Richmond still hope for unlikely play-off spot
The main battle appears to be for the runners-up spot with Seapoint looking certainties for the promotion spot.
The Dublin team need a big slip up as they face Monivea this week and given their form throughout the season, it appears the Dublin side should be able to celebrate after their trip to the Galway club. Richmond make the long trip north to play City of Derry who are battling it out with Monivea for the play-off spot and the northerners gave themselves a big boost with the victory over the Connacht side last week.
The Derry team have plenty of senior experience in their ranks coming through a very competitive Ulster League and will be aiming for a big win.
Richmond will be eager to finish their excellent season on a high but whatever the result they can look back on what has been an extraordinarily successful year.
Derry will be favourites to snatch the runner up spot and secure what could be a mouthwatering play-off with fellow Ulster side Portadown.
Meanwhile, the semi-finals of the Munster Junior Plate are down for decision with a pair of interesting ties. Like the Cup semis, the Seconds League dominates with only one team from the Junior League.
That Junior club is Kinsale and they will fancy their chances of getting the better of Garryowen.
The Cork side continue to make great progress and while they were out of the running for promotion from Division Two, they did produce several very impressive displays throughout the season.
The warmer weather and firmer ground may suit their style of high intensity rugby as they will look to get their talented back-line going.
It hasn’t been a great year for Garryowen for both the seniors and seconds. While this team has not performed as well as expected in their league they will see this game as a big chance to claim some major silverware for the season and will be fired up to claim a place in the final as they travel down to Cork.
The other semi-final is a Cork city derby as Dolphin make the short trip across the city to play Highfield. It should be a very close affair with each side garnering a victory when they clashed earlier in the season.
The two teams will know each other very well and it should be a very tough game. Highfield may have a slight edge as most of the focus for the Musgrave Park outfit will be on their All-Ireland League semi-final but given the talent that Dolphin are able to call on, they may have too much for their local hosts.
Killarney and Castleisland both secured their places in Division Two next season with nerve-jangling victories over north Cork opposition last weekend. They now play-off to secure the Division Three League crown in what should be a thrilling game at Abbeyfeale.
Castleisland will start as firm favourites given their form throughout the season but Killarney are likely to be more buoyed by their surprise success over Charleville last weekend and will be fired up to cause an upset.
Fermoy and Newport will battle it out for the Munster Bowl at Musgrave Park on Sunday.
The Tipperary side will start as favourites having performed at a higher level throughout the course of the season. The north Cork side will be brimming with confidence having had to beat a strong Charleville side to reach the final and they won’t be worried about carrying the underdogs tag going into this clash.
The quarter-finals of the Munster Junior League Cup take place on Sunday with all four ties pitting teams from north Munster against rivals from the south.
Dunmanway have been the form team in the southern section and will be aiming for further glory. They will enjoy home advantage against a strong Garryowen side who have been very competitive as usual.
Shannon have led the way in the Northern section and also enjoy home advantage where they will be hoping to get the better of Tralee. Richmond’s Junior success has been supplemented by a strong competitive J2 side who will be expecting to advance to the semis at the expense of Dolphin.
The other quarter-final sees Cobh Pirates hoping to make full use of their home territory as they host Kilfeacle.
On Saturday, the Munster Junior team will prepare for their inter-provincial series with a clash against a Cobh Invitational XV at the Paddocks at 4.30. All proceeds for the match will go to Children’s Leukemia Ward in the Mercy Hospital Cork and also to the Crumlin Children’s Hospital.
The Munster team will be hoping that they can gel together before their opening clash away to Leinster and will be facing many big names such as former internationals David Corkery and Anthony Horgan as well as former hurling star and current Highfield winger; Diarmuid ‘The Rock’ O’Sullivan.
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