The quarter final draw of the First Trust Senior Cup took place today at Ravenhill.

The Senior Cup is proudly sponsored by First Trust Stan Huey, President of the Ulster Branch and Jeremy Stewart, Head of Wealth Management at First Trust Bank made the draw: 1. Ballynahinch              v             Malone 2. Rainey OB                 v             Belfast Harlequins 3. Dungannon               v             Instonians 4. Queens                     v              Ballymena Matches are to be played on or before 23rd February 2007.

 

AI Roundup

CORK CONSTITUTION, the AIB Cup holders, surrendered their crown when they lost 16-9 to St Mary's in the first round at Templeville Road yesterday. St Mary's, who were trounced by Con in last year's final, got their revenge thanks to a 67th minute try by number eight Hugh Hogan, which was converted by Jonathon Sexton.
Garryowen avenged their league loss to Buccaneers when they withstood a storming second-half comeback to secure a 16-13 win at Dooradoyle. Garryowen led 9-3 at half-time following three penalties from full-back Eoghan Hickey. A 46th minute try from Kevin Hartigan and Hickey's conversion put Garryowen 16-3 up, but Buccs' hit back with a try from hooker Garreth Halligan.
Shannon, who lost to Clontarf in the league last week, also gained revenge when scoring a deserved 22-13 over the Dubliners at Thomond Park. Mick Galwey's side led 19-3 at the break with tries from Pat O'Connor, Les Hogan and powerful prop Tony Buckley.
UCD beat Ballymena 18-16 at Eaton Park - one week after suffering a convincing defeat to the Ulster side in the league. UCD led 13-5 at half-time courtesy of tries by Michael Hastings and Brian O'Neill.
There was more northern woe when Galwegians trounced Dungannon 40-3 and Terenure overcame Malone 12-7 thanks to tries from Adam Hughes and Kevin O'Dwyer.
Belfast Harlequins must have feared the worst when they failed to score in the first-half against division three outfit Nenagh Ormond, but eventually won on a 21-0 scoreline.

Facts On Shannon and Belfast Harlequins

Shannon. Captain: Tom Hayes Head Coach: Mick Galwey Asst Coach: Jim Galvin Shannon • Have played 181 League games ( W – 123, D – 5, L – 53 ) for a success rate of 69 % over 15 seasons since October 6, 1990. • Thirteen Shannon squad members have played for Munster and one played for Connacht so far this season. • They have won their last nine AIB League games. • Have beaten all six Leinster clubs during the regulation League this season. • Have beaten both Connacht clubs on the road this season. • Have averaged 3.29 tries per League match this season. • Have won the Munster Senior League (beat UL-Bohs 26-13), the Limerick Charity Cup ( beat Garryowen 20-18 ) and the Munster Senior Cup (beat Garryowen 17-8) since Oct. 6. • Have racked up the most ( 395) points and had the most positive ( 200 ) points differential in Div. One this season. • Have crossed for ( 417) all-time tries which is the second highest total in the League since 1990 / 91. • John Lacey, the top ( 55 ) try scorer in the all-time League, has not got a touchdown for Shannon this League season. • Andrew Thompson with 914 points remains the top points scorer of all time in Div. One. • They are one of three clubs omnipresent in Div. One since the inception of the All-Ireland League. B. Harlequins. Captain: Darren Barbour /Jarlath Carey Head Coach: DC Gillespie Asst. Coach : Neil Doak / Andy Ward Belfast Harlequins • have played 90 League games ( W –61, D – 0, L – 29 ) for a success rate of 68% over 6 seasons since December 4, 1999. • Nine Harlequins squad members have played for Ulster so far this season. • In the middle of his fourth season, head coach Andre Bester left for Rotherham to replace Steph Nel; Andy Ward picks up the coaching reins at the club early in June. • They play their home games at the old Collegians ground at Deramore Park, today named the Grafton Arena, a venue which encompasses cricket, hockey, squash and bowls as well as rugby. • They have won their last five AIB League games. • They have averaged 3.14 tries per League match this season • Have beaten all three Munster clubs in the regular League and Garryowen in the semis; three games were on the road. • Conceded the least ( 148 ) points and the least ( 12 ) tries in Div. One over the 13-game League season. • Had five players in the Ireland U 21 squad this season. • Established coach DC Gillespie is in interim charge these days at the club until Andy Ward takes over next season. • Since the tragic death of second row Jonny Poole last December, the club retired the first XV No. 4 jersey and have worn black armbands in each subsequent game. Information courtesy Des Daly.

 

Uncle Matchey set for a final hurrah

By Gavin Mairs

04 May 2005

It was late on Saturday, hours after their All-Ireland League semi-final victory over Garryowen in Limerick, that Belfast Harlequins centre WP Strauss turned to 'Uncle Matchey' and asked him what age he was.

"When I told him he nearly fainted," laughs Uncle Matchey, otherwise known as Quins veteran scrum-half Andy Matchett. "He thought I was about 30!"

In fact Matchett will be 36 on May 25 and has more All-Ireland League miles on the clock that he would care to admit to.

And yet his still finely-tuned engine and boyish looks hide the fact his star climaxed over six years ago when as a part-timer he played scrum-half for Ulster in the European Cup final triumph in January 1999.

For the record, two years ago Matchett's retirement was actually announced by former Harlequins coach Andre Bester, following successful spells with Portadown and Ballymena, where he came close to winning an All-Ireland League title in the mid-1990s.

But like rugby's Peter Pan, he has found himself answering Quins call once more to solve a scrum-half injury crisis in the side's push for All-Ireland League glory.

Since Ulster fringe scrum-half Reece Spee was ruled out for the season two months ago with a serious groin injury, Matchett has played against UCD, Cork Constitution, Clontarf and last Saturday's play-off victory over Garryowen.

He was plucked from the second XV as Michael Kirkwood was also ruled out with a cruciate ligament injury and, given Spee's injury, Neil Doak was understandably not allowed to play club rugby by the Ulster management.

Six and a bit years on since the memorable day out with Ulster at Lansdowne Road, Matchett finds himself preparing for another final at the Dublin headquarters, when Quins meet six-times champions Shannon in the Division One final (kick-off 4pm).

And the scrum-half, who joined Harlequins in 1999, admits that a victory on Saturday would be a wonderful coda to his long playing career.

"It would be great as obviously I would never have expected this," he said.

"The boys have done very well, there is a really good team spirit and I think it really came through on Saturday.

"Garryowen pressed so hard at the end and we held out and I don't think there was too many people who thought we would beat Garryowen down there.

"There are not that many star names in the side and it just shows how well the side has kept together and hasn't been disturbed by the Ulster guys coming back."

So just how does he keep going at this level especially as he rarely makes more than one training session a week?

"I would try to do circuit training once a week as I think it is brilliant training," he added.

"Also my diet. People might laugh at that but I try not to eat too much crap!

"That's probably a factor and maybe I do have a natural level of fitness, I don't know."

Whatever, he still feels his all-round game is sharp enough to still do an effective job at this level.

"I don't feel I am lagging behind too much," he says. "Even now, if I wasn't fit I wouldn't play and the modern game necessitates the scrum-half being as fit as anybody because there are so many more rucks and you have to get to the different phases.

"So, fitness-wise and sharpness-wise I don't feel too bad - that has been the encouraging thing this year."

But can Quins really pull it off against a Shannon side who see it as their birth right to win the AIL?

"It is very much a one-off game, and the guys have said Shannon are the best side they have played this year. We will have to front up to them, especially defensively, because if we let them dictate we could be in trouble.

"They are a very well-drilled side but we have beaten them before, so I don't think we have anything to fear."

 

Harlequins set to leave big names on the shelf

03 May 2005

Grafton Belfast Harlequins are still waiting to hear confirmation if they will have their Ulster contacted players available for Saturday's All Ireland League Division One final against Shannon at Lansdowne Road.

With Ulster's season ending against the Neath-Swansea Ospreys in the Celtic Cup it could be possible that players like Tommy Bowe and Kevin Maggs are drafted into the Quins squad for the decider, but the club are likely to stand by the players who have been there for most of the season.

Hooker Rory Best and scrum half Neil Doak are likely to be brought into the squad while opponents Shannon won't have any of they contracted players as Munster have a Celtic Cup semi final against Leinster.

Quins reached the final with a 15-8 win in Limerick against Garryowen and came out of the game with no major injury problems although flanker David Dougherty and centre Greg Mitchell picked up slight knocks but are expected to be fit.

Quins have been boosted by having two players named in the AIB Division One team of the year.

Leicester bound out half Ian Humphreys and Irish U21 prop Declan Fitzpatrick are the only two Ulster players to make the final XV. Shannon who topped the table have five players in the team including captain Tom Hayes.

Saturday's match will see the best attack in the league against the best defence.

Shannon scored a massive 395 points in their league campaign and suffered only two defeats but one of those came a Deramore when Quins rallied from 18-0 down to snatch victory by a point in injury time.

Quins had the meanest defence in the league conceding an average of less than 10 points per game and it was their defence that paved the way for victory against Garryowen when they had their backs to the wall.

Rugby - 'Quins Bank On Best Release

By Richard Mulligan

Tuesday 3rd May 2005

Ulster hooker, Rory Best, could be released for Grafton Belfast Harlequins on Saturday for the All Ireland League Division One Championship decider.

Harlequins face defending champions, Shannon, at Dublin's Lansdowne Road at 4pm.

Best, who came on as a second half substitute on Saturday for Ulster in the Celtic League, played in the victory over Clontarf which secured third place for the Belfast side in the league.

And there could also be the possiblityscrumhalf, Neil Doak, will also be released.

European Cup winning hero, Andy Matchett, has been wearing the number nine shirt for Quins since Ulster third choice scrumhalf, picked up an injury two months ago.

Matchett has proved a steadying and controlling influence for Quins behind the pack and it may be harsh on him if he was to sit out the final.

However, having Best and Doak available would also be a boost to DC Gillespie who is hoping to lead Harlequins to the title for the first time and join Ballymena and Dungannon on the winners rostrum.

It would be fitting for Gillespie who will be stepping down as coach at the end of the season, having taken over for Andre Bester mid-season, to let way for Andy Ward as the new director of rugby at Deramore.

Ulster lock, Matt Mustchin and prop, Declan Fitzpatrick, were released for Saturday's trip to Limerick which saw Quins defeat Garryowen 15-8.