BUCCS HOME TO CORINTHIANS ON FRIDAY NIGHT
Buccaneers are home to Corinthians in the third round of the Connacht Senior League with the action kicking off in Dubarry Park at 8 p.m. (This will enable everyone to watch the All-Ireland Football final the following day!). Buccs are still pointless and will need to show significant improvement on their opening two matches. However, they fielded relatively inexperienced squads in both those encounters and will be hopeful of having a few of their more seasoned campaigners back for the visit of Corinthians.
Danny Qualter has returned to the Pirates crew and will hopefully have recovered from a niggly injury that has sidelined since his return to the club. Still only 28 he brings a big frame and a wealth of experience to the squad. Rory Grenham is back training too and is another who brings added nous as well as being able to play in a variety of positions. Much focus will also feature on Tabo Maree, a young South African who has joined the Athlone club. These three players should bolster a pack that has been found wanting in bulk and guile. Rory O’Connor should add a cutting edge to the backline.
Meanwhile Corinthians recorded a comprehensive 50-10 victory over their arch city rivals Galwegians under the Corinthian Park floodlights last Friday. Although they lost their opening game away to Sligo, they nevertheless notched 28 points in that defeat. So there is firepower in their side with former Buccs Josh Rowland and Simon Keller among their leading scorers. Cian Huxford, Cathal Evans and Rory McClean have also been dotting down for tries for the westerners who scored a brace of penalty tries against Wegians. That indicates power in their pack, an area that the midlanders must improve on.
