Walsh wary as champions Con ready for battle with St Mary’s

CORK CONSTITUTION coach Brian Walsh predicts today’s AIL clash with St Mary’s College will provide the champions with their biggest test of the season.

This Temple Hill (2.30pm) re-run of last year’s pulsating decider is the highlight of a full programme of fixtures, all of which were postponed due to the weather last month.

Constitution will be boosted by the availability of Munster players Scott Deasy, Tom Gleeson and Duncan Williams, but Walsh expects a difficult afternoon.

He said: “They’re a quality side, as good if not better than they were last year and they will have a lot of hunger, not having taken the final step last year. They are probably the best side I’ve seen so far. We will be very wary of them.”

Constitution continue their efforts to attract the crowds by organising a day of events around the game to involve the local community and the wider range of club members.

The pre-match lunch will see the presentation of a cheque to Marymount Hospice and the presentation of Dennehy Cup medals to the J2s, Constitution’s first cup winners of the season.

The AIL game will be followed by a four team U-12 floodlit blitz and the club hopes to persuade Munster supporters without tickets for the Magners League game against Glasgow to stay and soak up the atmosphere.

League leaders Old Belvedere face Garryowen at Castle Avenue with the hosts expected to win. Shannon need to escape from the relegation zone and have an opportunity by way of a home fixture (now at Coonagh) against Blackrock College, while Young Munster (7th) take on Dolphin (5th) at Clifford Park.

In Division 1B, Clontarf play UL Bohemian at Annacotty, while second placed Buccaneers are also away to Dungannon and Bruff make the journey to Dublin to play Lansdowne.

Ballynahinch, Ballymena and Bective along with UCD are in the driving seat at the top of the division two and all three can expect to push onwards today. Leaders Ballynahinch are home to Queens (10th), Ballymena (3rd) play Thomond (13th) at Eaton Park, while Bective (4th) host Malone at Donnybrook.

UCD (2nd) meet Bruff in the All-Ireland Cup semi-final next weekend but first they meet Corinthians (8th) at Corinthian Park. Midleton should at least stay in fifth when they take on Old Wesley at Towns Park.

Seapoint (3rd) are breaking the Ulster stranglehold in the top four of division three and they host City of Derry (2nd) at Kilbogget Park. Leaders Instonians will expect to beat Sunday’s Well (6th) at Shaw’s Bridge but it won’t be without a fight, while fourth placed Banbridge are odss on to take the points despite having to travel to play Navan, whose sole win to date was against bottom side Connemara.