With just eight games left the race for the title in 2A continues to be dramatic every single weekend, while elsewhere Dolphin and UL hope to get much needed wins at the bottom of the table.
Ballymena P-P Old Crescent, Saturday January 21st, Eaton Park, 2:30pm
Ballymena and Old Crescent will not face off this weekend due to heavy Snowfall in Ulster.
Cashel V Queens University, Saturday January 21st, Spafield, 2:30pm
Now being back at the summit, Queens hope to control the second half of the season and take the 2A crown but a resilient Cashel aims to upset their hopes.
Cashel really did the Ulster students a favour with the two games over Blackrock College allowing them back into the title picture, defeat in December to Queens was a narrow one and after last weekend’s performance they really are in with a shot of snatching a title.
Four wins in their last five have given Queens the chance at the title after a slip up to Nenagh in November handed them a second defeat of the year, they had to dig deep and pick up points and this weekend will be the same, they cannot afford any more after looking so comfortable last year, they know it can change in the blink of an eye.
Dolphin V MU Barnhall, Saturday January 21st, Musgrave Park, 2:30pm
With the threat of relegation looming over their heads, it is now sink or swim for Dolphin when they face top four contender MU Banrhall at Musgrave Park.
The cruel hand of faith really was not on the side of Dolphin in their two games over Old Crescent, two games decided by last minute scores against their favour, extending their losing streak to six games in a row, two ahead of bottom placed UL and six off Ballymena in eight, they need something to revitalise their hopes of staying in the division.
Despite the narrow defeat to UL at the start of the month Barnhall returned to winning ways and with it kept their hopes of promotion alive, they toppled Dolphin 34-19 in Parsonstown before the Christmas break and will be out to take home all the points from Leeside to keep their ambitions alive.
Nenagh Ormond V Blackrock College, Saturday January 21st, New Ormond Park, 2:30pm
After a tough start to 2023 at the hands of Cashel, Blackrock now face another Tipperary side in the hopes of restoring their place at the top of the table.
Nenagh pose a huge threat, they felt they had enough done against Navan but they came back to draw last weekend, beating the midlanders the week prior was a good showing after a calamitous second half saw them blow a 14-0 lead over Rock in december, they have claimed scalps and are just outside the top four, they have the potential of causing another upset.
Cashel proved to be a stumbling block for Blackrock ending a seven game unbeaten run, the draw at the start of the year they managed to comeback and extend it to seven but defeat last weekend was just their second of the year, four points behind Queens they also face a monstrous points difference but a bonus point win coupled with Cashel doing them a favour would be enough should Queens not get a bonus point.
UL Bohemian V Navan, Saturday January 21st, UL Arena, 2:30pm
UL Bohs hope to overcome their defeat to Barnhall last weekend and mount a charge out of the bottom two, when they meet seventh placed Navan this weekend.
The Robins looked to have turned a corner when they defeated Barnahll at the start of the month ending an eight game losing streak, but they were unable to build on that as the might of the Barnhall attack came to fruition last weekend, they need to showcase their quality if they want to take points this weekend.
The draw last week certainly could have been more for Navan as they controlled a lot of the tie but the weather certainly did them no favours either, thru have tumbled down the table but if they can get some form a resurgent Navan would be back to being a promotion contender.
Diarmuid Kearney
Diarmuid Kearney is a freelance Sports Journalist based in Co Kerry. He has more than 5 years experience covering domestic and international soccer for different media organisations, while also working for local and national print and digital organisations covering GAA.