Galway Corinthians scrum half Joey Tierney gets his pass away during their fifth round victory over Instonians in Energia All-Ireland League Men's Division 2A ©Owen Nally Photography
We reach a third of the way through the Energia Men’s All-Ireland League season this weekend, and the excitement levels are set to crank up even more across Divisions 2A, 2B, and 2C.
WInning their opening five games, Galway Corinthians and Cashel have set the early pace in 2A and have ambitions of keeping that unbeaten streak alive. The pair both have home ties this weekend.
Michael Harding’s free scoring Corinthians sit top of the pile and have shown no signs of slowing down since their promotion. Victory over Corinthians was a statement win last time out and now they face another top four contender in MU Barnhall. John Devine has been in good form on the try count in recent weeks for the Tribesmen, while Sean Naughton remains consistent from the tee.
The battle between Naughton and Barnhall out-half Adam Chester is well worth the trip to Corinthian Park this weekend. Chester remains the Divisions top scorer, with 21 successful attempts from the tee tallying 45 out of his 50 points. Barnhall bounced back to record a win last time out, now they look to build another winning run.
Cashel sit just behind and welcome Navan to Spafield this Saturday afternoon. The Tipperary men have had quite the start to the season, and having fought for almost 12 years to get promoted to 1B, winning those five games have done them a world of good.
For Ray Moloney the current Cashel coach, it is a renewal of acquaintance with his old club Navan. Not so long ago he was in the opposite dugout for this tie but for the second year in a row he looks to guide Cashel to victory. Navan will have other ideas as they seek their first win of the season.
Four losses and a draw to their names so far this term, Navan have added one point via a losing bonus to their tally this season also. Tam Gavigan has been a real force for the Meath men, can he be the spark to pull them out of the drop zone.
Instonians unbeaten run ended last weekend away to Corinthians, now they are back on home soil, they seek a return to winning ways against Old Crescent. A first meeting of the pair since the 2011-2012 season. And for the first time since December 2008 the Limerick men travel to Shaw’s Bridge.
Crescent won that day and indeed their last occasion also resulted in a win for the Limerick men. A win this weekend would help them to close the gap to their opponents in fourth spot. Crescent are off the back of a win last time out and with Ronan McKenna in top form, the Shannon men will fancy their chances.
The Belfast outfit however bruised they are following the defeat to Corinthians pose a big threat. With a Bateman Cup semi-final later this month they will be keen to return to winning ways and build a streak before facing Garryowen. Neil Saulters has bagged seven tries so far this season and is a key weapon in that powerful pack.
Outside of the top four, Banbridge and Greystones lock horns in Rifle Park as the pair also look to close the gap to fourth place. The Ulstermen sit eight points behind Instonains and will be looking to extend this recent winning streak to three games. Greystones however left the winners back in January, winning the tie by the minimum.
After a rocky start to the season losing their opening three fixtures, Banbridge have regained their form of late. Two of those opening three defeats brought losing bonus points, but getting those vital wins in the last two rounds has slowly moved them up the order. Results elsewhere would be vital this weekend, a win is needed here against a team in a similar position in the table.
Greystones have had a mixed run of form so far this season, and are coming into this tie following a narrow defeat to Cashel two weeks ago. A game they will be disappointed did not go in their favour, to write those wrongs Danny Kenny’s charges seek a third win of the season.
At the foot of the table, Ballymena sit just outside the drop zone and travel to Dubarry Park, hoping to further the gap between them and relegation as they face bottom placed Buccaneers. The pair are yet to record a win this season.
Buccaneers have a pretty sizable deficit in score differential to those sat in the bottom end of the table. Just a singular point arrived when they crossed four times against Banbridge in Round 4, the Athlone men are in need of a win, a 14 game losing streak hangs over their heads since last season.
Ballymena are also in a position where this could be a sixth defeat of the season. In recent weeks however they have been right in the contest until the end, including a five point defeat last time out to Banbridge in a low scoring affair. In their last three outings losing bonus points have followed, with Callum Patterson and Adam Lamont on form, they will fancy their chances.
With five games played so far in Division 2B, it really is a competitive landscape approaching a third of the way through the campaign. Wanderers hold a two point lead at the summit, but they play in another game of the week contender at home to second place Dungannon.
A battle of the top two is a mouthwatering tie this weekend in Division 2B of the Energia All Ireland League. Wanderers had their winning start to the season ended last time out and are hoping to quickly bounce back to preserve their top spot in the standings. In the last three seasons, Wanderers hold a 2-1 advantage winning this meeting on home soil.
Dungannon however will be poised to take a win here and extend their recent form to three games unbeaten. When last the Ulstermen travelled to Merrion Road it was just over 12 months ago, suffering a two point defeat. Following their fifth placed finish last term, Gannon are certainly looking to turn that around this season, a win here goes a long way towards a title charge.
Skerries will have one eye on this contest as they welcome Malone to Holmpatrick. Like their fellow Dubliners Wanderers, Skerries suffered their first defeat of the campaign last time out. After a tough season in 2B last term, The Goats have been in great form and will be looking to consecutive home games to pick up the points.
The Goats have been clicking well this season, and Johnny Tyndell’s charges will be looking to put that defeat to Sligo two weeks ago. Peter O’Neill and Kevin McGrath are two of the top try scorers in the Division, while Ronan Mulcahy has 48 points to his name, the second top scorer in the Division.
Malone sit four points clear of the drop zone but certainly come into this clash with form, defeating Galwegians two weeks ago. For the first time since 2015 they head for Holmpatrick, a venue they left with a 29-24 win that year. Form has been mixed for Malone this season, a win here would be a big scalp to close the gap to the top four.
UL Bohemian have plenty of teams breathing down their necks for fourth spot, the Limerick men are looking up the table and face an away trip this weekend to meet Galwegians in Crowley Park.
Luck is just not on the side of the Tribesmen this season. Five defeats from five, five losing bonus points, four defeats coming right at the death. Sitting second from bottom, Wegians are looking to turn the tide this weekend and end that losing streak.
With the top two tussling it out this weekend, a win for Bohs can very well shake up the top four a third of the way through the season. Despite their two defeats, The Red Robins remain in the hunt for the top four and a win here is important to keep that momentum going.
Clogher Valley sit just three points outside of the top four, off the back of defeat last time out, they are looking to return to winning ways at home to Malahide. A first meeting of these two in the Energia All Ireland League, bottom placed Malahide will hope to leave The Cran with their second win of the season.
Valley since their promotion have battled it out quite well in their debut season in 2B, with three wins under their belts so far this season. Defeat to Ulster rivals Dungannon was a tough one two week’s ago, David Maxwell and Karl Bothwell have been key scorers this term for Stephen Bothwell’s charges.
A seventy point deficit in score differential has Malahide sat bottom of the standings approaching a third of the way through the season. The Dubliners are seeking to avoid a third straight loss this weekend, David O’Halloran, Sam Lindeman and Daniel Hayes have been key to their scoring efforts this season.
Having begun the season with three defeats in concession, Sligo are just five adrift of fourth place and travel to Magherafelt this weekend, hoping to record a third win in succession. Rainey will however have other ideas.
Only score difference separates the pair in the standings, Rainey will also have ambitions to move up the order. Off the back of victory over Malahide two weeks ago Tim Barker’s charges will have plenty of confidence ahead of this home tie.
Sligo pose a big threat of late and Hatrick Park has been a happy hunting ground in the past, winning each of their last two trips to Magherafelt. Paddy Pearson’s have turned their season around in recent weeks, with two consecutive home wins under their belts, they are on the road this weekend hoping to keep this form alive.
A Cork one-two at the summit of Division 2C in the Energia All Ireland League, Dolphin lead Midleton by score difference going into Round 6. Dolphin have a big top four clash with Belfast Harlequins to preserve that status.
Unbeaten to start life in 2C, Dolphin are bouncing back from consecutive relegations to set their sights on a quick return to 2B. A tough away trip to Deramore Park is on the cards, a rematch of the two sides who finished bottom of the standings last season. Harlequins took the spoils when the pair met back in March.
Finishing bottom of 2B last season, Quins like their opponents are aiming for a short trip in 2C, sitting fourth they have had quite a strong start to the season, this is another tough game and one that is also a huge scalp to make. It would shake up the top four, Thomas Armstrong, Joel Dundas, Steven Weir and Ben Power are men in form in recent weeks.
Having that unbeaten run has plenty of confidence drilled into this Dolphin outfit. However they cannot be too confident going into this one as Belfast Harlequins are a top team. A free scoring outfit, Dolphin can bring danger all over the park. Jordan Soli brings try scoring and goal kicking, while Craig O’Connell has seven tries to his name this season.
Midleton meanwhile are at home this weekend, taking on Bruff in a big Munster Derby in Towns Park. Two teams with contrasting form to start this new season, bottom placed Burff aim for a first win of the campaign.
Robbie Doyle’s charges have impressed to start the new season and aim to keep this unbeaten run going. Midleton have built well over the last number of seasons and are riding the crest of a wave this season in Doyle’s second year in charge. Jack Colbert’s impressive goal kicking along with JB Du Toit and Rian Hogan crossing for three tries each, are key contributors.
Ballyclare are a team that sit just behind the leaders, ready to climb the ladder if one slips this weekend. In their debut season, Ballyclare have been an impressive outfit and have shown no signs of slowing down their pursuit for a top of the table finish. A tough home game against Clonmel this weekend, is a big game for both sides’ top four ambitions.
Two places in the table separates the pair, just a single point is the gap. The Cloughan faithful have three wins to their name and come into this game having drawn with Omagh Accies two weeks ago. Unbeaten in their last two, they hope to grab a third win knowing they could well be back around the summit of the table once again come Saturday evening.
Clonmel since getting promoted to the All Ireland League in 2019, have battled hard to get promoted to Division 2B. It has been a very impressive start by the Tipperary men this season, this weekend they aim to extend their unbeaten run to five games. Joey O’Connor has been an integral part of their season, with 73 points to his name, 68 of which he slotted between the uprights.
Monkstown have had a mixed run of form on their return to All Ireland league rugby this season, the Dubliners are back in Sydney Parade this weekend, hoping to return to winning ways against bottom placed Tullamore. A first meeting of the pair in this competition.
The Dubliners are in a losing streak of late, off the back of the defeat to Dolphin two weeks ago, they hope to bounce back with a win this weekend. Monkstown have certainly been competitive this season and with seven points separating them from fourth spot, they are not out of the race just yet.
Tullamore are second from bottom as the draw with Enniscorthy back in Round 3 has been their biggest points haul of the season. A youthful side has certainly found it tough going at times this season, last time out they battled right until the end at home to Midleton. With a third of the season almost complete, they will want to get that win sooner than later.
Ahead of Tullamore in the table are Enniscorthy in seventh and Omagh Academicals in eight, the pair meet this weekend, hoping to climb further away from the drop zone. Just one win for each side, it is a real right pointer in Alcast Park.
A fixture that Scorthy have won the last two times the teams have faced each other in the Wexford venue. The last in October was a 12 point bonus win for the Wexford men and it would help further that gap to concentrate on events further up the table. Rhyan Whelan has impressed from the tee this season and has crossed for three tries, two of which came last time out against Bruff.
Accies shared the spoils with Ballyclare last time out when Scott Elliot converted Fintan Langan’s try just after the hour mark. A big result to put the Ulstermen five clear of the drop zone. Away from home Accies are yet to record a result, they came close away to Harlequins in Round 4, with Elliott in red hot form, Scorthy will have their hands full.
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