Connacht’s two division one rivals, Galwegians and Buccaneers, meet in their AIB League local derby clash on Saturday in Dubarry Park (2.30pm ).
The match is a refixture after their previous meeting was abandoned when the crossbar broke at Dubarry Park a couple of weeks ago.
Halfway through the season, the two Connacht clubs are lagging behind the leading group, having dropped into the bottom half of the table. Galwegians have enjoyed a more successful start with four wins from eight games, while Buccaneers have won just two from nine. Yet Buccaneers have racked up four losing bonus points and three try bonus points to sit just two points and one place behind Galwegians in 13th place.
Thus there is much as stake for these two rivals as the loser of this fixture could drop closer to the relegation zone.
Buccs with home advantage, and the benefit of a recent match against Cork Con, should just edge the favourite’s tag. They were stung last week with a 47 - 7 loss to Con, who were loaded with seven Munster contracted players, and Galwegians can expect a reaction this weekend. Their youthful backline that includes John O’Brien, Brian Carey, Alan Gaughan, and Alex Hayman, has been reasonably potent this year as Buccaneers enjoy a superior scoring tally of 161, compared with Galwegians’ 111, and the Galway city side will need to be mindful of their defensive organisation on Saturday.
Both sides will have two contracted Connacht players. Buccs have the choice of Conor O’Loughlin, who has been on the injured list, Daniel Riordan, Aidan Wynne, and Dave Gannon from which to choose, while Galwegians will have scrumhalf Kieran Campbell and lock Andrew Browne in their ranks.
Galwegians, without a game since their loss to Shannon, will be a little match rusty, but they appear to possess a greater hunger and discipline that has sometimes been lacking in previous seasons. Against Shannon they played some exciting rugby in the second half, and were denied a deserved try for a forward pass, while captain Ivan Muldoon, flanker Joe Moran, and lock Liam Scahill were prominent in the forward exchanges. Fullback Robert O’Beirne continues to develop, assisted in the backs by the more experienced Matt Brandon, Chris Brigl, and John Cleary.
Form is of little relevance between these two protagonists, and one suspects the winner will be the team that possesses the greater appetite. Buccaneers need to make home advantage count, but Galwegians possess the talent to edge this contest if they play to potential.
•Connacht rugby players will be in action this weekend for various international contests. The Irish u-18 Club squad boasts six Connacht players, Daniel Qualter, Mark Dolan, Jack, Carty, and Callum Boland ( all of Buccaneers ), Aaran Conneely of Corinthians, and Eoin McKeon of Galwegians. They are due to meet the Languedoc & Rousillon Regional team on Sunday at Ashbourne RFC (12 noon ). In the Irish A side there is good news for Connacht captain John Muldoon, who will line out at No 8, while hooker Sean Cronin, centre Keith Matthews, and fullback Gavin Duffy are also named in the starting XV to play the England Saxons at Donnybrook on Friday. And in the Irish Colleges squad, due to meet their French counterparts at Suttonians on Friday (6.30pm ), Connemara’s Sean Joyce (NUIG ) will line out, while Paddy O’Toole (Garda College ) has been forced out with an injury.
