Buccs to face cup clash against Shannon

BUCCANEERS have been drawn away to League champions Shannon in the AIB Cup. There had been some uncertainty about the venue, but St. Munchin's College grounds, Limerick, has eventually been confirmed as the venue. The second round match between Shannon and Buccaneers on Saturday, with a 2.30pm kick-off. Shannon's home pitch at Coonagh is not yet ready to stage matches following remedial work that was delayed by the dismal summer. Munster are playing Benetton Treviso in the Heineken Cup at their other nominated ground, Thomond Park, on Saturday, while Shannon's alternative pitch at Limerick Institute of Technology is not available due to Munster's game when it will be used as a car park! This will be another acid test for Buccs, especially as Shannon have (unusually for them) suffered back to back defeats in their opening two AIB League ties and a backlash can be anticipated. However, the cup will take some pressure off the players and it may give the midlanders mentors some licence to experiment. John O'Brien and Paul Harte must surely start at full-back and wing respectively, where their greater strength, pace and know-how would be decided assets. The cup tie would also enable teenage half-backs Adam Kennedy and J.H. Potgeiter to become more familiar with each other's nuances.The pack is likely to be along familiar lines although there could be a rejigging in the backrow. Here the guile and experience of Colin Watters could mean his inclusion, perhaps at blindside flanker with Stephen Burke moving to No. 8 and Colm Rigney being utilised at openside. Buccaneers U-21s face a longer trip south to tackle Sunday's Well in the South-West Conference in Cork on Saturday, while the Seconds are also on the road to Tuam for a Connacht Junior League game on Sunday. It seems strange that the fixtures schedule dictates that all teams play away on the same weekend but, at least, the Reserves will have company in Tuam where the Thirds face the Co. Galway club in the J2 League.