the focus for Armagh is to finish in the top four and secure a play-off place and currently the Ulster side is three points behind fourth-placed Sunday's Well so need to pick up maximum points at Seapoint this weekend.
McCloy is missing several players, notably James Morton, John Faloon, Harry Boyd, Matthew Steenson and Matthew Clarke.
POWERADE TOWNS CUP
Bangor v Lisburn
With the both team’s focus on winning Qualifying One the fixture schedule is unrelenting for Bangor, and progress in the Towns Cup could it’s April before it has a free weekend. For the match against Lisburn the coaches rest Philip Whyte and Mike Ferguson, Orran McIImurray coming in at loose head amd James Leary starting at tight head. Darren Kelly and Craig Burton continue in the second row, while skipper Jamie Clegg starts at blindside flanker, with David Bradford at open-side and Dave Caughey at No.8. Jason Guthrie and Jason Morgan remain at half-back, Ross McCloskey partners Mike Weir in a new centre pairing with David Charles, Mark Widdowson and full-back Adam McCusker completing the back three.
Bangor has targeted the Towns Cup, and in the next weeks faces two huge league games against Omagh and Instonians. The Junior Cup already won, there is a sense amongst the coaching staff, players and management that the team could be on the verge of something special happening this season.
Lisburn is struggling in Qualifying Two, it’s been very much a season of rebuild for the 1sts. Encouraging performances promised much in recent weeks but. Lisburn has lost its last three league games against Enniskillen, Coleraine and Ballymoney to sit ninth in the league. With play-offs introduced this season in the Qualifying Leagues the priority for Head Coach Neil Hinds and his team will be secure Qualifying Two rugby but the Towns Cup offers a welcome and different prize, and the players will relish Bangor’s challenge.
Randalstown v Clogher Valley
Head coach Gary Longwell looks to the Towns Cup to reverse Randalstown fortunes after a disappointing December in the promotion drive from Qualifying Two.
Clogher Valley is a team very much in transition with coaches Glen Kyle and Davy Black digging deep into playing resources to maintain a credible challenge those of Instonians and in Qualifying One, losses to both have illustrated the gulf that has opened up in that division. For the trip to Randalstown injuries and unavailability rule out forwards Richard Primrose, Michael Hopper and influential captain David Sharkey, and backs Philip Holme, Clive Donaldson, David Speers, Adam Baxter and PC Falconer are all absent.
This week the side includes a front five of Philip Moore, Kyle Cobane, Rodney Bennett, Michael Treanor and Matthew Keyes while in the back-row Ryan Wilson is joined by BJ Wilson and Eugene McKenna. Neil Trotter, Aaron Best, Andy Breen, Nathan Orr, Allister Trenier, Keith Todd and full-back Fleming Agnew Kline, with Neil Henderson and Mark Ellis on the bench.
Ballymena 2nds v Ballyclare
Coach Gareth Fisher hopes his Ballymena team can make the final this season after just missing out last year, and faces an in-form Ballyclare team with eyes focussed on an Easter Monday final. Ballymena are able to call upon experience which includes forwards Ian Caldwell, James Taggart, Andrew Ferguson, Oliver Millar Paddy McGowan, Mark Foster and Dominic Gallagher along with backs Glen Baillie, Jordan Foster, Paddy James, Paul Campbell, John Nicholl and Rory Drysdale. Breakaway forward Michael Shiels is been ruled out with a head injury picked up in Senior Cup Final against Ballynahinch.
Ballyclare coach Mike McKeever is well aware of the threat Ballymena poses to its Cup ambitions but his team continued its preparations for this tie with impressive Conference League wins over Belfast Harlequins 2nds and away to Ballynahinch 2nds.
Ballynahinch 2nds v Carrickfergus
Cup holders Ballynahinch face a difficult match at home to an in-form Carrick team at Ballymacarn Park, and there’s extra spice as former ‘Hinch hooker Neil Hanna is the Head Coach at Carrickfergus, his team pursue its primary goal of promotion to Qualifying One.
‘Hinch second string has found the going difficult in Conference League One, losing seven of eleven matches, but select a strong line-up to open its defence of the trophy. The pack consists of Chris Stevenson, Ben Pentland, Stuart Orr, Andy Simpson, Stuart Evans, Lorcan Dow, Keith Dickson and Gareth Gill. Chris Gibson and James McBriar start at half-back with Aaron Ferris and Davy Nicholson on the wings, Davy Harris and Will Stewart in the centre with Justin Rea at fullback.
Limavady v Portadown
While both these teams met at Chambers Park last season in the opening round, Portadown recording a 41-17 win, that will count for little when the sides meet in the North West. Portadown sits fifth in the challenging competition of Qualifying One and faces an undefeated Limavady team sitting atop Qualifying Three with an impressive fourteen wins. And while Portadown has ambitions for silverware this season Limavady has overcome financial hardship and relegation in consecutive seasons to become favourites to win promotion this term.
When Head coach Paul O'Kane took over four seasons ago the club was perilously close to ceasing to exist but he set about a wholesale restructure. Traditionally Limavady was renowned for its big, heavy pack and ten-man rugby. The goal for the coach was to change to a 15 man game with a new young squad, and they now have no fewer than eleven of the 1st XV panel aged between 18 and 20 years, with the players encouraged to play an entertaining running style of rugby.
The Gordon West Cup was won in April, and O'Kane has assembled an impressive coaching team. The coach knows his team is not expected to beat Portadown but it is virtually at full strength, bar the absence of the experienced Greg Jordan.
Portadown Head Coach Richard Hedley was disappointed with the lack of rugby played by his team during December, and he is aware of Limavady’s progress this season. Injury rules out backs Andrew Chambers and Jonny Holden and prop Mark Neilly, but Jack Orr and Neil Irwin have taken their opportunities in the backs and retain their starting places.
Enniskillen v Rainey OB 2nds
There were high hopes that Enniskillen would be serious promotion challengers in Qualifying Two this season, but defeats away to Donaghadee and Academy require a strong second half to the season if ‘Skins’ are to compete with Carrick and Coleraine for the top two places. Coach Norman Richmond, buoyed by Boxing Day success over Lisburn, expects Rainey OB to provide stiff opposition, particularly as the Magherafelt First XV has no game this weekend.
Richmond welcomes back influential back rower Jamie Johnston, and both Richie Johnston and Matty Maguire are available for selection, though Ashley Finlay is unavailable.
Armagh 2nds v Dungannon 2nds
This is a fascinating ‘derby’ between these two 2nd XV sides. Both are in Junior One, Armagh in second place behind league leaders Omagh 2nds with a win record of seven from nine. Dungannon, in seventh place, has won four from nine, and Armagh has already recorded two wins over their Tyrone counterparts this season, though that will count for little in a fiercely-contested Towns Cup tie. Dungannon coach Andy Hughes welcomed the opportunity for his players to get some game time in the Kyle Cup win over Ballymena on Boxing Day as players’ commitments before Christmas had impacted on the team’s performances. Dungannon fields a strong team with several players having gained AIL experience, and that might prove important.
Byes: Larne, Ballymoney, Lurgan, Donaghadee, Coleraine, Banbridge 2nds, Omagh, Ards, Dromore
KUKRI QUALIFYING LEAGUE 3
Ophir v Holywood
ULSTER BANK LEAGUE DIVISION 1A
Ballynahinch v Lansdowne
Every one of the remaining nine matches in this league is a Cup Final for tenth-placed Ballynahinch team as it fights to retain Division 1A status.
Head coach Derek Suffern and his players are ‘up’ for the challenge, and defeated Lansdowne 25-13 at Ballymacarn Park four weeks ago, then went on to win the First Trust Senior Cup against a strong Ballymena side. Ballynahinch are eight points behind second-from-bottom Galwegians, and ten points behind seventh-placed Lansdowne, so a win is a ‘must’ at the Aviva Stadium.
Ballynahinch start with a front row of Jonny Simpson, Zack McCall and Craig Trenier, with Jonny Madden and John Donnan in the second row. Captain Paul Pritchard is joined by David McGuigan and Conor Joyce in the back row.
Aaron Cairns and No.10 Sam Windsor start at half-back with the impressive Chris Quinn and Adam Craig on the wings. Richard Reaney and Robin Harte continue in the centre with Manihera Eden at fullback. Bench replacements are Jonny Blair, Andrew Harper, James Simpson, McIIroy and Stuart Morrow.
ULSTER BANK LEAGUE DIVISION 1B
Ballymena v Old Wesley
When these two sides met at Donnybrook four weeks ago it was the Braid side, now in second spot, which prevailed by 21-15, and the return fixture at Eaton Park will be another keenly-contested match. Old Wesley has slipped to eight points behind third-placed Dublin University and can't afford to lose further ground to stay in the play-off hunt. Only six points separate the teams between 5th and 9th in this league which affords an insight into what every match means in the remaining half of the season.
Disappointed to lose out in the First Trust Ulster Senior Cup decider Ballymena Head Coach Andy Graham identified a lack of physicality as a deciding factor at the Kingspan against Ballynahinch. Graham is without influential No.8 Matty Rea, out with a fractured leg which will rule him out for six-to-eight weeks. The coach was pleased with the performance of his Ballymena XV made up from the 2nds/3rds and 4ths who contested the Kyle Cup against a strong Dungannon side on Boxing Day at Stevenson Park, but the focus is firmly back on All-Ireland League business.
Old Wesley is a well-organised team with a strong and physical pack. Graham expects the game to be hugely competitive up front against a side which likes to keep the ball ‘alive’.
For Ballymena Michael Lagan, John Andrews and Bronson Ross will start in the front row, with Conor Smyth and David Whann in the engine room, while Club Captain Willy McKay is joined in the back row by Clive Ross and Stephen Mulholland.
David Shanahan and Ulster Academy prospect Andrew McGrath would start at half-back, with John Creighton and Ritchie McMaster on the bench. Jordan Foster has lost out to Jonny Rossborough and James Beattie on the wings with Rodger McBurney at full back. Callum Patterson and Marty Irwin renew their centre partnership, and Ross Kane joins Adam McBurney - involved in trial games for the Ireland Under 20s against Leinster and Munster recently - and James Gallagher on the bench alongside Creighton and McMaster.
Belfast Harlequins v St Mary's
Head coach Adam Larkin is well aware his 'Quins team is running out of matches with a ten-point gap between his 10th place side and 9th place UL Bohemians.
The task gets no easier this weekend as it faces a return match with league leaders St Mary's after losing 32-16 at Deramore in early December. Injuries have continued to impact on team selection with the lack of experienced players in key positions contributing to Quins league position.
The team has had to rely on Ulster squad players Frankie Taggart, Paul Jackson, Connor Young and Mark Best to maintain the side’s competitiveness in this league, with increased Ulster demands on Rory Scholes, Ricky Lutton and Louis Stevenson have limited their release to play for the club. The youthfulness of Larkin’s team reflects those players unavailability.
ULSTER BANK LEAGUE DIVISION 2B
Seapoint v Armagh
Head coach Alex McCloy is well aware his Armagh side faces a season-defining month with games coming up against Seapoint, Sunday's Well, Bective Rangers and Rainey OB. With City of Derry favourites to win outright promotion the focus for Armagh is to finish in the top four and secure a play-off place and currently the Ulster side is three points behind fourth-placed Sunday's Well so need to pick up maximum points at Seapoint this weekend.
McCloy is missing several players, notably James Morton, John Faloon, Harry Boyd, Matthew Steenson and Matthew Clarke.
POWERADE TOWNS CUP
Bangor v Lisburn
With the both team’s focus on winning Qualifying One the fixture schedule is unrelenting for Bangor, and progress in the Towns Cup could it’s April before it has a free weekend. For the match against Lisburn the coaches rest Philip Whyte and Mike Ferguson, Orran McIImurray coming in at loose head amd James Leary starting at tight head. Darren Kelly and Craig Burton continue in the second row, while skipper Jamie Clegg starts at blindside flanker, with David Bradford at open-side and Dave Caughey at No.8. Jason Guthrie and Jason Morgan remain at half-back, Ross McCloskey partners Mike Weir in a new centre pairing with David Charles, Mark Widdowson and full-back Adam McCusker completing the back three.
Bangor has targeted the Towns Cup, and in the next weeks faces two huge league games against Omagh and Instonians. The Junior Cup already won, there is a sense amongst the coaching staff, players and management that the team could be on the verge of something special happening this season.
Lisburn is struggling in Qualifying Two, it’s been very much a season of rebuild for the 1sts. Encouraging performances promised much in recent weeks but. Lisburn has lost its last three league games against Enniskillen, Coleraine and Ballymoney to sit ninth in the league. With play-offs introduced this season in the Qualifying Leagues the priority for Head Coach Neil Hinds and his team will be secure Qualifying Two rugby but the Towns Cup offers a welcome and different prize, and the players will relish Bangor’s challenge.
Randalstown v Clogher Valley
Head coach Gary Longwell looks to the Towns Cup to reverse Randalstown fortunes after a disappointing December in the promotion drive from Qualifying Two.
Clogher Valley is a team very much in transition with coaches Glen Kyle and Davy Black digging deep into playing resources to maintain a credible challenge those of Instonians and in Qualifying One, losses to both have illustrated the gulf that has opened up in that division. For the trip to Randalstown injuries and unavailability rule out forwards Richard Primrose, Michael Hopper and influential captain David Sharkey, and backs Philip Holme, Clive Donaldson, David Speers, Adam Baxter and PC Falconer are all absent.
This week the side includes a front five of Philip Moore, Kyle Cobane, Rodney Bennett, Michael Treanor and Matthew Keyes while in the back-row Ryan Wilson is joined by BJ Wilson and Eugene McKenna. Neil Trotter, Aaron Best, Andy Breen, Nathan Orr, Allister Trenier, Keith Todd and full-back Fleming Agnew Kline, with Neil Henderson and Mark Ellis on the bench.
Ballymena 2nds v Ballyclare
Coach Gareth Fisher hopes his Ballymena team can make the final this season after just missing out last year, and faces an in-form Ballyclare team with eyes focussed on an Easter Monday final. Ballymena are able to call upon experience which includes forwards Ian Caldwell, James Taggart, Andrew Ferguson, Oliver Millar Paddy McGowan, Mark Foster and Dominic Gallagher along with backs Glen Baillie, Jordan Foster, Paddy James, Paul Campbell, John Nicholl and Rory Drysdale. Breakaway forward Michael Shiels is been ruled out with a head injury picked up in Senior Cup Final against Ballynahinch.
Ballyclare coach Mike McKeever is well aware of the threat Ballymena poses to its Cup ambitions but his team continued its preparations for this tie with impressive Conference League wins over Belfast Harlequins 2nds and away to Ballynahinch 2nds.
Ballynahinch 2nds v Carrickfergus
Cup holders Ballynahinch face a difficult match at home to an in-form Carrick team at Ballymacarn Park, and there’s extra spice as former ‘Hinch hooker Neil Hanna is the Head Coach at Carrickfergus, his team pursue its primary goal of promotion to Qualifying One.
‘Hinch second string has found the going difficult in Conference League One, losing seven of eleven matches, but select a strong line-up to open its defence of the trophy. The pack consists of Chris Stevenson, Ben Pentland, Stuart Orr, Andy Simpson, Stuart Evans, Lorcan Dow, Keith Dickson and Gareth Gill. Chris Gibson and James McBriar start at half-back with Aaron Ferris and Davy Nicholson on the wings, Davy Harris and Will Stewart in the centre with Justin Rea at fullback.
Limavady v Portadown
While both these teams met at Chambers Park last season in the opening round, Portadown recording a 41-17 win, that will count for little when the sides meet in the North West. Portadown sits fifth in the challenging competition of Qualifying One and faces an undefeated Limavady team sitting atop Qualifying Three with an impressive fourteen wins. And while Portadown has ambitions for silverware this season Limavady has overcome financial hardship and relegation in consecutive seasons to become favourites to win promotion this term.
When Head coach Paul O'Kane took over four seasons ago the club was perilously close to ceasing to exist but he set about a wholesale restructure. Traditionally Limavady was renowned for its big, heavy pack and ten-man rugby. The goal for the coach was to change to a 15 man game with a new young squad, and they now have no fewer than eleven of the 1st XV panel aged between 18 and 20 years, with the players encouraged to play an entertaining running style of rugby.
The Gordon West Cup was won in April, and O'Kane has assembled an impressive coaching team. The coach knows his team is not expected to beat Portadown but it is virtually at full strength, bar the absence of the experienced Greg Jordan.
Portadown Head Coach Richard Hedley was disappointed with the lack of rugby played by his team during December, and he is aware of Limavady’s progress this season. Injury rules out backs Andrew Chambers and Jonny Holden and prop Mark Neilly, but Jack Orr and Neil Irwin have taken their opportunities in the backs and retain their starting places.
Enniskillen v Rainey OB 2nds
There were high hopes that Enniskillen would be serious promotion challengers in Qualifying Two this season, but defeats away to Donaghadee and Academy require a strong second half to the season if ‘Skins’ are to compete with Carrick and Coleraine for the top two places. Coach Norman Richmond, buoyed by Boxing Day success over Lisburn, expects Rainey OB to provide stiff opposition, particularly as the Magherafelt First XV has no game this weekend.
Richmond welcomes back influential back rower Jamie Johnston, and both Richie Johnston and Matty Maguire are available for selection, though Ashley Finlay is unavailable.
Armagh 2nds v Dungannon 2nds
This is a fascinating ‘derby’ between these two 2nd XV sides. Both are in Junior One, Armagh in second place behind league leaders Omagh 2nds with a win record of seven from nine. Dungannon, in seventh place, has won four from nine, and Armagh has already recorded two wins over their Tyrone counterparts this season, though that will count for little in a fiercely-contested Towns Cup tie. Dungannon coach Andy Hughes welcomed the opportunity for his players to get some game time in the Kyle Cup win over Ballymena on Boxing Day as players’ commitments before Christmas had impacted on the team’s performances. Dungannon fields a strong team with several players having gained AIL experience, and that might prove important.
Byes: Larne, Ballymoney, Lurgan, Donaghadee, Coleraine, Banbridge 2nds, Omagh, Ards, Dromore
KUKRI QUALIFYING LEAGUE 3
Ophir v Holywood