AIB Cup: Third Round Previews

AIB CUP – THIRD ROUND: Saturday, January 10

BECTIVE RANGERS v GARRYOWEN, Donnybrook, 2pm

Unbeaten at home in the AIB League this season, Bective Rangers have accounted for DLSP, Lansdowne, Instonians and Malone. The Dublin 4 club, coached by Kevin Lewis, will be hoping this good run of home form can continue against 2006/07 AIB Cup champions Garryowen.

Number 8 Val Baynes, who scored a vital try in Bective’s second round win over Terenure College, is part of a cohesive pack and they boast pace and power around the pitch.

Garryowen opened their league campaign with two defeats but have since chalked up four wins and a draw and team captain Paul Neville is determined to keep his side on the winning trail.

With their cup pedigree and strength in depth, it is hard to see Garryowen not making the divisional divide count for them at Donnybrook. In place-kicker Conor Kilroy and chief try-scorer Ciaran O’Boyle, they have the players to do the necessary damage.

Bective Rangers –
AIB League Position: 5th in Division Two
AIB League Form (last five matches, latest on the right): W (22-21 at home to Lansdowne), D (13-13 away to Dublin University), W (32-16 at home to Instonians), L (13-8 away to Highfield), W (10-6 at home to Malone)
AIB Cup Run: 2008/09 – First Round: Bective Rangers 13 Corinthians 8, Donnybrook; Second Round: Bective Rangers 13 Terenure College 6, Donnybrook
AIB Cup History: 2005/06: Did not qualify; 2006/07: Did not qualify; 2007/08: Reached second round

Garryowen –
AIB League Position: 7th in Division One
AIB League Form (last five matches, latest on the right): D (17-17 away to Shannon), W (19-8 at home to Buccaneers), W (26-14 away to Old Belvedere), W (20-19 at home to Cork Constitution), W (26-19 away to Dungannon)
AIB Cup Run: 2008/09 – Second Round: Garryowen 37 Thomond 13, Dooradoyle
AIB Cup History: 2005/06: Semi-finalists; 2006/07: Champions; 2007/08: Quarter-finalists

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Garryowen to win by 7 or more points

BUCCANEERS v UL BOHEMIANS, Dubarry Park, 2pm

With their Connacht Senior Cup semi-final against Connemara postponed last weekend, Buccaneers will be itching to get back into the swing of things against UL Bohemians.

This Division One derby offers Buccs the chance to gain revenge on UL for their 9-8 league defeat at Dubarry Park in October, when the home side lost their grip on an 8-0 lead.

It is unclear whether back rower Alamoti TePou will be available for Buccs as he returned to New Zealand at Christmas and the Pirates could be short in that area, as Anthony Hughes (hernia) and Clifford Richardson are both ruled out.

UL will be without the Munster-tied Paul Warwick but they have potential match winners in Fergal Lawlor and Tommy O’Donnell. The Limerick side will also be eager to succeed and qualify for the AIB Cup quarter-finals for the first time, after recent league defeats to St. Mary’s College and Cork Constitution.

Buccaneers –
AIB League Position: 13th in Division One
AIB League Form (last five matches, latest on the right): L (9-8 at home to UL Bohemians), L (19-8 away to Garryowen), W (36-23 away to Dungannon), L (29-12 away to Blackrock College), L (21-17 at home to Ballymena)
AIB Cup Run: 2008/09 – Second Round: Buccaneers 20 Clontarf 18, Dubarry Park
AIB Cup History: 2005/06: Semi-finalists; 2006/07: Reached first round; 2007/08: Beaten in second round

UL Bohemians –
AIB League Position: 11th in Division One
AIB League Form (last five matches, latest on the right): W (9-8 away to Buccaneers), L (14-9 away to Ballymena), W (24-6 at home to Young Munster), L (18-6 away to St. Mary’s College), L (25-19 at home to Cork Constitution)
AIB Cup Run: 2008/09 – Second Round: UL Bohemians 18 Dungannon 10, Annacotty
AIB Cup History: 2005/06: Did not qualify; 2006/07: Did not qualify; 2007/08: Reached third round

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Buccaneers to win by less than 7 points

DOLPHIN v ARDS, Musgrave Park, 2pm

A novel pairing and a chance for Ards to cause a massive upset as they take on one of Division One’s form sides, Dolphin. Ards finished up their First Trust Ulster Senior League campaign recently with a 27-19 win at Rainey Old Boys and they made a move in AIB League Division Three with victories over Waterpark and Nenagh Ormond.

This is the Mervyn Tweed-coached outfit’s first time to qualify for the AIB Cup’s third round. Notably their wins in the previous rounds were both at Hamilton Park, so their prospects of progressing to the quarter-final stage will depend largely on how they handle the step-up in class and the long trip south.

Dolphin enjoyed a record-breaking 64-0 win over another Ulster club, Malone, last time out in the competition.

This is unchartered AIB Cup territory for the Corkmen, but considering their recent league win over table-toppers Clontarf and how they have turned Musgrave Park into something of a fortress, it is hard to see anything other than a home win here.

Dolphin –
AIB League Position: 4th in Division One
AIB League Form (last five matches, latest on the right): L (16-11 away to Old Belvedere), L (22-16 away to Dungannon), W (38-3 at home to St. Mary’s College), W (29-14 away to Galwegians), W (16-10 at home to Clontarf)
AIB Cup Run: 2008/09 – Second Round: Dolphin 64 Malone 0, Musgrave Park
AIB Cup History: 2005/06: Reached second round; 2006/07: Did not qualify; 2007/08: Beaten in second round

Ards –
AIB League Position: 9th in Division Three
AIB League Form (last five matches, latest on the right): W (13-3 away to County Carlow), W (17-10 at home to Naas), L (40-13 away to Queen’s University), W (28-13 at home to Waterpark), W (18-9 away to Nenagh Ormond)
AIB Cup Run: 2008/09 – First Round: Ards 34 Suttonians 10, Hamilton Park; Second Round: Ards 14 Old Wesley 13, Hamilton Park
AIB Cup History: 2005/06: Did not qualify; 2006/07: Did not qualify; 2007/08: Beaten in first round

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Dolphin to win by 10 or more points

GALWEGIANS v NENAGH ORMOND, Crowley Park, 2pm

Galwegians gained a favourable third round draw, with Nenagh Ormond the visitors to Crowley Park, but the previous round produced some shock results and ‘Wegians cannot afford to take their eye off the ball.

Coach Kevin Tierney will have his players primed for another tough encounter and if it is tight, the home side should pull through given their recent successes against Ballymena, Old Belvedere and Young Munster.

‘Wegians reached the semi-finals of the cup last season, before falling to eventual champions Shannon, and should they prevail against Nenagh they will qualify for the quarter-finals for the fourth successive season.

Nenagh caused a big upset in the opening round of this season’s competition, when they turned Division Two outfit Lansdowne over at home. The Tipperary side know they struggled before Christmas and if they are to start 2009 with a bang, player-coaches David Delaney and Colm McMahon will have to have their men firing on all cylinders.

Galwegians –
AIB League Position: 9th in Division One
AIB League Form (last five matches, latest on the right): W (19-5 away to Ballymena), W (14-12 at home to Old Belvedere), L (25-7 away to Cork Constitution), L (29-14 at home to Dolphin), W (15-10 at home to Young Munster)
AIB Cup Run: 2008/09 – Second Round: Galwegians 27 Highfield 17, Crowley Park
AIB Cup History: 2005/06: Quarter-finalists; 2006/07: Quarter-finalists; 2007/08: Semi-finalists

Nenagh Ormond –
AIB League Position: 11th in Division Three
AIB League Form (last five matches, latest on the right): L (15-11 away to Nenagh Ormond), W (13-8 at home to Queen’s University), W (37-7 away to Waterpark), L (19-17 away to Suttonians), L (18-9 at home to Ards)
AIB Cup Run: 2008/09 – First Round: Nenagh Ormond 9 Lansdowne 5, New Ormond Park; Second Round: Nenagh Ormond 15 Barnhall 33, New Ormond Park
AIB Cup History: 2005/06: Did not qualify; 2006/07: Reached first round; 2007/08: Beaten in first round

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Galwegians to win by 7 or more points

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