The OC Division 2 is already looking like a two horse race between Clontarf and Terenure. The two teams are kept apart again this weekend and indeed both have matches against 2nd XIs that they would be expected to win.
The full line up of matches is:
Rush v Dublin University
Leinster 2 v Clontarf
Malahide v Balbriggan
Terenure v Merrion 2
A win for the students in the match between Rush and DU is probably their last chance to mount a challenge for a promotion spot. Having already lost to Clontarf and Terenure they need to win all their other matches and hope for a slip up from one of the two front runners. On the other hand a victory may well secure a very credible third place for Trinity with matches against weaker sides in the league to come. Rush on the other hand have had a poor start to the season and badly need a first win.
The Malahide v Balbriggan tie will be a good test of how far Balbriggan have come over the past couple of years. Both teams have won one and lost one so far this season and the ‘head to heads’ between the two teams may prove decisive in determining their respective positions in the league.
Wins predicted for Clontarf, Terenure, Dublin University and Malahide.
The Clontarf team for the weekend is E Delany, R Forrest, M Collier, B Coghlan, A Paynter, A Botha, Z van der Merve, A Craig, P Ryan, A Nazir and A Darcy. Joe Morrissey and Alec Cusack are being rested.
The Merrion 2 side against Terenure is K Beasley, A parkinson, P Tice, D Watkins, N Brown, C O'Donoghue, S McDonald, A Raghaven, H Kennedy, R Ensor and R Watkins.
The Terenure team to play Merrion is K McDonald, M Hogan, T Fisher, D van Zyl, E Admed, R Lawrence, T Lynch, B Hoey, M Hoey, U Jehangir, J Smith.