Sunday
Division One
Shannon v Garryowen, Thomond Park
The champions must do without their first-choice centre partnership as Rhys Ellison (neck/shoulder) and Paul McMahon (knee) are absent through injury. Alan McGrath and Jason Hayes deputise. Garryowen will wait until tomorrow to give Shane Leahy (shoulder), Ben Cronin (shoulder) and Rob Durno (knee) every chance to recover in time.
Shannon never quite manage to look as assured in defence when Ellison is missing but should still possesses the quality to edge past a Garryowen team that could ill afford to be without Leahy and Cronin for this match. If the latter pair are fit, it could be close; if they fail to make it, then Shannon should win comfortably.
Forecast: Shannon.
Terenure v Young Munster, Lakelands
Would the real Terenure please step forward. Last week's victory over Shannon underlines their potential but a brittle temperament brings a little Russian roulette to pre-match predictions. Eric Miller returns but Gavin Hill and Dermot Blaney are missing due to illness and unavailability. Brendan Kavanagh and Peter O'Malley should occupy the other two positions in the back row.
Munsters have a slight doubt about New Zealand centre Sean McCahill but are otherwise likely to be unchanged from the team that hammered Ballymena in the last match. In that game the Limerick side started slowly and they can ill afford that tomorrow. Despite Terenure's propensity to underachieve, they should just sneak home.
Forecast: Terenure.
Division Two (2.30)
Bective Rangers v Old Belvedere
Crucial match for both teams in that the winner can maintain faint hopes of remaining on the periphery of the promotion battle. Bective appear to be running into better form in recent weeks and may just prevail.
Forecast: Bective.
DLSP v Old Wesley
The visitors claim that their form is nowhere near as bad as their present position, third last, suggests. To substantiate their assertion they need to start winning but that is unlikely against a DLSP side, traditionally difficult to beat at home.
Forecast: DLSP.
Sunday's Well v Skerries
Ordinarily this would be a potentially tricky assignment for the home side but Skerries have been very poor this season and anything other than a 'Well victory would constitute a surprise.
Forecast: Sunday's Well.
