AIL previews: Big weekend for Ballynahinch in push to keep ground with leaders

Nearing the halfway point and festive mid-season break, the top flight of the Energia All-Ireland League is starting to take shape. The next two rounds could go a long way toward determining whether there will be a breakaway group atop the table.

Going into the weekend’s fixtures, Lansdowne had opened up a five-point gap on Ballynahinch in fifth, by dint of last week’s 18-10 win which denied the Ulstermen even a bonus point.

Hence, after three fifth-placed finishes in a row, ‘Hinch host leaders St Mary’s acutely mindful of not falling adrift of the leading quartet. The home side retain key men such as Ulster duo Marcus Rea, who shifts to number eight, and outhalf James Humphreys, as well as Conor Rankin and Aaron Sexton. They also appear strengthened by the return of hooker Zack McCall, ex-captain Bradley Lumey and former Irish Under-20 backrower Reuben Crothers.

Then again, St Mary’s are flying high and welcome back hugely influential outhalf Conor Dean after he was rested for last week’s big win at home to Nenagh.

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The meeting of Terenure and Young Munster also looks significant in the playoff picture. Young Munster, who did the double over Terenure last season, sit an unlucky eighth. They have slipped 12 points off their hosts, who are third, after last week’s sixth one-score defeat of the season in their epic derby with Cork Con.

Hubert Gilvarry’s hat-trick took his tally to eight tries in seven games, making the Sligo man the division’s leading try scorer. Ger Slattery shifts Munster’s Shay McCarthy to the other wing in a reshuffle and, adding to the attacking talent out wide in this game, Leinster’s Joshua Kenny makes his long-awaited debut for Terenure.

Carlos Spencer also promotes Austrian-born outhalf Caspar Gabriel in a reshuffled backline and welcomes back Leinster hooker John McKee after last week’s loss in Clontarf.

Cork Con and Old Belvedere renew acquaintances at Temple Hill for the first time in eight years, both sitting mid-table with identical records and both needing a win to stay within sight of the frontrunners. After last week’s big win over UCD, Old Belvedere welcome back Josh Ericson at number eight following his debut for Leinster last week.

At the bottom of the table, Nenagh Ormond look to have a daunting task as they continue to search for their first points of the season at home to Clontarf. The champions make their first visit to Tipperary on the back of six successive wins and growing momentum.

Nenagh have picked a new backrow and have shuffled their backline, with the 41-year-old player-coach Derek Corcoran starting at outhalf. ‘Tarf are without Jordan Coughlan, but their injuries in midfield are offset by the return of Hugh Cooney, as well as Leinster prop Alex Usanov.

Energia All-Ireland League

(All matches Saturday 2.30 unless stated)

Division 1A