AIB Cup Preview: UCD v Shannon
Division One champions Shannon take on UCD in the AIB Cup quarter-finals this Saturday. With home advantage, can the students overturn last weekend’s league result which saw the Limerick giants run five tries past them?
AIB CUP QUARTER-FINAL: Saturday, February 3
UCD v SHANNON, Belfield, 2.30pm
Referee: Marshall Kilgore (Ulster)
Previous AIB League/Cup Meetings: Played 6, UCD Won 2, Shannon Won 4
At Belfield: Played 3, UCD Won 2, Shannon Won 1
Most Recent Game: January 27, 2007 – Shannon 31 UCD 15, Thomond Park
League/Cup Form: UCD: LWWLL
Shannon: WLWLD
UCD – Notes: *They recently played Ballymena on consecutive weekends, winning 16-14 away in the AIB Cup’s first round on the second Saturday – they played Shannon at Thomond Park in the league last Saturday
*They have the best Leinster clubs’ record playing at home to Munster clubs in the AIB League, with a 69% success rate
*They first played competitively against Shannon during the 2001/02 season – they lost 21-17 on the most recent occasion (April 2006) they played in the league against Shannon at Belfield
*They have lost four of their last five AIB League fixtures, and along with Blackrock College, they have conceded the most tries (40) in Division One since October
*Currently in 15th place in the Division One table, they are one of three Leinster clubs remaining in the AIB Cup’s last-eight
2006/07 AIB League Top Points Scorer: Fergus McFadden 81 points
2006/07 AIB League Top Try Scorer: Ian Keatley 4 tries
Shannon – Notes: *They recently played Clontarf on consecutive weekends, winning 22-13 at home to them in the AIB Cup’s first round on the second Saturday
*They lost 31-29 (September 2001) and 18-16 (November 2003) on their first two Division One appearances at the Belfield Bowl
*They have won ten of their last eleven fixtures playing away at Leinster grounds
*In last season’s AIB Cup first round, they lost 20-17 at home to the ventual winners Cork Constitution, and are one of three Munster clubs remaining in the AIB Cup at the quarter-final stage this season
*Currently fifth in Division One, they have won only one of their last four AIB League matches
2006/07 AIB League Top Points Scorer: Tadhg Bennett 44 points
2006/07 AIB League Top Try Scorer: Sean Cronin 5 tries