Club Scene: AIL focus
GAME OF THE DAY Cork Con v Shannon (Temple Hill, 2.30)
AFTER a five-year absence, Shannon, the country’s most successful club, are back in the top flight.
Last season’s Division 1B winners face a tough opening task as they travel to Cork to take on a Con side who will be desperate to win back the title they relinquished to Lansdowne.
Tom Hayes is again at the helm in Shannon and he has made some shrewd signings in the likes of Eoghan Clarke and Cronan Gleeson making the move from Dublin.
The pair will boost Shannon’s front-row options but their involvement in the early part of the season may be hampered by their involvement in the Celtic Cup with Munster ‘A’.
Con will also have to come to terms with several of their youngsters being with Munster, while Tomás Quinlan, who was outstanding for the Temple Hill side in recent season, has moved to Narbonne.
However, Con still have plenty of quality in their ranks and they will fancy themselves to begin their campaign on the right foot.
Shannon won’t make it easy for the hosts and if they could pull off an upset, it would provide the Limerick men with the kick-start they need for the long season ahead.
KIERNAN SET TO COME UP AGAINST FAMILIAR FACES
This afternoon promises to be a strange occasion for Paul Kiernan as he lines out against the team whom he captained to promotion last season.
The centre recently joined UCD as he is now studying a Masters in Dublin after making the moving from UCC.
It is the first time that the Cork students will play in Division 1A, and while Kiernan would surely loved to have led UCC, he understandably decided to put his studies first.
The former Ireland U-20s player had an outstanding season last year which culminated in him winning the Division 1B Player of the Year award, and for 80 minutes at least, the Cork native will have to put his loyalties to one side.
Even without Kiernan’s services, UCC still have plenty of experience with former Munster players Cian Bohane and Ryan Murphy in their ranks as well as Brian Walsh as head coach.
EVERGREEN SMEETH BACK FOR MORE WITH TRINITY
AS ANOTHER AIL season kicks off, Tony Smeeth gets set for the 21st year of his coaching career with Trinity.
A well-renowned innovator, Smeeth spent two weeks in New Zealand with Ronan O’Gara at the Crusaders in a bid to further his own learning.
Trinity have lost a host of players and face a tough trip to face Garryowen today.
NUMBER OF THE DAY
184 Points scored last season by newly-promoted UCC out-half James Taylor.