The UAFC

http://www.ulsterrugby.com/11548.php

Ulster Ravens Backs from
Cillian Willis
Michael Allen
Mark Roberts
Mark McCrea
Michael Pyper
Chris Cochrane
Paul Marshall
Luke Marshall
Jonny Shiells
Chris Cochrane.


Ulster Ravens Forwards from
T.J. Anderson
Scott La Valla
Mark Robinson
Alan Whitten
Neil McComb
Paddy Marks
Stephen Mulholland
Paul Karayannis
Andrew Linton
Andi Kyriacou
Nigel Brady
Paddy McAllister

that is not a serious Ravens selection very much a development squad

Over the past few years this fixture has been played at a neutral venue to help with the expense of travelling. The Barnhall ground at Parsonstown has excellent facilities, and is situated off the N4 just west of Dublin, near the villages of Leixlip and Cellbridge close to Weston airport. The kick-off will be at 3.00pm.

Played at Enniskillen a few years ago I recall, and perhaps there are others.
Surely somewhere near there or Sligo would 'help with the expense of traveling' as much as going to Dublin.

Ravens = 'A' BB. It is a development side.

motorway from galway to dublin was very nearly finished last time i was on it (about a year ago)

motorway from belfast to dublin is the whiteknightoftheweld's personal racetrack. it is the very reason that cruise control can be set at 120mph. it allows me to get from my north down residence to dublin airport in an hour and 20 mins for early flights.

ie ur talking 2-3 hours for both teams on a coach, which is not so bad.
granted, it might deter the tens of fans who might have turned up to watch this, but, aww shucks, they'll just have to suck it up.

WhiteKnightoftheWeld wrote:motorway from galway to dublin was very nearly finished last time i was on it (about a year ago)

motorway from belfast to dublin is the whiteknightoftheweld's personal racetrack. it is the very reason that cruise control can be set at 120mph. it allows me to get from my north down residence to dublin airport in an hour and 20 mins for early flights.

ie ur talking 2-3 hours for both teams on a coach, which is not so bad.
granted, it might deter the tens of fans who might have turned up to watch this, but, aww shucks, they'll just have to suck it up.

It shouldn't be about "travelling" fans welder they should play these games at a suitable ground in either province and activiely promote the game locally. They could try such novel ideas as contacting the local schools and rugby clubs to see if they can encourage the school-kids to turn up - a half day/early finish for those going to the game should do the trick. These games are a chance to whet the appetite of those who cant't get ready access to Ravenhill or the Sportsground. They might not see too many international players or first-team regulars but a bit like the U19 RWC it is a chance to see young players on their way up. It could be seen as a way of building fans for the future as well as players.

The provincial Branches of the IRFU have a duty/remit to promote rugby in the whole of their province not just in Belfast, Galway, Limerick and Dublin.

Having spent the last 8 weeks going up and down to Galway on a weekly basis the motorway is now open all the way through to Galway with the only awkward bit being the Newry area. I regulary can make the journey from my house in Belmont to the centre of Galway in 3.5 hrs. Definately disappointing given the journey time now that the game was not attempted to be played in either province - Galwegians or Banbridge would have meant that you would avoid any snarl ups in both cities and at the same time potentially opened it up to a more local audience.

But hey, sure we are only the fans and not those in the ivory towers of the IRFU - what do we know???

agreed Power - very sensible suggestions

How come there are not more people like you in the corridors of pwr?

YoungMan wrote:Nearly sure Gilroy is in that team...............................

The article says he is in the squad but then proceeds to list 22 'players from' with 10 backs and 12 forwards and no Gilroy.

Who knows!

The 'typo' involved Cochrane twice but not Gilroy. Paddy McAllister is now out and Bryan Young in.

Team v Connacht A

15 Mark Roberts
14 Chris Cochrane
13 Mark McCrea
12 Jonny Shiells
11 Craig Gilroy
10 Luke Marshall
9 Paul Marshall
1 Paul Karayannis
2 Nigel Brady (Capt)
3 Alan Whitten
4 Neil McComb
5 Andrew Linton
6 Scott La Valla
7 Mark Robinson
8 T.J. Anderson.

Replacements
16 Andi Kyriacou
17 Bryan Young
18 Stephen Mulholland
19 Paddy Marks
20 Cillian Willis
21 Michael Pyper
22 Michael Allen

David McIlwaine will travel as a 23rd man

Mark Roberts?

http://www.ulsterrugby.com/11555.php

......... and we lose 18-19

Very bad news. Wishing him a speedy recovery

YoungMan wrote:

YoungMan wrote:Nearly sure Gilroy is in that team...............................

Who Knows............................................

well he was mentioned in the match report .... so I guess he was.

...Willis had sustained a nasty injury and he was carried off the pitch by Alan McCaldin and Paul Hatton. He was immediately taken to hospital to be assessed, but when the news filtered back on the homeward journey up the M1, it was as suspected, a broken fibula.

fibula is the smaller of the 2 bones in the calf/shin/lower leg (bigger one is the tibia)
so hopefully not too serious a break - one that will allow him to be ready for pre-season training (fingers crossed)

Maybe this news will urge UR to sign a scrumhalf?