Ulster Bank League: Division 2C Previews

Boyne and Kanturk are feeling the heat at the bottom of Division 2C, and the pair face crucial home clashes with Seapoint and Tullamore respectively in this weekend’s rescheduled games.

ULSTER BANK LEAGUE: DIVISION 2C: Saturday, April 1

Kick-off 2.30pm unless stated –

Ulster Bank League Results Service: Send UBL to 51444. To unsubscribe send the word STOP to 0876445950. Search #UBL on Twitter for club updates.

Boyne (10th) v Seapoint (6th), Shamrock Lodge

Seapoint have almost certainly left it too late for a tilt at the promotion play-offs, but they stand out as one of the division’s form teams with four wins in a row.

Finishing in the top half of the table would offer the south Dubliners something to build on in 2017/18. Boyne would dearly love to swap places with them as they continue their fight against relegation.

Graeme Eastwood’s charges accounted for Bangor last time out – the 24-10 win giving them a timely jolt of confidence – and their back-to-back home matches against Seapoint and Rainey Old Boys are akin to cup finals.

Kanturk (9th) v Tullamore (4th), Knocknacolan

With three fixtures left to play, Kanturk are on a real knife-edge. They currently occupy the relegation play-off spot, sitting just a single point ahead of basement side Boyne.

The ‘Turks started strongly against high-flying Sligo last week, eventually losing 27-13, and will need a full 80-minute performance to trouble fourth-placed Tullamore.

The Offaly men are smarting from a tight 22-18 reversal at the hands of leaders Navan, and will travel with revenge on their minds after losing their home fixture with Kanturk (17-15) in October.

Midleton (7th) v Bangor (8th), Towns Park

A second win in three games would seal Midleton’s Division 2C status for next year, with John O’Neill’s squad desperate to tighten up a defence that leaked 42 points to Rainey in the previous round.

Bangor have lost seven of their last eight games, including last week’s 24-10 defeat to bottom-placed Boyne. Their crippling injury list currently includes 18 players.

Former player-coach Michael Ferguson will start in Bangor’s second row this weekend, with Phil Broderick moving to outside centre to cover the absence of Ulster ‘A’ call-up Lewis Sampson.