This weekend we have sixteen teams competing in Round 2 of the River Rock Towns Cup.
They include six teams from Division 1 of the Kukri Ulster Rugby Championship who received a bye in Round 1. They are joined by four teams from Division 2, along with sole Division 3 representatives Strabane, and five Ulster AIL 2nd XV teams.
Ballyclare are the current holders and face a difficult tie away to one of the favourites Ballynahinch seconds at Ballymacarn Park, who last won the Cup in 2017. Ballynahinch seconds and their coaches, Mark McDowell and Davy Harris, will be looking their team to make amends for losing the Millar McCall Wylie Junior Cup Final to Dromore.
Millar McCall Wylie Junior Cup holders Dromore play neighbours Banbridge seconds at Barban Hill.
Another of the potential favourites will be City of Armagh seconds who retained the Kukri Conference Division 1 title in December. They travel to play Strabane.
Another appetising tie is the meeting of the top two teams in Division 2, Limavady and Clogher Valley, at the Cran in Fivemiletown. Clogher Valley have quite a record in the Towns Cup, last appearing in the 2015 Final, before losing out to Ballynahinch seconds and will be looking to make the quarter finals. Limavady, under new Head coach Graeme Eastwood, have made a big impact this season as both teams pursue promotion to Div 1 this season.
Last season Portadown lost out to Ballyclare 27 - 6 in the Final of the Towns Cup. Recent coaching changes at Portadown have seen Stuart Lamb and Mark ‘Chunka’ Neilly take charge. The team have turned around early season performances and certainly have the talent in their playing squad to return to Kingspan Stadium this season. They welcome Larne to Chambers Park on Saturday afternoon.
At Stevenson Park, Enniskillen are the visitors for Dungannon seconds. Enniskillen contested the 2016 and 17 Finals losing out to Bangor 31 – 25 and Ballynahinch seconds 17 – 13 in two very dramatic games.
Gary Longwell and his Randalstown team will be seeking to cause an upset at the Tom Simms Memorial Playing Fields in his last season before stepping down as Head Coach at the club. Their opponents Carrickfergus have made coaching changes with Warren McClean once again taking charge of the playing side. He has had an immediate impact with the team winning two from three league games. The team showed their character to come back from 26 – 10 down at home to Portadown last Saturday to win 30 – 26.
Eaton Park in Ballymena with host the remaining tie when Coleraine travel to play an inform Ballymena seconds on Friday night with a 7.45pm kick off. For Coleraine Head Coach Benjy Van Der Byl and his players they will be looking a Cup run to build momentum going into their remaining league games. Ballymena seconds coaches Gareth Fisher and John Nicholl have assembled a competitive 2nd xv at Eaton Park this season. They will be aware that if they can overcome Coleraine they will be a team who can contend for the Towns Cup this season.
They include six teams from Division 1 of the Kukri Ulster Rugby Championship who received a bye in Round 1. They are joined by four teams from Division 2, along with sole Division 3 representatives Strabane, and five Ulster AIL 2nd XV teams.
Ballyclare are the current holders and face a difficult tie away to one of the favourites Ballynahinch seconds at Ballymacarn Park, who last won the Cup in 2017. Ballynahinch seconds and their coaches, Mark McDowell and Davy Harris, will be looking their team to make amends for losing the Millar McCall Wylie Junior Cup Final to Dromore.
Millar McCall Wylie Junior Cup holders Dromore play neighbours Banbridge seconds at Barban Hill.
Another of the potential favourites will be City of Armagh seconds who retained the Kukri Conference Division 1 title in December. They travel to play Strabane.
Another appetising tie is the meeting of the top two teams in Division 2, Limavady and Clogher Valley, at the Cran in Fivemiletown. Clogher Valley have quite a record in the Towns Cup, last appearing in the 2015 Final, before losing out to Ballynahinch seconds and will be looking to make the quarter finals. Limavady, under new Head coach Graeme Eastwood, have made a big impact this season as both teams pursue promotion to Div 1 this season.
Last season Portadown lost out to Ballyclare 27 - 6 in the Final of the Towns Cup. Recent coaching changes at Portadown have seen Stuart Lamb and Mark ‘Chunka’ Neilly take charge. The team have turned around early season performances and certainly have the talent in their playing squad to return to Kingspan Stadium this season. They welcome Larne to Chambers Park on Saturday afternoon.
At Stevenson Park, Enniskillen are the visitors for Dungannon seconds. Enniskillen contested the 2016 and 17 Finals losing out to Bangor 31 – 25 and Ballynahinch seconds 17 – 13 in two very dramatic games.
Gary Longwell and his Randalstown team will be seeking to cause an upset at the Tom Simms Memorial Playing Fields in his last season before stepping down as Head Coach at the club. Their opponents Carrickfergus have made coaching changes with Warren McClean once again taking charge of the playing side. He has had an immediate impact with the team winning two from three league games. The team showed their character to come back from 26 – 10 down at home to Portadown last Saturday to win 30 – 26.
Eaton Park in Ballymena with host the remaining tie when Coleraine travel to play an inform Ballymena seconds on Friday night with a 7.45pm kick off. For Coleraine Head Coach Benjy Van Der Byl and his players they will be looking a Cup run to build momentum going into their remaining league games. Ballymena seconds coaches Gareth Fisher and John Nicholl have assembled a competitive 2nd xv at Eaton Park this season. They will be aware that if they can overcome Coleraine they will be a team who can contend for the Towns Cup this season.