CUP ACTION KICKS OFF NEW YEAR FOR BUCCS
BUCCANEERS kick off the New Year with a Connacht Senior Cup joust away to Corinthians on Saturday. This quarter-final has a scheduled 2.30 p.m. start at Corinthian Park with the reward for the victors being an away semi-final joust against Sligo or Galwegians on February 12th.
The Pirates had a comfortable 28-3 win over the westerners when the sides met in the Connacht League at Dubarry Park with Ruaidhri Fallon, Ross Murphy-Sweeney and Rory O’Connor notching tries. Martin Staunton and Ruairi Byrne did well on that occasion but it was youngsters like Fallon, Koronato Kiripati, Darren Browne, Michael Hanley and Stephen Mannion who really caught the eye. Add in Tabo Maree, Danny Qualter, Shane Layden and skipper Evan Galvin into the mix and Buccs should be even more formidable this time out.
And they will need to be as Corinthians, for whom Matthew Devine (on of Mike) is developing into a quality player, have recovered from an inconsistent start to the All-Ireland League and have won their last five fixtures on a cumulative score of 186-27. That indicates a team in rich form which is reflected by their move up the table to second place in Division 2B where they are now closing in on leaders Greystones. All this indicates a high-scoring and entertaining contest is in prospect in which the midlanders will need to be on their game from the kick off to the very end if they are to progress.
