Rugby: Con bid to keep pace with leaders

THE points will be the main focus for Cork Constitution and old rivals Garryowen at Temple Hill today in the AIB AIL (2.30), but there will also be a trophy on offer.

The Trevor Barry Memorial Cup, put up three years ago to honour the huge contribution to the Cork club of their late prop forward, will be presented to the winners.

Constitution are in second place in the AIL, a point adrift of Ballymena, who take on Blackrock College at Eaton Park.

With a Ballymena win on the cards, Constitution will be desperate to keep pace and while they won’t have the services of their internationals, they can field a very settled side, whose only setback was the draw against UCD a few weeks back.

Shannon, in joint third, look capable of strengthening their challenge against Galwegians at Thomond Park. County Carlow, just behind Shannon on points difference, face a slightly more tricky assignment at Clontarf.

UL/Bohemians will be understrength when they travel to Ballinakill for their Division Two clash with Waterpark.

Captain Aidan O’Gorman is a long-term casualty due to knee ligament trouble, so hooker Gordon Ryan continues to lead on the field. Centre Coleman Finn is the latest worry, having suffered an eye injury, following an accidental clash of heads in the Munster Cup defeat by Garryowen last week.

Second-rows Declan O’Connell and Brian Madigan are still recovering from back trouble and will not be available for another couple of weeks. On the positive side, Ryan Hartigan and Breffni O’Donnell are available, having been involved with the Irish U21s last weekend.

The form of last year’s Irish U21 centre partnership, Barry Murphy and Keith Matthews, is impressive, while Munster U21 full-back Cathal Garvey and Munster senior squad man Martin McPhail continue to shine.

Meanwhile, Mick Galwey is set to captain Munster again - this time in a fund-raising five-a-side soccer tournament at the Mardyke in Cork on December 9.

The tournament is being organised by the Community Policing Department of An Garda Siochana (Anglesea Street) and is geared towards raising funds for the Simon Community.

This is part of a 12 month programme aimed at raising €250,000.

There will be 20 teams involved and Galwey will lead a star-studded Munster team in the tournament for the first time.

UL BOHS (squad): Backs: C. Garvey, B. Murphy, B. O'Donnell, K. Matthews, M. McPhail, I. Costello, A. Rees, D. Tainui, B. Leahy. Forwards: M. Harty, J. Danagher, K. Flanagan, G. Ryan (captain), B. Murphy, A. Hartigan, R. Hartigan, S. Ryan, P. van Esbeck, J. O'Neill, J. E. O'Connor, S. Browne.

CORK CONSTITUTION: D. O'Brien, T. O'Leary, C. Mahony, J. V. Igarza, C. Healy, S. McColl, P. McCarthy, G. Murray, D. Murray, J. O'Driscoll, K. Coughlan, U. O'Callaghan, J. Sheahan, F. Cogan, J. Murray.