It may be easy to read too much into the five tries scored by Buccaneers in their opening game of the AIL against DLSP. But there will be few in Division Two who would bet against the midlands side not making it to the final shake-up at the end of the season.
The prospect, too, of former international Noel Mannion lining out in the premier division in the twilight of his career would have a certain poignancy. The back row, apart from being part of a pack that gave the division newcomers a decided edge, added one of his side's tries in the 42-3 win at Keane park.
The score puts them at the top of the table after week one of the competition on the strength of running in more scores than the other five winners on the day: Sunday's Well, Galwegians, Greystones, Skerries and UCC.
Sunday's Well, 23-5 winners over Bective Rangers, will also have high expectations. With former Irish coach Murray Kidd again at the helm of the side he led into Division One in 1994, Sunday's Well showed superior handling and the required aggression, particularly in defence, to yield a try each from Declan Coppinger, hooker Victor Nelson and Mike Kenworthy after an interception late in the second half.
Richie Daly and Eddie Horgan O'Connell shared in the kicking with a conversion and two penalties between them, with only one Bective reply from the former Navan player Damien Guerin. Guerin went over in the first minute to give the home support an early, if short-lived glimmer of hope.
Eric Elwood added his usual bag of kicks from out-half in Galwegians' 32-18 win over Wanderers. With nine of the Connacht side who went out of the European Conference at the quarterfinal stage in Agen, and with one former Galway footballer, Jarlath Fallon, the home team delivered their win quite stylishly at times.
A descending mist made both spectating and refereeing difficult, but with two tries from Pat Duignan and one a piece from Diarmuid Reddan and Graeme Heaslip, Galwegians not only proved worthy winners on the day but contenders for the title.
Closer contests transpired elsewhere in the division. Ciaran Fitzgerald's Greystones edged out Monkstown 11-14, where out-half Mark Wyse's three penalties proved all-important for the Wicklow side. The former Wanderers number 10 made the most of ideal conditions in a game that settled into a midfield battle. A late rally from Monkstown was repelled.
At Skerries, the Holmpatrick record remained intact. Three years and still unbeaten, it was Malone who this time made the long journey home six points adrift. With only one point between the sides, Skerries worked the second half better, and Jimmy Dempsey's three penalties and a conversion were crucial in the 16-10 victory.
UCC, celebrating their return to The Mardyke after a 12-month absence, emerged with a ninepoint win over City of Derry, running in three tries to one. Despite initially going behind to an Ian McGregor penalty after two minutes, the students rallied to lead 19-6 at the break.
The visitors did improve in the second period but not enough to seriously threaten. A try from Tommy McBride had Derry within six points, but UCC reacted positively and tightened their defence before Colin Healy kicked a penalty 10 minutes from the end to take the game out of reach.
