All-Ireland League Previews

Division One

Buccaneers v Garryowen Keane Park, Athlone

Jimmy Screene is expected to be fit, so the home side, who have started fewer players (17) than anyone else, will promote the promising 19-year-old Colm Rigney in place of his suspended brother Donal for their first change in four matches.

Garryowen will delay until today, but are expected to be without Shane Leahy and Ben Cronin.

Garryowen look to have more opportunism about them than a home side for whom 70 per cent of their tries have come from scrum-induced penalty tries (three) or Brian Rigney ploughing over from close-range tap penalties (four).

Last season: Didn't meet.

Form guide: Buccaneers - W L W W L. Garryowen - W W L W W.

Leading points scorers: Buccaneers - Simon Allnutt 42pts. Garryowen - Killian Keane 54pts.

Leading try scorers: Buccaneers - Brian Rigney 4. Garryowen - Melvin McNamara, Kieran Ronan, Colin Varley, David Wallace 2 each.

Odds: 1/1 Buccs, 16/1 Draw, 4/5 Garryowen.

(Handicap) 5/6 Buccs (+3), 16/1 Draw, 5/6 Garryowen (-3).

Referee: T Redmond (Leinster).

Forecast: Buccaneers to win.

Young Munster V Ballymena Clifford Park

The unorthodox Andre Bester, who finished the Clontarf win with three forwards in his back-line, has picked Derek Topping in the centre alongside Dean Macartney on the wing. Only two make their AIL debuts, last year's 19-year-old Ulster schools scrum-half Alex McCloy and 21year-old flanker Darryl O'Kane.

Munsters juggle limited back resources, with a less than 100 per cent Peter Boland returning at fullback, Mick Lynch switching to out-half in place of the omitted Aidan O'Halloran, while Kiwi centre Richard Larkin and winger Noel O'Meara swap places.

Last season: Ballymena 13 Young Munster 21 Form guide: Young Munster - L W W L L. Ballymena - W W W.

Leading points scorers: YM - Aidan O'Halloran 16pts. Ballymena - Simon Mason 51pts.

Leading try scorers: YM - Ger Earls 2. Ballymena - Jan Cunningham, Noel McKernan, Rab Irwin, Mark Blair 1 each.

Odds: 4/7 Young Munster, 16/1 Draw, 11/8 Ballymena. (Handicap) 5/6 Young Munster (-5), 16/1 Draw, 5/6 Ballymena (+5).

Referee: J Dume (France).

Forecast: Munsters to win.

Lansdowne v Blackrock Lansdowne Road

Lansdowne's attack should be more potent with Shane Horgan and Gordon D'Arcy back, but their defence could be more porous without the injured Kurt McQuilkin. David O'Mahony, namesake of the scrum-half, comes in and Paul Grimes is declared fit.

For Blackrock, Brian Carey, Alan McGowan and Andrew Boyd are all injured, forcing yet another reshuffle, while Paul Flavin is still suspended.

Last season: Blackrock 54 Lansdowne 32. Form guide: Lansdowne - W W W L W L. Blackrock - W W L L L L.

Leading points scorers: Lansdowne - Rory Kearns 51 pts. Blackrock - Aidan Guinan 4.

Leading try scorers: Lansdowne - Colin McEntee 3. Blackrock - Aidan Guinan 4.

Odds: 4/9 Lansdowne, 16/1 Draw, 15/8 Blackrock. (Handicap) 5/6 Lansdowne (-7), 16/1 Draw, 5/6 Blackrock (+7).

Referee: G Black (Leinster).

Forecast: Lansdowne to win.

Cork Constitution v Galwegians Temple Hill

Galwegians are surely going to win sooner rather than later and with an unchanged side must have a better chance here against an undistinguished Constitution than odds of 7/2.

With Junior Charlie back in harness and Eric Elwood back in form, Galwegians are equipped to score tries with a reasonable share of the ball.

Constitution seem on a bit of a roll. In a division where home wins outnumber away wins by over two to one, that could again be critical.

Last season: Didn't meet. Form guide: Cork Con - L L W L W. Galwegians: L L L L L.

Leading points scorers: Cork Con - Ronan O'Gara 48 pts. Galwegians - Eric Elwood 38 pts.

Leading try scorers: Cork Con - Brian Walsh 3. Galwegians - Eric Elwood 3.

Odds: 1/5 Cork Con, 16/1 Draw, 7/2 Galwegians. (Handicap) 5/6 Cork Con (-10), 16/1 Draw, 5/6 Galwegians (+10).

Referee: JP Matheu (France).

Forecast: Cork Con to win.

Clontarf v St Mary's College Castle Avenue

Clontarf retain Chilean scrum-half Sebastian Berti in an unchanged line-up.

Trevor Brennan (whose sore ribs means Peter Sullivan is called up) is a loss for St Mary's, but while they can still match Clontarf up front, their willingness to use the likes of Nowlan and McWeeney may determine whether they can win here and launch a late charge for the play-offs. They should be able to do both.

Last season: St Mary's 12 Clontarf 23. Form guide: Clontarf - L W L L W W. St Mary's - W L L W L W.

Leading points scorers: Clontarf - Richie Murphy 52 pts. St Mary's - Richie Ormond 24pts.

Leading try scorers: Clontarf - Rion (check) Vorster, Ollie Winchester 2 each. St Mary's - Victor Costello 3.

Odds: 11/8 Clontarf, 16/1 Draw, 4/7 St Mary's. (Handicap) 5/6 Clontarf (+5), 16/1 Draw, 5/6 St Mary's (-5).

Referee: D Tyndall (Leinster).

Forecast: St Mary's to win.

Shannon v Terenure College Clanwilliam

With Shannon unchanged and on a roll now, this looks bad timing for Terenure - perhaps the biggest disappointments of the campaign.

Having decided on Craig Fitzpatrick at out-half, and a Rory Sherriff-Colin Potts axis in the second-row, Terenure have still to agree on two flankers from three in Gavin Hill, Dermot Blaney or Peter O'Malley. They've troubled Shannon in recent times, and will assuredly raise themselves, but have still to score more than 16 points or one try in a game yet.

Last season: Terenure 17 Shannon 19. Form guide: Shannon - L W W W. Terenure - L L W L.

Leading points scorers: Shannon - Andrew Thompson 26pts. Terenure - Craig Fitzpatrick 14pts.

Leading try scorers: Shannon - Paul Mcmahon, John Lacey, Mark McDermott 2 each. Terenure - Ciaran Clarke, James Blaney, Brian Hogan 1 each.

Odds: 1/7 Shannon, 16/1 Draw, 9/2 Terenure. (Handicap) 5/6 Shannon (-12), 16/1 Draw, 5/6 Terenure (+12).

Referee: B Smith (Munster).

Forecast: Shannon to win.

Division Two

Dungannon v Wanderers - off.

Ballynahinch v Bective Rangers, Ballymacarn Park

The Division Two newcomers have yet to settle, and they must face into this one, only their second home tie, without Andy Ward.

Bective can show the type of resilience which earned them the spoils away to Sunday's Well.

Forecast: Bective to win.

Dolphin v DLSP Musgrave Park

Although they are still well-placed, some of us may have been over-rating DLSP judging by their low-scoring scraps with Old Belvedere and Skerries. Given Dolphin have also struggled to keep the scoreboard ticking, another low-scoring affair seems likely.

Forecast: DLSP to win.

Greystones v Malone Dr Hickey Park

Malone's unbeaten leadership remains a surprise, although their best work has been done at home. However, Greystones' mini-surge came to an ominously abrupt halt against Wanderers last week.

Forecast: Malone to win.

Old Belvedere v Sunday's Well Anglesea Road

The visitors should have the defence to blunt a Belvedere team struggling for scores. They have the prolific boot of Richie Daly to help them.

Forecast: Sunday's Well to win.

Old Crescent v UCC Rosbrien

Flattered by their escape last week in Donnybrook, the students have yet to scale the heights of last season. By contrast, Crescent appear to be re-acclimatising themselves now and are unbeaten at home.

Forecast: Crescent to win.

Old Wesley v Portadown Donnybrook

Five defeats in a row for this young, rebuilt Wesley side has sent them spiralling toward the Third Division. Portadown's more experienced, hard-edged pack ought to lay the foundations for a continuation of that sequences.

Skerries v City Of Derry

Derry appear to have turned the corner with a brace of wins after a tough opening schedule, whereas Skerries have lost four in a row.

Forecast: City of Derry to win.

Dungannon v Wanderers postponed.