Ulster Bank League: Division 2A Previews
Three games in and five teams are within a point of each other at the top of the Division 2A table. Two of them clash this weekend when Cashel host Naas, while Banbridge are at home to a dangerous looking Nenagh Ormond outfit.
ULSTER BANK LEAGUE: DIVISION 2A: Saturday, October 3
Kick-off 2.30pm unless stated –
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Banbridge (1st) v Nenagh Ormond (6th), Rifle Park
A late drop goal from Thomond’s Fiach O’Loughlin denied Banbridge their third win on the trot last weekend. This Saturday they face another Munster club and another tough game.
Nenagh Ormond were late out of the blocks. The only played their first game last weekend but six tries against former table toppers Queen’s announced their intentions.
Bann forwards Simon Best is wary of what the Tipperary visitors could muster, saying: “Nenagh won’t be an easy game for us but then I don’t think that any of the games are going to be easy in this league. I think it will be a tight league right to the end.
“We don’t know much about Nenagh but I do know that we’ll have to be a lot sharper than we were last Saturday. We’d targeted 14 points from our first four games, so a win this Saturday will get us there. But we know we’ll have to work very hard for that.”
Cashel (4th) v Naas (2nd), Spafield
Cashel come into this game on the back of what was one of the matches of the weekend last Saturday – an action-packed 43-40 win over Skerries. The presence of Brendan O’Connor and the Leamy brothers, Kevin and Ed, makes the Tipperary side a dangerous prospect to face.
Johne Murphy’s Naas ran out 34-27 winners over UCC last Saturday. On a dry day, both sides could make this a try fest.
Corinthians (10th) v Thomond (8th), Corinthian Park
Ene Fa’atau’s Corinthians are still in search of their first win. Last week’s defeat in Malone was a stop-start affair but it gave the Galway side their first point of the season. Kiwi out-half James Proctor will strengthen their back-line.
Thomond picked up their first win with a late drop goal win in Banbridge last weekend and will be fired up for more of the same this week. An away win could condemn the hosts to a tough season.
Queen’s University (5th) v Skerries (9th), Dub Lane
Queen’s University slipped from first place to fifth on the back of their loss to Nenagh Ormond last time out, so they will be aiming to bounce back this Saturday afternoon.
Skerries have yet to win but have three points from a try-scoring bonus point and two losing bonuses – they need to find their winning groove. A home win looks likely but not an easy one.
UCC (7th) v Malone (3rd), Mardyke
UCC started brightly against Naas last weekend, with full-back Kevin O’Keeffe impressing again, and eventually left with a losing bonus point.
This Saturday sees them up against another top of the table side as Malone come calling. The Cregagh Red Sox climbed into third place on the back of a workmanlike win over Corinthians. A superior second half display did the tricky for Jarrett Truscott’s men, but they will need to cut down on the errors to triumph in Cork.