McCusker back from injury woe as Rainey look for momentum
RAINEY Old Boys welcome back lock Ronan McCusker for their trip to bottom side UL Bohemians with the plan to make it two straight wins from the first three-game segment in Division 2A.
McCusker shipped an injury in the Magherafelt side’s rather unexpected opening-day defeat at Nenagh, and his presence, along with that of the also-returning back-rower Adam Bratton, should give John Andrews’ fifth-placed side plenty of ballast.
Director of rugby Brian Smyth said of the bonus-point victory against Buccs: “We’re happy enough after last week after winning at home to Buccaneers. We’ll be strong for Bohs and playing on their 4G surface is no issue as we train on the surface.”
Up in second, in-form Queen’s University head down to struggling Dolphin with the students eager for their third straight win.
Queen’s will also be playing on an artificial surface — the game is at Irish Independent Park — but are not so comfortable with that, nor indeed the memory of losing to Dolphin last season.
Selection-wise, winger Luke Pollock is back from Ulster A duty, while hooker Alexander Clarke is in the mix again after recovering from injury.
Meanwhile, seventh-placed Ballymena are at Buccaneers.
In 2B, Belfast Harlequins need to gather up some points — they have just one from two games and are languishing in ninth — but have to host unbeaten leaders Galway Corinthians.
Dungannon are two places above Quins and welcome Malahide, who are between the Tyrone team and Quins in eighth, to Stevenson Park.
In 2C it’s rather difficult to ignore the Ulster derby that sees fourth-placed Omagh make the trip to City of Derry, who find themselves in eighth.
Unbeaten Omagh, who have a draw and a win, will be confident, but Derry also possess belief as they have only narrowly, and dramatically, lost their first two games. Sixth-placed Bangor meet Clonmel at Upritchard Park.
Div2A: Buccaneers v Ballymena, Dolphin v Queen’s University, UL Bohemians v Rainey; 2B: Belfast Harlequins v Corinthians, Dungannon v Malahide; 2C: Bangor v Clonmel, City of Derry v Omagh