AIL semi-finals: Preview

Cork Constitution will be slight favourites to beat Buccaneers in the All-Ireland League semi-final at Temple Hill on Saturday.

There is some confusion over which players will be available to them. Wing Anthony Horgan could be a valuable inclusion.

Otherwise, their AIL regulars will be all on board.

Buccs have already secured the Connacht Senior League and Connacht Senior Cup and they have broken new ground with first-time wins at Templeville Road and Temple Hill this season.

Connacht assistant coach John McKee has driven his squad to the club’s third All Ireland semi-final and he will not stray too far away from the players, like the back row of Gavin Schoeman, Eoin Brennan and Dave Kelly, that have been ever-present.

Meanwhile Shannon will be missing number eight Gareth Noonan for their semi-final against Belfast Harlequins at Thomond Park.

Frankie Roche and Jerry Flannery have been selected for Munster on Friday, while Trevor Hogan and Eddie Halvey will be on the bench for the province.

If Harlequins out-half Ajay Derwin (neck) and Louis Stevenson (shoulder) do not recover from their injuries, Under-20 Johnny McClaughlin and Stuart Lamb will be the frontrunners for inclusion.

ALL IRELAND LEAGUE TEAMS.

DIVISION ONE.

BELFAST HARLEQUINS (v Shannon): J Lowe; W Slabbert, S Wilson, G Mitchell, C Atkinson; A Derwin, R Spee; J Carey, R Best, S Shawe, L Stevenson, L McGowan, D Barbour, P Minnis, C McCarey.

BUCCANEERS (v Cork Constitution): N O'Hara; J Meagher, S Stephens, W Wallace, P O'Sullivan; D Connellan C Keane; F Boiroux, G Halligan, M Cahill, N Smullen, C Short, G Schoeman, E Brennan, D Kelly.

DIVISION TWO.

DUBLIN UNIVERSITY (v Old Belvedere): T Horner; P Howard, B Kinsella, B Hastings, E Condren; K McGowan, C McShane; N Conlon, M Crokett, F Gainer, M Garvey, M Warburton, E Molloy, H Hogan, J Heaslip.

OLD BELVEDERE (v Dublin University): E Devitt; E Fitzgerald, R Aiono, P McKenna, C Devine; D Fitzgerald, C St Lawrence; D Campbell, A Linnane, R Keane, H Kos, T Whelan, AN Other, S Rockett, J Logan.

UCC (v UL-Bohemian): D Hurley/R Lane; C Murphy, C Quaid/D O'Kane, J O'Flynn, P Hurley; B Keeshan/C Quaid, F Murphy; F Gately, R Quinn, V Soden, A Laffin, D Ryan/R Noonan, S O'Connell, H O'Flynn, D O'Neill.

DIVISION THREE.

ARDS (v Highfield): S Paul; N Beggs, S Devoy, N Stewart, R McClements; S Bell, N Hollinger; P Eccles, R Fisher, J Edwards, D Tweed, G Presho, M Creighton, J McDowell, M O'Shaughnessy.

CITY Of DERRY (v Greystones): I Orr; C Mitchell, D McAleese, D Brown, R Campbell; R McCarter, S Smyth; D Witherow, T Windell, A Jackson, B Prue, B McKillop, S Corr, M Black, N Stewart.