BUCCS KICK OFF SEASON HOME TO SLIGO ON FRIDAY
BUCCANEERS commence the 2024-25 season at home to Sligo in the opening round of the Bank of Ireland Connacht Senior League on Friday night. Kick-off time for the visit of the dual champions to Dubarry Park is 7.30 p.m.
This is a really tough opener for the Pirates as the north-westerners have been going from strength to strength in recent seasons. They have a well-drilled physical side that wrestled both the Cup and League titles from the midlanders last term. In completing that double it was incredibly only their second time to claim the League title since the club was founded in 1890.
Buccs have enjoyed much more success in their 30 years existence as well, of course, as having secured titles in their original name Athlone RFC. But this season looks like being one of transition with tough challenges for a quite youthful squad that has lost a spine of key players for various reasons. However, the coaching triumvirate of Paul Byrne, Benny Gilligan and David Henshaw have been working hard with their enthusiastic panel which will again be skippered by Frankie Hopkins.
There is potential and spirit aplenty among the young Buccs who would appreciate a decent attendance to lend encouragement and also to check out on their progress and development in this floodlit fixture. If the Pirates play to their capacity it can be an exciting and entertaining start to the season.
Buccaneers next game away to Corinthians has a 5.30 p.m. kick-off at Corinthian Park on Saturday week while the home fixture against Galwegians will now be a floodlight encounter on Friday, September 6th at 7.30 p.m. This is to facilitate staging of the Girls U-18 Interprovincial finals, which attracted a bumper crowd last season in Athlone, on the Saturday.
