ANYTHING OTHER than two home victories would constitute a surprise as Lansdowne host DLSP and Bruff welcome Terenure College in their respective AIB League Division Two semi-finals. Lansdowne suffered just a single defeat during the league season proper, losing 14-12 to Old Crescent, but a cursory glance at the quality available to coach Bobby Clancy underlines the magnitude of the task facing the visitors from Kilternan.
There is no pressure on DLSP but that won’t necessarily assist them on the scoreboard: Lansdowne to win.
The second semi-final threatens to be less clear-cut in terms of the outcome. Bruff will start as favourites but Terenure won five of their last six matches – they lost to Thomond on the final weekend of the league aspect of affairs – to qualify for a semi-final and are arguably the form side in the division. Their Limerick hosts though will be motivated to reach the final and a potential rematch with a Lansdowne team that thumped them 54-13 in Kilballyowen.
Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) topped the league and enter the Division Three semi-finals as the team to beat to prevent them from taking overall honours. Their record speaks eloquently for their ability: 14 wins, 580 points for, 12 try-scoring bonus points and they won the division by 10 points from Cork rivals, Midleton.
Banbridge oppose them at Dub Lane today but should find their task of thwarting the home team beyond them.
In the other semi-final Nenagh Ormond travel to Towns Park to take on Midleton. The Cork club seemed unstoppable at one point during the season including inflicting a 25-19 defeat on QUB earlier in the season. They faltered over the final weeks and that allowed the students to catch and overtake them.
When today’s combatants met in December it was a tough game with Midleton winning 6-3. It may not be the same score this time around, but the hosts should progress to the final.
