Qualifying rugby has the opportunity to showcase the best of Junior rugby in Ulster this weekend with the Senior clubs having a weekend off. The stand out fixture is the meeting of the top two in Qualifying One when Clogher Valley (1) and Portadown(2) meet at Chambers Park on Saturday. With two points separating the two sides the winner of this game will almost certainly go on to win the league with only five league games left. Clogher coaches Glen Kyle and Davy Black have made no secret of the clubs ambition to win the league and secure a place in the All Ireland round robin playoffs and All Ireland league rugby. The one team that stands in their way is Portadown. Both teams have opened up a fifteen point lead on Bangor in third place. In Qualifying two the meeting of Randalstown and Omagh is again a potential league decider with both clubs still to play league leaders Ballyclare.
Qualifying One
Bangor v Coleraine
Interesting fixture at Upritchard Park. Bangor will be looking to consolidate their third place after losing 27 – 0 to league leaders Clogher Valley last weekend. They will fancy themselves to pick up maximum points from this game with a tricky Towns Cup match away to Banbridge seconds on the 25th Jan. Coleraine remained undefeated after three wins over Ballymoney, Randalstown and UUC. Their key player this season has been their South African out half Bokkie Carstens. Like Bangor Coleraine have a tricky Towns Cup game away to Armagh seconds. The young Bangor side under the leadership of Jamie Clegg should have too much pace for Richard Begg’s side. When the two sides met in September at Coleraine, Bangor won 37 – 17. Bangor to win.
Cooke v Ballymoney
Coaches Neil Beddow and Jason Taggart must be wondering what has happened to their Ballymoney side after losing 37 – 16 at home to Dromore last Saturday. Their last win was at home to CIYMS 20 – 16 on the 7th Dec. They have now lost five out of their last six Cup and league games. If they have ambition to finish in the top four they will need to start winning games. Cooke after a difficult start to the season have won back to back fixtures against Academy and Donaghadee and will look to push clear of the bottom two positions. They had to hang on against the Dee after leading 29 – 7 at HT to scrape home 29 – 27. With the return of Philip Cartmill and Alex Gourley they have a backline that with possession can threatened any opposition defence. Ballymoney will look to their experienced players including Captain Alex Houston , James Cleland and Ryan Clyde to turn round their fortunes. Cooke have the forwards to trouble Ballymoney with Captain Andrew Quigley and player coach Colin Atkinson hoping to win the forward battle. Ballymoney were comfortable winners when the two sides met in September 37 – 7. Cooke to win
Donaghadee v CIYMS
Two sides that have been struggling in recent weeks. Donaghadee have slipped down to second from bottom with CIYMS moving outside the top four for the first time this season. Both sides would have had ambitions to repeat their top four placings last season. CI were overwhelmed by the pace, power and fitness levels of a dominant Portadown side at Belmont last Sat 46 – 6. They lost prop Gavin Woods and out half Matthew McCormick in the warm up last Sat with influential second row Stevie McReynolds unavailable. Dee will be hoping that key forwards Chris Good, Gareth Gordon, Richard Martindale and Chris Hamilton will make themselves available for selection this weekend. The return of prop Ali Barnes has strengthened the Dee front row options with Stuart Thompson, Adam Torrens, Morgan Ellis, Stephen Adams and Max Montgomery pushing for selection in the forwards. With a Towns Cup game at home to Enniskillen the Dee coaches Stuart Hennessy and Paul McKenzie will have a few selection headaches. When the two sides met at Belmont in September CI recorded a narrow 18 – 12 win. Donaghadee to win.
Dromore v UUC
There is a buzz around Barban Hill after five wins in a row. They have now moved into that all important fourth place in the league with qualification for the All Ireland Junior Cup a reality. Coaches Dewet Bekker and Jeremy Ogle will fancy their chances of a good Towns Cup run despite facing Ballynahinch seconds at home next Saturday. First up for the County Down side is a vital league game at home this weekend against bottom side UUC. Their emphatic – five try win at Ballymoney last Saturday by 37 -16, has sent shock waves through the league. Key forwards Adam McGregor, Jonny Maguire, Gareth Fitzpatrick and Michael Harshaw having been doing the hard graft for their talented half backs Chris Jenks and Ryan Cobb to bring into play their talented threequarters of Alastair Kinghan, Willy Herron, Brian McClean, Blair McDonald and full back Aaron Stewart. UUC pushed Coleraine all the way last Sat before losing 23 – 18. Dromore to win
Portadown v Clogher Valley
The talk in clubs throughout Ulster has been the meeting of these two teams that will possibly decide the destiny of this years league title. Both teams are in excellent league form after defeating their nearest challengers at the weekend. CV winning 27 – 0 at home to Bangor and Portadown demolishing CIYMS 46 – 6 at Belmont with both sides securing the bonus point. Clogher Valley have Ballyclare in the Towns Cup next weekend followed by that all important All Ireland Junior Cup final against Skibbereen on the 1st February. The next three games will ultimately decide the silverware destined for the Cran this season. On Saturday we have two very evenly matched sides taking to Chambers Park in a titanic contest where both sides would hold their own in the All Ireland League such is the gulf between these two sides and the other sides in Qualifying One. A win for Portadown will leave them well placed to go on and win the league with no Cup commitments to disrupt their remaining league fixtures. The Portadown side turned in their best performance of the season last Saturday at Belmont with coaches Richard Hedley and Ciaran O’Kane delighted by the players efforts. There are so many contests between the front fives, back rows, half – backs, centre pairings and the dynamic threequarters on both sides. The clash of the two back rows involving Portadown’s Gary Hall, Dairmuid O’Kane and their influential No 8 Gareth McCoy up against the Wilson brothers Ryan and BJ and the experienced David Sharkey will ensure a fascinating contest at the breakdown. Unfortunately Clogher Captain Stephen Baxter will miss this game due to injury. With injuries to their regular hookers Kyle Cobane and Nathan Orr the experienced Ricky Stinson has stepped in to fill the void. Portadown to win.
Qualifying Two
Ballyclare remain in pole position after their three nearest challengers Omagh Academy and Randalstown all won at the weekend. The remaining fixtures between Ballyclare, Omagh and Randalstown will ultimately decide the winner of this league.
Academy v Strabane
The Roughfort side completed the double over Enniskillen with a 15 – 0 win at the weekend. Their only defeats in the league have been to Ballyclare twice and Omagh away. The County Tyrone side remain without a win from ten games and lost 35 – 10 at home to Lisburn last Saturday. When the two sides met at Strabane in October, Academy ran out comfortable winners 32 – 6. Academy to win
Enniskillen v Ballyclare
The Fermanagh side will be looking for a improved performance before they travel to Donaghadee for a Towns Cup on Sat week. Ballyclare will be aware they have slipped up in previous visits to Mullaghmeen. Ballyclare ran out 47 – 17 when the two sides met before Xmas at the Cloughan. Despite the scoreline Skins were competitive throughout the game. Ballyclare players will be mindful of their Towns Cup meeting with Clogher Valley. Coach Bob Young will ensure there is no complacency in his team. Promotion is their number one target this season. Ballyclare to win
Lisburn v Limavady
There would have been relief amongst the Blaris faithful that the 1st xv got back to winning ways with their 35 – 10 win at Strabane last Saturday. After a promising start to their league programme the team has slipped to sixth place in the league. When the two sides met in October Lisburn recorded a hard earned 10 – 3 win. Limavady sit in nineth place after a difficult season. They have shown promise in recent weeks and ran Randalstown close before losing 18 – 12. There were promising signs during this game that would give the North West side the hope that they could win this game at Lisburn. Limavady to win
Randalstown v Omagh
The meeting of the two teams with the best defensive records in Qualifying Two will surely decide which of these teams can push Ballyclare for the league title. When they two sides met in November at Omagh the Tyrone side ran out 24 -15 winners. Both sides are well organised under the guidance of coaches Gary Longwell and Phil Marshall. Omagh will be missing the leadership of their Captain Andrew Ferguson who suffered a serious leg injury in their meeting with Enniskillen before Xmas. We wish him well in his recovery and hope to see him back playing in the Omagh colours. Randalstown have benefited from a youth structure that continues to provide players for their 1st xv. In kicker John O’Kane and the hard running Blayne McGarry they have talent throughout their side. The return of No 8 Chris Allen has been timely and along with back row colleague Dan Wilson pose a real threat to the Omagh team. Omagh have talent throughout their team with half backs Lee Murphy and Stuart McCain key members of the side along with their experienced forwards Mervyn Edgar and Mark Smyth. Randalstown to win
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