Students’ skipper O’Brien confident of sinking ’Hinch

CORK CONSTITUTION couldn’t do it. Neither could Shannon, Galwegians or Garryowen. The last team to do it were UCC and now they find themselves having to do it again this weekend.

So, what are we talking about? Ballynahinch actually.

Well, all four of the aforementioned top tier AIL clubs have fallen victim to the Co Down club during their annus mirabilis which has, so far, seen them capture the AIB Cup, Ulster Senior League and Ulster Senior Cup.

Defeat the Cork students in the AIB Division Two final at Dooradoyle on Saturday and Derek Suffern’s side will have completed the full set, while bringing to 16 the number of matches they have negotiated undefeated.

Their last loss? A 21-9 reversal on January 24 against UCC at the Mardyke.

“They are certainly the team to beat at the moment,” said UCC captain Colin O’Brien, “probably in the whole country, but we definitely fancy our chances. We have beaten them already this season and we finished top of the table.

“That probably speaks for itself. We won’t fear anybody and we are looking forward to it. We would like to think that they will be more worried about us because we have beaten them already.”

UCC were expecting a tight encounter in January but it didn’t work out that way.

Ballynahinch missed a handful of early kicks which allowed the home side to get on top early on and the win was secured relatively comfortably in the end.

“We got the scores in early and that is the way to beat a team on a roll, get in amongst them, knock them out of their stride. That is exactly what we will have to do on Saturday.

“You saw that with Munster (last weekend) who were on such a roll. You have to start early. It is all confidence at that stage and the other thing is that form goes out the window in the final. There is enough experience in our team, too.

“We would be one of the older college teams. There are plenty of guys who have been there before. Last year they would have suffered the heartbreak of not getting promoted but this will definitely stand to us.”

Last season still offered some consolation. Though they did finish outside the top two promotion spots, they made amends by defeating Young Munster in the play-off final in Donnybrook.

Whatever happens at the weekend, the Cork side will be playing in the restructured Division 1B next season but their achievement has been overshadowed by Ballynahinch’s giant-killing acts in the AIB Cup.

Annoying?

“We won’t read too much into that. If anything, we will be glad to go in as underdogs. It makes it that much easier. There is plenty of hype surrounding them but we are so up for this.

“I feel it should be them looking at us because we finished top of the table. This has probably been the most competitive Division Two for a long time.

“It was anybody’s promotion and relegation was close too. There was no easy games.”

Making the top tier is a superb achievement for any college side given the much greater flow of players in and out of the side as well as the lack of experience that is a natural result of such a youthful and transient playing base.

UCC’s most senior player is number eight Rob Barry, a 28-year-old postgraduate from Crosshaven known to the squad as ‘Monty’.

But O’Brien is confident the club can thrive in the higher bracket.

“It is obviously a huge step up but, if you look at our U20s, you will see that there is huge talent coming through the ranks.

“All the coaches are telling the Leinster and Munster Academy guys that they have to be playing AIL Division One rugby.

“That means you are going to hold on to players and attract new ones. I definitely feel we can hold on to our place and be a force to be reckoned with. We have goals to go on and win this Division 1B next year.”