All Ireland Junior Cup Preview Saturday 26th October 2013 by George Millar
The Premier Junior tournament in Irish rugby kicks off this weekend.
We have Portadown, CIYMS, Clogher Valley and Donaghadee representing Ulster. Wanderers, Dundalk Coolmine and Enniscorthy representing Leinster. Tralee, Skibereen, Kanturk and Kilfeacle representing Munster. OLBC, Monivea, Westport and Ballina representing Connacht. No Ulster side has won the competition since 2010 when City of Derry were the winners. Rainey were the only other Ulster winners in 2006 with Armagh having contested the final. In the eight years of the competition Leinster sides have won the Cup five times. Ulster twice and Munster once. Perennial Leinster winners Tullamore who won the tournament in 2009/12/13 have been promoted to AIL 2B this season. This year’s favourites appear to be the Wanderers rugby club from Dublin. After relegation from Senior rugby two seasons ago the Dublin club sit top of Junior 1A with four wins and a maximum twenty points with Dundalk sitting behind on eighteen points from four wins. Former Clogher Valley and Dungannon hooker Adam Duhig plays hooker for the Wanderers side. This weekend we have eight fascinating ties down for decision in the first round.
Clogher Valley v Kanturk
Coolmine v Westport
Donaghadee v Dundalk
Enniscorthy v CIYMS
Monivea v Portadown
OLBC v Kilfeacle
Skibbereen v Ballina
Tralee v Wanderers
Clogher Valley RFC I XV v Kanturk
Clogher Valley will welcome Munster side Kanturk to the Cran this Saturday, with both sides having made the semi finals of last years competition. Valley lost out to Enniscorthy and Kanturk to eventual winners Tullamore. The Fivemiletown squad have a busy schedule that will test their playing squad as they maintain their challenge for league and Cup honours in Ulster and their quest to bring the All Ireland Junior Cup back to the club. Kanturk finished runners up to Richmond last season in the Munster league and won their league game at home to Old Christians 30 – 24 last Sat. Clogher coaches Davy Black and Glen Kyle along with Captain Stephen Baxter will demand nothing less than 100% from their players. With a large vocal support the Valley should win this game.
Donaghadee RFC I XV v Dundalk
Donaldson Park will welcome Ulster president John Robinson for this fixture as the Dee squad look for another good run in this competition. The availability of key players will determine the outcome of this game for the North Down side. Having lost 37 – 8 to Clogher Valley last Sat coaches Stuart Hennessey and Paul McKenzie along with Captain Alastair Lockhart know it will take a massive effort from their players to win this game. With the Dee sitting second bottom in the league with two wins from six league games a good cup run would be a timely boost for the club. Dundalk have ambitions to play in the All Ireland league and will prove formidable opponents for the Dee after winning their opening four league games. Dee to win
Enniscorthy v CIYMS RFC I XV
The Belmont club have targeted the All Ireland Cup along with the league as their goals this season. Like Bangor the East Belfast club want to return to the Senior ranks. CIYMS sit fourth in the league four points behind leaders Portadown with one game in hand. They recorded an impressive 32 – 27 win at Coleraine last Sat. Enniscorthy were finalists in last season’s All Ireland Junior Cup losing to eventual winners Tullamore. They sit seventh in their league with one win from their opening four league games. CIYMS coach Graham Cloke and Captain Stuart Ferguson will want a big performance from their team if they are to progress to the Quarter Finals. CIYMS to win
Monivea v Portadown RFC I XV
The Connacht side have been beaten finalists in 2011 and 2012. Current Ulster league champions and league leaders Portadown should possess too much experience and guile in their playing squad to lose this match. Silverware is a target for the Mid Ulster side this season and their emphatic win at Bangor in the Junior Cup clearly illustrates this. Coaches Richard Hedley and Ciaran O’Kane have a strong squad to select from. Portadown to win.
