After a 19-month hiatus, round one of the All-Ireland club rugby campaign kick offs this weekend with 30 games across the weekend, with Old Belverdere hosting Naas in the opening match on Friday night.
Friday night’s game kicks off at 8:00 PM before the remaining 29 fixtures in the opening round are played on Saturday at 2:30 PM.
The 2019/20 season was suspended due to Covid-19, 14 rounds into the competition but it returns after almost two years.
With most clubs stating a preference for a return to the previous format, an 18-game regular season will run until April 9th, 2022.
The men’s final is set for Sunday, May 1st, 2022.
Highfield ended the suspended season top of Division 1B, on 50 points from 14 games, impressively winning 12 and losing just twice, making them favourites to win the division.
They are in action at home to St Mary’s College, who struggled in front of the try line with the second fewest points registered last season – 215.
One point split Banbridge and City of Armagh in last year’s campaign, as the two mid-table sides meet once more this weekend.
Bottom side Navan endured a miserable 2019/20 season, with them registering just one win from their 14 games and conceded the most points in the division – 371.
They are away to Malone, who finished the suspended season in fourth in a tightly congested mid-table that separated third to eighth with just seven points.
Record All-Ireland champions Shannon have lifted the trophy nine times but haven’t lifted silverware since their 2008/09 win.
Tadgh Bennett’s side will be desperate to compete at the top once more after an underwhelming third place finish in last year’s campaign, 15 points behind leaders Highfield.
They come up against Old Wesley at Energia Park, who finished second and looked to have been in a two-horse title race, trailing top spot by just eight points before the league’s suspension.
Ben Jaycock
I am a Sports Journalism & PR graduate from Staffordshire University. During my time at Final Whistle, I have covered the LOI National League, international games and the Women’s National League. Outside of Final Whistle, I am a researcher for World Rugby and a writer for The Rugby Paper.