ARDS v MALONE
The faithful at Hamilton Park have suffered two 50 point defeats at Ballymena and Armagh in the last two weeks. Injuries along with a flu bug has depleted the playing resources available to coaches Stewart Porter and Gerry Flynn. The only encouraging side to their performances has been a strong first half performance at Ballymena and an early 10-0 lead at Armagh. Malone have used the window to give game time to squad players with back row forward Ben McDonald hoping to press ...
ARDS v MALONE The faithful at Hamilton Park have suffered two 50 point defeats at Ballymena and Armagh in the last two weeks. Injuries along with a flu bug has depleted the playing resources available to coaches Stewart Porter and Gerry Flynn. The only encouraging side to their performances has been a strong first half performance at Ballymena and an early 10-0 lead at Armagh. Malone have used the window to give game time to squad players with back row forward Ben McDonald hoping to press for a regular start after scoring several tries. Coaches Jacque Benade and Gareth Fry have looked at several new combinations in the forwards and backs with the halfback pairing one area to be resolved. With a daunting Ulster Bank League trip to Galway to face promotion chasing Corinthians, the coaches will look for a strong performance from the side this Saturday. Malone to win. BELFAST HARLEQUINS v BANBRIDGE 'Quins coach Adam Larkin will want an improvement from his forwards who played second fiddle to a dominant Malone pack at Gibson Park last Saturday. The Deramore Park side has already beaten the Bann 19-0 in a pre-season friendly. Their forwards will come up against a strong Banbridge eight who will make it very difficult for them at the set pieces. Despite conceding five tries in the first half at City of Derry, Bann put in a strong second half performance to end up losing 35-24. 'Quins captain Neil Simpson will want a win from this game to take into the Ulster Bank league game at Dungannon the following week. The home side should win this one. CITY OF DERRY v RAINEY The North West side continue to impress this season, with coaches Mark Nicholl and Ashley Blair using the opportunity to strengthen their squad for the second half of their Ulster Bank League programme. Different combinations have been used in the forwards and backs to give the two coaches difficult decisions for selecting their 1st XV. With the 2nds commencing their defence of the Towns Cup at Bangor on 4th January, the players will have every opportunity to press for a starting place. Players such as Jack Caithness, Mark Robinson, Andrew Semple and Neil Burns have demonstrated their versatility in the backs. In the absence of Richard McCarter, Neil Burns has taken over the kicking duties with aplomb. Derry have already recorded wins over Rainey in the First Trust Senior Cup (48-8) and the UBL (42-21) this season. Rainey coach Richard Boyd will look for an improved performance from his side after five straight losses. Injuries have depleted his playing resources as he strives to strengthen his senior squad. Second row Michael Shiels remains very much the in-form player for the Magherfelt side as they look to turn their season around. City of Derry are favourites at home. BALLYNAHINCH v DUNGANNON Coach Derek Suffern will have been pleased by the performances of several of his Millar McCall Wylie Junior Cup winning side who stepped up to the 1st XV on Saturday for their hard earned 7-29 bonus point win at the Dub. With injuries in the second row, he will have been pleased with the performances of Matty McKeown and Andy Simpson in recent weeks. Injuries have reduced his options with Michael Graham, James Simpson, John Donnan, David McGuigan hoping to resume playing in January. Ex-Instonian, Kenny Morton, now player coach at Ophir, has been helping out the County Down side in their Ulster Bank League games. Dungannon coach Paddy Johns will have been disappointed by their 6-0 defeat to Division 2B side Instonians at Shaw's Bridge last Saturday. Again injuries and Ulster commitments have reduced the playing resources available to him. He will be looking for an improvement from his side to arrest their five game losing run. The task will be made no easier at Ballymacarn by the title chasing men in green. The 'Hinch side will want a strong performance before they travel to UCD for their opening UBL game in 2014. Ballynahinch to win. INSTONIANS v BALLYMENA The Eaton Park side will show no mercy as they look to strengthen their grip on the Ulster Senior League when they visit Shaw's Bridge on Saturday. Such is the strength in depth within the 1st XV squad, coach Andy Graham knows his players are looking to impress as they push for a starting place in the UBL side. In recent weeks they have found their try scoring form again with fourteen tries against Ards and Rainey. With the 2nds commencing their Towns Cup campaign at Portadown the following Saturday, the players will use this game to again press their claim. The Braid side want silverware at Eaton Park this season and both the 1sts and 2nds will aim to deliver. Exciting times for the County Antrim side. Instonians will have been bouyed by their 6-0 win over Dungannon; this will have boosted the confidence of William Leacock's talented young playing squad. Expect his side to provide stiff resistance in this fixture. Ballymena to win. QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY v ARMAGH The students' coach Paddy Armstrong has had to dig deep in his playing resources to allow players the opportunity to recover from their UBL and First Trust Senior Cup exploits. Ulster Senior League defeats to Banbridge and Ballynahinch have demonstrated the need for strength in depth to compete on several fronts. With the UBL and the All Ireland Bateman Cup looming in the coming weeks, Robbie Moore and his management team have much work to do. Armagh coach Andy Hughes will want an away win to show his players that they can match their strong home form to mount a serious promotion campaign in 2014. Disappointing UBL defeats away to Richmond and Navan have not matched their performances at the Palace Grounds. Captain and outhalf Richard Reaney put in an impeccable kicking display last Saturday, converting all seven conversions in their seven try rout of Ards.
ARDS v MALONE The faithful at Hamilton Park have suffered two 50 point defeats at Ballymena and Armagh in the last two weeks. Injuries along with a flu bug has depleted the playing resources available to coaches Stewart Porter and Gerry Flynn. The only encouraging side to their performances has been a strong first half performance at Ballymena and an early 10-0 lead at Armagh. Malone have used the window to give game time to squad players with back row forward Ben McDonald hoping to press for a regular start after scoring several tries. Coaches Jacque Benade and Gareth Fry have looked at several new combinations in the forwards and backs with the halfback pairing one area to be resolved. With a daunting Ulster Bank League trip to Galway to face promotion chasing Corinthians, the coaches will look for a strong performance from the side this Saturday. Malone to win. BELFAST HARLEQUINS v BANBRIDGE 'Quins coach Adam Larkin will want an improvement from his forwards who played second fiddle to a dominant Malone pack at Gibson Park last Saturday. The Deramore Park side has already beaten the Bann 19-0 in a pre-season friendly. Their forwards will come up against a strong Banbridge eight who will make it very difficult for them at the set pieces. Despite conceding five tries in the first half at City of Derry, Bann put in a strong second half performance to end up losing 35-24. 'Quins captain Neil Simpson will want a win from this game to take into the Ulster Bank league game at Dungannon the following week. The home side should win this one. CITY OF DERRY v RAINEY The North West side continue to impress this season, with coaches Mark Nicholl and Ashley Blair using the opportunity to strengthen their squad for the second half of their Ulster Bank League programme. Different combinations have been used in the forwards and backs to give the two coaches difficult decisions for selecting their 1st XV. With the 2nds commencing their defence of the Towns Cup at Bangor on 4th January, the players will have every opportunity to press for a starting place. Players such as Jack Caithness, Mark Robinson, Andrew Semple and Neil Burns have demonstrated their versatility in the backs. In the absence of Richard McCarter, Neil Burns has taken over the kicking duties with aplomb. Derry have already recorded wins over Rainey in the First Trust Senior Cup (48-8) and the UBL (42-21) this season. Rainey coach Richard Boyd will look for an improved performance from his side after five straight losses. Injuries have depleted his playing resources as he strives to strengthen his senior squad. Second row Michael Shiels remains very much the in-form player for the Magherfelt side as they look to turn their season around. City of Derry are favourites at home. BALLYNAHINCH v DUNGANNON Coach Derek Suffern will have been pleased by the performances of several of his Millar McCall Wylie Junior Cup winning side who stepped up to the 1st XV on Saturday for their hard earned 7-29 bonus point win at the Dub. With injuries in the second row, he will have been pleased with the performances of Matty McKeown and Andy Simpson in recent weeks. Injuries have reduced his options with Michael Graham, James Simpson, John Donnan, David McGuigan hoping to resume playing in January. Ex-Instonian, Kenny Morton, now player coach at Ophir, has been helping out the County Down side in their Ulster Bank League games. Dungannon coach Paddy Johns will have been disappointed by their 6-0 defeat to Division 2B side Instonians at Shaw's Bridge last Saturday. Again injuries and Ulster commitments have reduced the playing resources available to him. He will be looking for an improvement from his side to arrest their five game losing run. The task will be made no easier at Ballymacarn by the title chasing men in green. The 'Hinch side will want a strong performance before they travel to UCD for their opening UBL game in 2014. Ballynahinch to win. INSTONIANS v BALLYMENA The Eaton Park side will show no mercy as they look to strengthen their grip on the Ulster Senior League when they visit Shaw's Bridge on Saturday. Such is the strength in depth within the 1st XV squad, coach Andy Graham knows his players are looking to impress as they push for a starting place in the UBL side. In recent weeks they have found their try scoring form again with fourteen tries against Ards and Rainey. With the 2nds commencing their Towns Cup campaign at Portadown the following Saturday, the players will use this game to again press their claim. The Braid side want silverware at Eaton Park this season and both the 1sts and 2nds will aim to deliver. Exciting times for the County Antrim side. Instonians will have been bouyed by their 6-0 win over Dungannon; this will have boosted the confidence of William Leacock's talented young playing squad. Expect his side to provide stiff resistance in this fixture. Ballymena to win. QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY v ARMAGH The students' coach Paddy Armstrong has had to dig deep in his playing resources to allow players the opportunity to recover from their UBL and First Trust Senior Cup exploits. Ulster Senior League defeats to Banbridge and Ballynahinch have demonstrated the need for strength in depth to compete on several fronts. With the UBL and the All Ireland Bateman Cup looming in the coming weeks, Robbie Moore and his management team have much work to do. Armagh coach Andy Hughes will want an away win to show his players that they can match their strong home form to mount a serious promotion campaign in 2014. Disappointing UBL defeats away to Richmond and Navan have not matched their performances at the Palace Grounds. Captain and outhalf Richard Reaney put in an impeccable kicking display last Saturday, converting all seven conversions in their seven try rout of Ards.