All Ireland League rugby returns this weekend with ten fixtures taking place in Div 1A and 1B: The league enters it’s twenty third season after it was set up in 1990/91. Proposed changes to the league will see the introduction of five ten teams leagues in 2015/16 with the number of clubs being reduced from 52 to 50. How the balance of power in Irish rugby has shifted on the island of Ireland from the rugby heartlands of Limerick and Cork to Dublin and Leinster with the province providing the last four winners of the AIL. Limerick has only one club in Young Munster competing in Div 1A with the Shannon, UL Bohemians and Garryowen all relegated to Div 1B in recent seasons. Once again Leinster clubs are expected to dominate Div 1A with the playoff final returning to the Aviva stadium.
Connacht are represented in Div 1B by Corinthians, Galwegians & Buccaneers, Corinthians Director of Rugby & Head Coach Dr Phil Pretorious will be looking to cement the clubs position this season as one of the premier clubs in Div 1B
Corinthians
Players
Team Manager: Martin Thomas Glynn
Head Coach: Dr Phil Pretorious
Assitant Coach: Pat Cunningham
1st XV Captain: Finn Gormley
Darin Claasen, Liam Carpenter, Gary Warde, Seán Gerrity, Ciaran Dunne, Colin Raftery, James Buckley, Kim Williams,
Cathal O’Shea, Tom Toolan, Mark Byrne, Blindside Flanker, Robert Creane, Conor Murphy, Aurélien Casanova,
Matty flynn, Finn Gormley, Kevin O’Byrne, Alan Walsh, Jamie Dever, Finlay Bealham, Brian Dixon, Aodhan Glynn, Tom Stapleton,
Mike O’Flynn, Owen Daly, Martin Lee, Ultan Dillane, Peadar Tonery, Brian Murphy, Donnacha Phelan, Aaron Conneely, Steven Burke,
Steven Bruce, Eric Flynn, Lorcan Duffy, Shane O’Brien, Jonathan Dwyer, Aengus O’Connell, Sean O’Byrne, Cian Begley,
Dara Bree, Colin Hegarty, Padraic Cuddy, David Panter
Galwegians welcomed Matt Brown as Firsts head coach to Crowley Park by President Joe Healy, Head Coach Matt Brown, Director of Rugby Erc Dunne & Chairman Paul Shelly. Matt will be keen to form performance partnerships with all the players, committee and fans. The season has been a successful one so far with solid performances in the Ist games so far. With change very much in the air this season is a superb opportunity for Galwegians.
Buccaneers RFC have solidly built over the past number of seasons and have a great core to the side, Coach Tony Dolan will be determined to forge ahead with development of the clubs plans and is ably assisted by the wider club.
Coach:- TONY DOLAN
Assistant Coach:- PAUL FLANAGAN
Manager:- CIAN MORAN
Captain:- ALEX HAYMAN
Fixtures Div 1B. Sat 13.9.14. kick off 2.30pm
AIL 1B 13/09/2014
Garryowen V Shannon
Ballymena v Galway Corinthians
Galwegians v Dublin Uni
Malone v Buccaneers
UL Bohemians v Belfast Harlequins.
In JL 1 A, B & C the weekend will see week 2 of the competitions and several teams are standing out.
In 1A Corinthians and Monivea have forged ahead in the early season encounters! It will be interesting to see if this continues in Week 2! In 1B Castlebar, Loughrea & Buccaneers have similarly forged ahead while in 1C Buccaneers & Sligo are the leaders. At such an early stage in the season the sides who are not at this stage in contention will be looking to get that first win of the season under the belt. From the initial reactions from fans on social media a number of clubs have hit the ground running with social media campaigns and initiatives to further strengthen the vital off field support as the stakes get higher with each week!
Fistures J1A 2014/15 14/09/2014
14:30 Ballinasloe vs Westport Ballinasloe
14:30 Connemara vs Galwegians Monastery Field
14:30 Corinthians vs OLBC Corinthian Park
14:30 Monivea vs Ballina Monivea
LEAGUE TABLE CLICK HERE
Fistures J1B 2014/15 13/09/2014
20:00 Castlebar vs Corrib Castlebar
14/09/2014
14:30 Ballinrobe vs Creggs Ballinrobe
14:30 Ballyhaunis vs Tuam Ballyhaunis
14:30 Buccaneers vs Loughrea Dubarry Park
LEAGUE TABLE CLICK HERE
Fixtures J1C 2014/15 14/09/2014
14:30 Ballina vs Galwegians Ballina
14:30 Dunmore vs NUIG Dunmore
14:30 Sligo vs Buccaneers Hamilton Pk
LEAGUE TABLE CLICK HERE