Con and Shannon on edge

JOINT AIB League favourites Cork Constitution and Shannon waited anxiously last night for the outcome of Munster’s Celtic League clash with Cardiff.

It had nothing to do with the result, but rather the availability of players for this afternoon's semi-finals at Temple Hill (Con v Buccaneers, 2.30) and Thomond Park (Shannon v Belfast Harlequins, 3.00), respectively.

Constitution, boosted by the availability of Anthony Horgan he plays at full-back have left a vacancy in the second row, tailor-made for either Donncha O'Callaghan or David Pusey, if one of them was called ashore at some stage of last night's game.

"It would have been nice to have some of our most experienced players available, particularly at a time when the Celtic League is over as far as Munster are concerned," Con director of coaching Paul Derham commented.

Shannon were in much the same position with no less than six players involved in the Cardiff clash.

Munster named Frankie Roche, Jerry Flannery Stephen Keogh and Alan Quinlan in the starting XV, while Eddie Halvey and Trevor Hogan initially togged out on the substitutes bench.

Coach Geoff Moylan will be hopeful, and indeed might have every reason to demand, of the availability of at least a couple of these players given his generosity to Munster this season.

Each of the four semi-finalists deserve their place in the sunshine this weekend, but unfortunately, two will be gone by shortly after 4.30pm. Constitution seek revenge for defeat earlier in the season against Buccaneers, while Shannon will be looking for a place in another decider against Harlequins.

Table-toppers Constitution will be very wary of Buccaneers, as echoed by coach Brian Walsh. "We must have learned a lesson from that earlier defeat," he demanded.

The Connacht side were one of only two teams to beat them in the league this season. Lansdowne were the others, but in truth, in the final game of the season, with the top spot already secured, Con probably had one eye on the semi final.

Yet, Buccaneers will have few fears as they travel to Cork and if they can produce the same power game as they did in February than they have every chance of progressing to their first final appearance. That's probably why Constitution sweat over the availability of an experienced ball-winner.

One of Shannon's best performances came against today's opponents, Belfast Harlequins, back in November. The game was hardly a classic, but Shannon gave a superb defensive display to deny the visitors a try.

The outcome was a 15-6 win for Shannon, but at this stage of the competition, past scores and indeed performances count for little. It's cup rugby and few teams can match Shannon's pedigree in such games in recent years. Tomorrow at Thomond Park, UCC provide the opposition for UL Bohs in the last four play-off in division two, and while there is not much at stake, just pride and an appearance in Lansdowne Road, the Limerick side want to show that the draw from the meeting during the league series was an injustice they can now put right.

In the division three play-offs, newly-crowned and promoted champions Highfield hope to earn a bit more glory by making it to Lansdowne Road. They take on Ards at Woodleigh Park this afternoon.

UL/BOHS (from): C. Garvey, B. Murphy, C. Finn, B. O'Donnell, P. Treacy, I. Costello, J. Leonard, A. Rees, B. Leahy, L. O'Connell, M. Harty, J. Danagher, K. Flanagan, G. Ryan, B. Murphy, B. Madigan, A. Hartigan, R. Hartigan, S. Ryan, a. O'Gormon, J. O'Neill, J. E. O'Connor, P. van Esbeck.

CORK CONSTITUTION: A. Horgan, T. O'Leary, C. Mahony, J. Vincent Igarza, C. Healy, C. O'Sullivan, P. McCarthy, G. Murray, D. Murray, M. Ross, S. O'Connor, A. N. Other, U. O'Callaghan, B. O'Connor, J. Murray. Replacements (from): C. O'Keeffe, R. McGrath, J. Sheahan, D. Fogarty, K. Coughlan, S. McColl, D. O'Brien, D. Dillon.