CITY OF ARMAGH avenged their All-Ireland League defeat last month by Buccaneers when they proved too strong for the Pirates in their Bateman Cup All-Ireland semi-final played in front of a big crowd at the Palace Grounds, Armagh, on Saturday. For a variety of reasons, Buccs were missing 9 players but their depleted squad gave a good account of themselves despite going down 29-13 to the physically stronger hosts.
The Buccaneers President’s XV retained the James Moran Exiles Perpetual Cup in consummate ease when they overwhelmed the Exiles Selection 53-10 at Dubarry Park on St. Stephen’s Day. Backboned by a quintet of Byrnes, the holders were on top from start to finish in this traditional festive fixture which was played in unseasonably benign weather.
BALLYMENA enjoyed early Christmas goodwill at Dubarry Park where three gift-wrapped tries helped them to a hard-fought 27-22 All-Ireland League victory over Buccaneers. This third successive victory by the Braidmen moves them above the Pirates who are now anchored at the bottom of a compacted Division 1B as the AIL takes an end of year break.
OLD BELVEDERE and Buccaneers swopped places in the Division 1B table for the second successive week when the Dubliners eked out an 11-10 All-Ireland League victory at wet and windy Anglesea Road on Saturday. In a finely balanced contest between two evenly matched outfits, the homesters were mightily relieved when Luke Carty’s drop goal attempt, with the final kick of the match from over 30 metres, was fractionally off-target.
ST MARY’S COLLEGE earned a vital victory when defeating Buccaneers 34-32 in their All-Ireland League Division 1B clash at Templeville Road on Saturday. This meeting of the two clubs relegated from the top flight last season had a “must win” feeling about it even at this early stage of the current campaign. St. Mary’s were the more cohesive unit and merited their narrow bonus point win. On a firm sod, the endeavours and high scoring by both sides masks a scrappy enough affair.
After a recent luckless run, Buccaneers J1’s clicked to record an impressive 32-12 Connacht Junior 1A League victory over Castlebar in an entertaining and lively contest played under the Dubarry Park floodlights on Friday night. The Athlone side had seven changes in personnel as well as a number of positional switches for this encounter including the return of Rory Grenham, who had been injured in the opening game of the season at Ballina.
Buccaneers U-20’s showed real character to overcome a strong Dublin University challenge in an enthralling and entertaining J.P.Fanagan Leinster Premier 2 league encounter at Dubarry Park last Sunday. The home team made four changes from the previous week with Brian McDonnell making his first start for the club in the back row and Goncalo Catarino returning from injury. Liam Winnett was welcomed back following his exertions in Ireland U-20’s camp the previous week. In a final change Sean Flynn, also returning from injury, slotted into the full back berth with Jensen Nagle moving to the wing.
