Buccaneers All-Ireland League fixtures for the coming season have been announced by the IRFU.
The AIL, which has a new sponsor ENERGIA on board, kicks off on the first weekend in October when Queen’s University return to Dubarry Park on Saturday October 5. It is ironic that Queen’s were the last visiting team to play in Athlone when their win over Buccs consigned the Pirates to Division 2A.
There are three Ulster clubs including Queen’s in this division and the midlanders will play them in their opening three fixtures. Buccs’ first away game heralds a joust against new opposition in Rainey Old Boys while Ballymena, also relegated last season, visit the midlands the following weekend. Tipperary clubs Nenagh Ormonde and Cashel are other new AIL opponents for the Pirates although the club has had strong links in the past with Nenagh. Perhaps the John McCormack Cup, which commemorates a former player with both Nenagh and Athlone, will be revived for this fixture?
Buccaneers have previously played the remaining four clubs – MU/Barnhall, UL Bohemian, Dolphin, and Old Crescent – in varying divisions over the years. The full fixtures list of league fixtures for Buccaneers First XV is listed below including a quartet of Connacht matches.
Good numbers are attending training under head coach Peter O’Donnell and the preparatory work for the forthcoming campaign is cranking up seriously from hereon. Junior squad players are also getting in shape for their league which kicks off on the weekend of September 15.
Buccaneers senior fixtures 2019
September 1 - Sligo (A ) CSL
September 8 - Corinthians (H ) CSL
September 14 - Galwegians (A ) CSL
September 21 - Ballina (H ) CSL
September 28 - BYE
October 5 - Queen’s University (H ) AIL
October 12 - Rainey Old Boys (A ) AIL
October 19 - Ballymena (H ) AIL
November 2 Nenagh Ormonde (A ) AIL
November 9 - MU/Barnhall (A ) AIL
November 16 - UL Bohemian (H ) AIL
November 30 - Dolphin (A ) AIL
December 7 - Cashel (H ) AIL
December 14 - Old Crescent (A ) AIL
2020
January 11 - Old Crescent (H ) AIL
January 25 - Cashel (A ) AIL
February 15 - Dolphin (H ) AIL
February 22 - UL Bohemian (A ) AIL
February 29 - MU Barnhall (H ) AIL
March 14 - Nenagh Ormonde (H ) AIL
March 21 - Ballymena (A ) AIL
March 28 - Rainey Old Boys (H ) AIL
April 18 - Queen’s University (A ) AIL
April 25 - AIL semi-finals
May 9 - AIL final
*AIL denotes Energia All-Ireland League; CSL denotes Connacht Senior League.
