February 8th, 2010

Buccaneers Reserves are promptly back in Heineken Connacht Junior Cup action when they head northwest on Sunday to Hamilton Park, Strandhill, to take on Sligo who surprised Monivea 12-9 last weekend. This quarter-final joust will be a tough test of Buccs resolve and enterprise for Sligo have some decent players including James Wilson and Jason East although Niall O’Hara is apparently still an injury absentee. But the midlanders have some fine operators too, notably Gavin Kelly, Anthony Hughes, Darren Costello and Cormac O’Keeffe while Adrian Hughes is a passionate skipper who leads by example. This could be a cracking contest and, if Buccs young guns are not phased by the occasion, then they too are well capable of upsetting the odds. They will, however, need to maintain focus and discipline better than they did when overcoming Loughrea.

Buccaneers U-21’s travel to Tom Clifford Park, Limerick, on Saturday where they will undoubtedly receive a searching test from hosts Young Munster in their South-West Conference National League joust. Buccs Thirds play at home in Dubarry Park when they tackle Corinthians in the Connacht J2 League.

BUCCANEERS scheduled Connacht Senior Cup semi-final away to Galwegians has been deferred. They face Dungannon in Dubarry Park on Saturday week in a “must-win” AIB League game kicking off at 5 p.m.