Shannon can edge out Dolphin and keep pace with Con

AIB LEAGUE front-runners Cork Constitution and Shannon look to be on safe ground as the competition winds down for 2003 this weekend.

Constitution have home advantage against Blackrock tomorrow, while Shannon are back in Thomond Park on Sunday to take on Dolphin.

Both teams will feel relatively confident of recording victories. Constitution's only setback was in the home draw to UCD, while Shannon will be seeking their sixth win from seven starts. It's only the second AIL meeting between Shannon and Dolphin, with their only previous encounter resulting in a 30-3 win for the Limerick side in the 1997/98 season.

Dolphin lie 11th in the table but that does scant justice to their potential. In John O'Mahony they possess not only this season's top points scorer, but indeed the all-time leading AIL points scorer. Tom Cregan has taken over as the main Shannon goal-kicker and has proved his worth this season , not least in the victory over Garryowen last week.

While this was probably Shannon's best performance of the season, they didn't come out of the game unscathed. Munster prop Frankie Roche and second row Brian Buckley were forced to withdraw from the action late on . and are rated most doubtful injury list that also includes Captain Tom Hayes and centre Brian Tuohy.

Shannon will probably have the services of their contingent from the Munster bench after Saturdays ERC game, along with Colm McMahon and Eddie Halvey, who both travelled to France last week but took no part in the 22-man squad.

Stephen Keogh, James Blaney and Mossie Lawler should come into the reckoning when Shannon announce their side this evening.

Last week's hard-fought win over Barnhall has put UL Bohs at the top of Division 2 , but the lead has changed so frequently in this very competitive title race that another good performance will be required against Bective Rangers to maintain the honour over the Christmas break.

Injuries have already deprived the selectors of Captain Aidan O'Gorman, second-row Brian Madigan, props Sean O'Gorman and Ciaran Carmody, as well as centre Coleman Finn, while lock Anthony Hartigan is exam-tied. However, the squad is playing with confidence and they hope to bring home a rare win from the capital.

Three of the backs Keith Matthews, Martin McPhail and Barry Murphy have got runs this season with Munster in the Celtic League, as has prop Jodie Danagher, while Cathal Garvey and Ryan Hartigan were on the victorious Munster U21 interprovincial championship winning Munster U-21 team. Mark Tuohy has been in sparkling form for the seconds since resuming after injury, and he takes the place of another Munster U21, Breffni O'Donnell, on the wing.

Philip van Esbeck has resumed training, and is fit to take his place on the bench.

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