Corinthians and Galwegians take a break from All Ireland league action and meet on Saturday in the Connacht Senior Cup semi-final.
Corinthians will be defending the crown and also their recent record against their city rivals when they take to the Crowley Park pitch at 1.30pm.
Corinthians have enjoyed the better start to their Ulster Bank League season, but in recent weeks they have lost some winnable games, while Galwegians, with a poor opening series of games, seemed to have found their rhythm recently with three wins on the trot.
Games between these two city rivals are always close. Galwegians won this season’s Connacht Senior League, but lost to Corinthians 15 -8, but, as the home side, they should start as favourites. In the other semi-final Sligo will host Buccaneers at 2.30pm.
Corinthians will be hoping for some Christmas cheer after falling to Bective Rangers by 6 - 3 at the weekend in their Ulster Bank League division 2A fixture at Cloonacauneen.
The home side, with the wind at their backs, looked the more dominant up front in the early stages, but they failed to convert a host of opportunities.
Two chances in the first quarter were thwarted by knock-ons, but they finally got on the score board after 17 minutes when centre Conor Murphy converted a penalty. They carved another opportunity to stretch their lead after scrumhalf Kieran Marmion made a great break to get the ball out wide for winger Darrin Classen to take on, but his final pass was off target - another opportunity gone a begging. Just before the break the Cloonacauneen outfit drove forward again with veteran second row Pat Cunningham to the fore, but once again the ball was knocked on, leaving Corinthians leading by 3-0 at half time.
The Corinthian pack held the visitors scoreless for 20 minutes of the second half, but eventually the Corinthian front row were penalised and Bective’s outhalf Gearoid O’Grady slotted the penalty to level.
The Donnybrook outfit committed the same mistakes as the home side, but eventually a they won a penalty and Galwayman Cormac O’Beirne slotted from the 10m line to give Bective a 6 - 3 lead and victory.
Corinthians: D Panter, D Classen, F Gormley (capt ), C Murphy, M Murphy, M O’Flynn, K Marmion, D Small, K O’Byrne, T Toolan, G Warde, P Cunningham, J Merrigan, S Gerrity, A Casanova.
