AIB League Division One. Belfast Harlequins v Cork Constitution (Ref: Dermot Moloney). Blackrock College v Co Carlow (Ref: Gareth Doyle). Dolphin v St Mary's College (Ref: Colin Stanley). Dungannon v Shannon (Ref: Alan Rogan). Galwegians v Ballymena (Ref: Leo Mayne). Garryowen v Clontarf (Ref: Marshall Kilgore). UCD v Buccaneers (Charlie Beverland).
Focus On - Galwegians v Ballymena. Galwegians: 10th in table; the first of two homes against Ulster clubs this season; having first played Ballymena at home, in Feb. 1994 ( 3-13 in Div. Two ), Galwegians have now lost all five games against the men from Co. Antrim; last season's losing margin ( 11 points ) was the biggest in the series; Galwegians success story against Ulster clubs is 56 % which makes Ballymena their obvious Ulster jinx club; in each of the past two seasons, Wegians' have lost three of their home League games in Galway.
Ballymena. 2nd in table; the only trip to engage a Connacht club this season; the reigning AIB League champions are required to visit Galway for the fourth time to fulfil the sixth League fixture between today's clubs; Ballymena have over the years lost only twice to Connacht clubs in the League and one of these defeats ( 26-27 ) was by a one-point margin against Buccaneers at Athlone in March 2001; Aussie Mark Donato stands in as coach in the absence of Tony D'arcy, on Ireland duties at the Rugby World Cup.
1. Previous League Games Between Clubs: All Matches - Galwegians: P-5; W-0, D-0, L-5 At Crowley Park - Galwegians: P-3; W-0, D-0, L-3, At Neutral Venue: 2. Last Season, (at Eaton Park), Ballymena 42 (six tries) Galwegians 31 (four tries).Sat. 01/ 03 / 03.
AIB League Division Two. Ballynahinch v Waterpark (Terence Deacon) Maole v Sundays Well (Trevor Collins) Old Belvedere v Dub University (Alistair McKay) Thomond v Barnhall (Tom Horkan) UCC v DLSP (George Clancy) UL Bohemians v Old Crescent (Paul Eakin) Young Munster v Midleton (Des Woods) Bective Rangers v Terenure College (John Sheehan).
AIB League Division Three. Ards v Naas (Eanna O'Dowd) Greystones v Ballina (Mike Bebbington) Highfield v Banbridge (Andrew Baird) Old Wesley v Portadown (Richard Kerr) Queens v City of Derry (Jude Quinn) Skerries v Instonians (Paul Coughlan) Suttonians v Corinthians (Gary Greer) Wanderers v Clonakilty (David Armstrong).