Buccs face highly rated

BUCCANEERS face a very stiff last eight assignment in the U-20 National League having been drawn away to Lansdowne in Dublin on Saturday next. At time of writing, the venue and kick off time could not be ascertained although a 2.30pm start is most likely. Lansdowne play their senior games at the RDS but precisely where they will stage this enticing U-20 All-Ireland quarter-final is not confirmed. This will be the acid test for Buccaneers as Lansdowne have seven players who were in the Ireland U-20 squad. David Kearney (younger brother of Senior star Rob), towering centre Eamonn Sheridan and drop goal hero Ian Madigan, who has featured at out-half, centre and full-back for Ireland, are their three best known players. Scrum-half Matthew Healy is another back who has had game time with Ireland in the recent Six Nations Championship matches in Athlone while centre Shane Gahan was on the bench. Flanker Dominic Ryan is a dynamic forward and prop Jack O"Connell was another to see action for Ireland. This is a clear indication of the challenge facing Buccs on Saturday. However, Buccs have their own stalwarts, notably prop Conor Higgins and full-back John O"Brien, who both came very close to making Ireland match-day squads this season. Half-back Adam Kennedy has the precocious talent too to compete at this level, while Billy Henshaw and David Fagan are well capable of mixing at high levels. Gaelic starlet John Connellan could be another vital gem for the midlanders" backline where Colin Draper and Conor Murtagh are hoping to be fully fit for action after recent injuries. Conor Molloy, Terry Hynes, Rory Walsh and Eoin Doolan will also be hoping to make the starting XV. In the pack, Joe Kenny, Kevin Creaven and Keelan Headd have been the most consistent forwards throughout a tough campaign in which Buccs have lost just twice. Captain Niall Harney and hooker Trevor Thompson are formidable operators in the front row trenches while Paul Robinson and Rory Byrne will be competing for starting berths in the second row. Shane O"Neill, Henry Reilly, David Egan and Alan Hughes are others who can be counted on to give of their best in the forwards battle. Coaches David Henshaw and Noel Mannion will undoubtedly have Buccaneers focused and fired up; the players have rarely disappointed them to date and they can be counted on to give it their all. If they play to their collective potential and are disciplined, then Buccs have every chance to upset the odds against a strongly-fancied Lansdowne outfit. A supporters" bus is being organised for this quarter-final if there is sufficient interest. Parents and other supporters interested in travelling to this big game by bus are asked to contact U-20 Manager Paudge O"Donnell (087-7602728) to confirm. SECONDS IN RELEGATION PLAY-OFF BUCCANEERS RESERVES have their most important game of the season when they square up to neighbours West Offaly Lions in a winner takes all Connacht Junior League Play-off battle at Ballinasloe on Sunday (2.30pm). Buccs finished third from bottom in the A section whilst Ballinrobe pipped the Ferbane club to clinch the final automatic promotion spot in the B group. It is essential to Buccaneers that they retain their A status and they really must pull out all the stops on Sunday if they are to do it. The Seconds squad of a Senior club is, almost inevitably, the most difficult one to deal with. It is a huge challenge to harness players with Firsts" ambitions to that of players who may merely wish to play for fun. Organisation and commitment by both players and mentors is essential at this level and unfortunately has fallen short on occasion this term. But the players must perform with passion and pride in the jersey on Sunday if Buccs are to survive - you can be sure that the Lions certainly will, so it should be a highly charged affair. Here, focus and cool heads on and off the paddock may be crucial. Buccs have suffered due to an ever changing squad and lack of numbers on match-day. Conor Lavelle, Brendan McManus, Greg McGill and Ian Kilbride are talented, able operators who (with the bench players from the Senior XV) would form a solid foundation. Karl and Mossy Turley, Eddie Brady and David Dunning are others well capable of performing at this level, while other decent players seem to have gone off the radar during the season. Overall, however, there should be the nucleus of a pretty decent Seconds squad who can atone for what has been a dismal and under-performing season to date. Meanwhile, the Lions can scent a wonderful opportunity for this fledgling club and of course they would love nothing better than to put one over Buccs! They have quite a number of decent players in their ranks, many of whom have previously played with the Athlone club, including two quality backs Aidan Keneghan and Tom Gilligan. Julian Walshe and Matthew Boland are another pair with Buccs experience so they will know Buccs inside out. Donal Corbett and skipper Ronnie Guinan are others whose influence will need curbing. However, with so much at stake for Buccs, they will surely field a strong side possessing guile and grunt for what is likely to be a very tight affair and, if Buccs apply themselves to their potential, they have the wherewithal to survive.