The UAFC

Lack of Ulster players is actually a real strength for Armagh. Unlike other ulster teams in the league they are able to put out a consistent team weekly with very few changes which definitely helps with cohesion and understanding as a team.

Too early to get excited about any team in 1B after 9 rounds 2 sides on 25, 2 on 24, 2 on 23, 2 on 21 and the last on 18 and 15
In 1 match you can go from 1st to 8th so it far from over for any team

Well done to Armagh on getting to the Final of the Bateman Cup ie (All Ireland Cup)

Watched Hinch at home to Wesley at the weekend - lost 17-19. Pretty poor tbh, a match they should have won, worked themselves into a lead with a strong wind at their backs in the second half, then just completely lacked game management / leadership and went backwards.. J McP had a poor game, distributed well enough but kicked very poorly from hand.

Interesting to read about the scrum-half battle at Malone on the other thread - I saw ROD play in good conditions (previously I had just seen him at the Hinch-Malone game which was a complete washout, shocking conditions, so couldn't really make a judgment), I thought he was ok. Pass was decent, a couple of decent kicks - but a couple of ill-judged snipe attempts. He certainly looked useful, but I'd be lying if I said he really stood out.

1B is a really interesting league, just 6 pts now separating 1st from 7th, looks like it'll go to the wire - Malone and Armagh certainly going well, Banbridge and Hinch not out of it, but Ballymena need to pull their socks up and fast or they're in risk of dropping back down..

1B has been like that all season, you come away with no points you go from 1st to lower mid table, 6 points to 7th is a big spread, it has been 5 for quite a while.
Malone have a good chance of winning it, big match between Malone and Armagh as a warm up in Gibson Park before the Ulster v Kings match.

Mcphilips pulled out of a tackle for one of Wesley’s scores, should be sent on his way but doesn’t he have another year on his contract? Was a very poor display by Hinch, no leadership and no nastiness or determination from anyone in the forwards

AIL 1B setup for a grandstand finish.

Banbridge in a relegation spot are six points from promotion.
Ballymena realistically need a win at home next week against Banbridge to have any chance of staying up.
If Hinch and Malone can win away next Saturday it will be a major step towards 1A for them, and an Armagh win it will put some daylight between the Ulster teams and the rest for promotion.

No clue who has the easiest run in as everybody has been taking points from each other.

Sat 9 Mar
Ballymena Banbridge
Buccaneers Ballynahinch
City of Armagh St Mary's College
Naas Old Wesley
Old Belvedere Malone

Sat 23 Mar
Ballynahinch Old Belvedere
Banbridge Naas
Malone City of Armagh
Old Wesley Buccaneers
St Mary's College Ballymena

Sat 6 Apr
Ballymena Naas
Buccaneers Banbridge
City of Armagh Ballynahinch
Old Belvedere Old Wesley
St Mary's College Malone

Sat 13 Apr
Ballynahinch St Mary's College
Banbridge Old Belvedere
Malone Ballymena
Naas Buccaneers
Old Wesley City of Armagh

Crazy league this year with everyone able to beat each other. Doubt any team has the strength to servive when going up to 1A. The gap has grown over the last few years look at Buccaneers for example. Great win for Hinch yday in horrible conditions, thought the posts were going to blow over at one point

Whoever goes up this year will come back down next year and whoever went up last year will probably also come down this year.
Ballymena will probably drop unless there is a strange set of results in final matches.

I see Lowry was playing for Banbridge, the biggest question isn't if he played well or not, just did he get through with no injuries?

Bann were 17-5 down at half time, they replaced Johnny Stewart with Ian porter and things seemed to click, perhaps porter providing more control and speed at the breakdown. Lowry played very well in the second half and managed to bag a try as well. Some might say dubious but Porter would be the second best scrum half in Ulster, Stewart unfortunately is no big addition, very laboured at the breakdown. Clive Ross was the pick for Ballymena, provided them with plenty of go forward ball.

Stewart is a puzzler, looked an absolute star at schools level with some excellent reading of the game, but just hasn't looked like much ever since the underage internationals. It's quite something to me that he's never managed to overtake Shanahan.

When is the “IRFU sticking it to the clubs” American tour starting? That will play a big part in who will be going up. Armagh will definitely benefit during that period

UR13IRFU wrote:When is the “IRFU sticking it to the clubs” American tour starting? That will play a big part in who will be going up. Armagh will definitely benefit during that period

This week I think, Connacht have announced their squad, we haven't.

UR13IRFU wrote:When is the “IRFU sticking it to the clubs” American tour starting? That will play a big part in who will be going up. Armagh will definitely benefit during that period

No matches here this weekend, but here are remaining matches, only benefit Armagh will possibly have is the match at Malone