St Mary's look to have a slight edge

AIB ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE DIVISION ONE SEMI-FINALS:St Mary's College v Old Belvedere

THE EVIDENCE of the season to date suggests this AIB All-Ireland League Division One semi-final could produce an entertaining encounter between two like-minded teams who prefer to keep the ball in hand where possible. The forecast brilliant sunshine should facilitate those ambitions.

The obvious form-line between the teams is the St Mary's victory over today's opponents in the Leinster Senior Cup final, a 9-3 success in an edgy affair that probably won't be replicated. Belvedere may have played in Division One B this season - they topped the table to qualify for the play-offs - but their performances, which included a hatful of four-try bonus points, suggests they won't be cowed by today's assignment.

Left-wing Dave Mongan epitomises their freewheeling approach, or perhaps more accurately appears to be the principal beneficiary having scored 15 tries in the campaign to date. There's little doubt having one former professional in outhalf and captain Andy Dunne and a player from the Leinster roster, scrumhalf Chris Keane, at halfback provides the team with intelligent direction.

Fergus McFadden was on Leinster duty last night while Eoin O'Malley - confined to the bench for the Ospreys tie - hasn't been included in Belvedere's squad.

Ireland Under-20 international, the 6ft 5ins, 19 stone plus tighthead prop Stewart Maguire provides the scrum - his battle with Jack McGrath, his Irish Under-20 team-mate should be an interesting aside - with plenty of ballast while Nermin Lovic is a very capable replacement to be sprung from the bench. Number eight Leo Auva'a is one of their primary ball carriers in an athletic backrow that includes Jonathan Slattery and Jason Risdon.

St Mary's recovered from a mid-season stutter to finish this league part of the season strongly. Darragh Fanning returns to a three-quarter line that boasts plenty of pace under the direction of Shaun McCarthy and former Connacht interpro, Conor McPhillips.

Captain Hugh Hogan leads a St Mary's pack that is strong in all facets of the game and includes the prolific Robin Copeland - the secondrow is the team's leading try-scorer with nine. Peter Smyth is able to name his strongest team, the only absentee is Philip Brophy who is injured.

It is ten years since St Mary's won the All-Ireland League under the captaincy of Trevor Brennan, a feat they'd love to repeat. The hope for today's television audience is that both teams give free rein to their talent. A tentative vote for St Mary's to prevail.

ST MARY'S COLLEGE:G Dunne; R Doherty, S Grissing, M Sexton, D Fanning; S McCarthy, C McPhillips; J McGrath, Richie Sweeney, Robert Sweeney; G Logan, R Copeland; D Hall, P Nash, H Hogan (capt).

OLD BELVEDERE:E Devitt; Conal Keane, D Keane, J Kennedy, D Mongan; A Dunne (capt), Chris Keane; V Soden, M Cooney, S Maguire; R Leyden, P Spivey; J Slattery, J Risdon, L Auva'a.