Corinthians head to Limerick on Sunday prepared for a battle from a Shannon outfit looking for revenge.
The Cloonacauneen outfit won their earlier Ulster Bank League division 1B meeting by a comfortable 30-16 margin, and Shannon will be eager to make amends at their home venue Coonagh.
That victory, in what was Corinthians’ first division one fixture at home, proved a real turning point for Phil Pretorious’ side. Up against the league’s most decorated club, Corinthians not only survived the test, but grew in confidence as the game progressed. And since then Corinthians have kicked on to win all but one of their fixtures to date, putting them in pole position for a promotion play-off.
Last weekend Corinthians scored five tries in their 31-5 win over Dungannon RFC. Dominating the opening half, hooker Joey Merrigan claimed the opening try following a five-metre scrum, before flanker John Burns added the second from a line-out and maul. The pack set up the third from a turnover and fullback David Panther crossed with captain Finn Gormley adding all three conversions for a 21-0 half-time lead.
Panther pounced again to secure the fourth-try bonus point within 10 minutes of the restart, and although Dungannon added a consolation try, the Cloonacauneen outfit finished with a flourish with Arron Conneely setting up replacement Bryan Dixon for the fifth. Corinthians: D Panter, A O'Connell, J Buckley, C Begley, F Gormley (cpt ), C Murphy, M Murphy, M Byrne, J Merrigan, A Glynn, G Warde, D Phelan, C Raftery, J Burns, A Conneely. Subs, T Toolan, A Broderick, R Connellan, M Walsh, B Dixon.
