Lansdowne Face Bateman Cup Semi-Final Trip To Garryowen
The Bateman Cup semi-finals will take place on Saturday, January 12, with three of the four competing teams now known. City of Armagh will represent Ulster against the Connacht Senior Cup winners, while Garryowen will have home advantage against defending champions Lansdowne.
With the Ulster Senior Cup not due to finish until February 8, title holders City of Armagh are the Ulster Branch’s nominated club to compete in the Bateman Cup, the prestigious All-Ireland Cup competition which was first contested in 1922, and then reintroduced by the IRFU for the 2010/11 season.
Armagh will have home advantage in the last-four for the second year running after hosting then-champions Cork Constitution at the semi-final stage last January. Willie Faloon’s men were narrowly beaten 20-13 that day and will be hoping to go one better in the New Year.
It will be a busy start to 2019 for Armagh who have four successive games in January, including their Ulster Senior Cup semi-final against Rainey Old Boys a week before the Bateman Cup fixture. The winners of the Connacht Senior Cup final between Buccaneers and Corinthians, who are due to meet on Saturday, January 5, will meet Faloon’s side at the Palace Grounds.
The other Bateman Cup semi-final is an all-Division 1A affair between Garryowen and Lansdowne, who broke Cork Constitution’s stranglehold on the trophy last April with a convincing 32-12 final victory at Temple Hill. The Light Blues are also previous champions following their 2013 success against Ballymena.
Garryowen and Lansdowne both won their provincial Senior Cups last season and are in the running to retain those titles, with the Munster Senior Cup decider between Garryowen and Cork Con pencilled in for January 5. Mike Ruddock’s men had the upper hand when they met Garryowen in last April’s Division 1A semi-final, winning 36-19 at home with winger Adam Leavy touching down twice.
The headquarters club lost an early league encounter at Dooradoyle last month, going down 17-14 to Conan Doyle’s charges who had a late match-winning try from number 8 Sean Rennison. Garryowen will be bidding to wrestle the Bateman Cup back into Munster hands, while Lansdowne are chasing back-to-back Bateman Cups for the first time since their trio of wins between 1929 and 1931.
BATEMAN CUP SEMI-FINALS: Saturday, January 12
CITY OF ARMAGH v BUCCANEERS or CORINTHIANS, Palace Grounds, 2.30pm
GARRYOWEN v LANSDOWNE, Dooradoyle, 2.30pm
Competition Rules:
(i) If teams are tied at full-time, extra-time of 10 minutes each way will be played
(ii) If still tied, the team that has scored the most tries will be the winners
(iii) If still tied, the away team will be declared the winners
Clubs may tog out up to seven replacements for both the semi-finals and the final and rolling substitutions will apply.
Nationally or provincially contracted players may not play in the Bateman Cup where a Division 1 club is drawn against a Division 2 club. Development and Academy contracted players are eligible to play in this competition.
All-Ireland Cup Champions’ Roll Of Honour:
2017/18 – Lansdowne (Bateman Cup)
2016/17 – Cork Constitution (Bateman Cup)
2015/16 – Cork Constitution (Bateman Cup)
2014/15 – Cork Constitution (Bateman Cup)
2013/14 – Cork Constitution (Bateman Cup)
2012/13 – Cork Constitution (Bateman Cup)
2011/12 – Garryowen (Bateman Cup)
2010/11 – Bruff (Bateman Cup)
2009/10 – Cork Constitution
2008/09 – Ballynahinch
2007/08 – Shannon
2006/07 – Garryowen
2005/06 – Cork Constitution